Sin City Duo on Verge of Cracking Wyoming Lineup

LARAMIE -- The day starts with eggs, oatmeal and toast.

A couple hours later, the first of two -- sometimes three -- protein shakes is consumed. Don't forget the fruit snacks. Lunch consists of mainly chicken and rice. Dinner, homemade tacos, followed by a bowl of cereal.

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That's a day in the life of Wyoming defensive tackle Tanielu Maafala-Barbasa. That's also how you pack on roughly 50 pounds in a matter of just seven months.

Jay Sawvel, admittedly, had his doubts early on.

"When he first got here, I was a little bit like, I don't know -- just in terms of where he was at structurally, you know, size-wise," the third-year head coach said on Tuesday.

That same skepticism followed his high school -- and now college -- teammate throughout his prep career.

Freshman wideout Jayden Williams hauls in a deep seam pass during the Cowboys' annual spring game inside War Memorial Stadium./ Jim Devine courtesy photo

Jayden Williams came to Laramie, tipping the scales at just 158 pounds. He also stands just 5-feet, 8-inches tall. Despite breaking nearly every receiving record in the state, the Las Vegas product didn't receive the type of fanfare some fellow Arbor View graduates did.

A fellow wideout Damani Warren is headed to Texas A&M. Quarterback Thad Thatcher is committed to Oregon State. Zac Fares, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end signed with UCLA.

"It's kind of been the that way my whole life," said Williams, who is now 174 pounds. "You know, I've always had a chip on my shoulder just to outwork everybody and I always have something to prove. So, that's kind of what I thrive off."

Williams, a three-star recruit, did land six scholarship offers, including one from his hometown program, UNLV. After originally committing to Sacramento State, though, Wyoming came into the picture, practically out of nowhere.

Brian Hendricks and Aaron Bohl were hot on the trail of Maafala-Barbasa. The defensive coaches immediately tracked him down after a camp in Northern California. Months later, that duo -- along with defensive tackles coach Deonte Gibson -- made the pilgrimage to Sin City to take in a game. There they spotted a small, shifty pass catcher who wasn't afraid to go over the middle -- or block downfield.

That's not all.

Williams snagged a team-high six passes for 171 yards and a touchdown in a 56-55 overtime win over Desert Pines. He also returned three kickoffs for 65 yards and a single punt, which netted 45 more. When the dust settled, he tallied 281 all-purpose yards.

"I had a decent game," the confident rookie said with a smile. "That's when I got in contact with (wide receivers) coach (Jovon) Bouknight and (Director of Football Operations Austin) Maus and all them. You know, we were talking for a while and I really enjoyed it. Like, they were very transparent and it felt like home."

It obviously wasn't a glowing night for either defense, but Maafla-Barbasa, who also played on the Aggies' offensive line, helped paved the way for 165 yards rushing on just 21 attempts. That's an average of nearly eight yards per carry. Arbor View also found the end zone three times on the ground.

Wyoming's staff was sold.

Now, those recruiting "risks" are starting to pay off.

"He played well in the spring at a small size," Sawvel said of Maafala-Barbasa, who was an early enrollee. "He was in the 250s in the spring and he played well at that. So you're like, man, this guy could be a good player. Then he had a tremendous summer. He's going to be a really good player for us, and I love flat love his spirit."

What does that mean?

A slight grin crossed the face of Maafala-Barbasa, who said despite putting on so much weight so quickly, the "twitch" and get off is still explosive as ever.

"I never let anything negative get to me," he added. "I always just block it out of my head and I always want to lift everyone up."

He's humble, but don't let that fool you, he's a problem between the white lines. During last Saturday's scrimmage inside War Memorial Stadium, Maafala-Barbasa, who goes by the nickname "Tani," was hearing it all afternoon from the west sideline.

That's because he was making plays, setting up camp all afternoon in the offensive backfield. In one instance, he slipped right through the line of scrimmage and met running back Jaden Lawrence head on in what appeared to be a live "Oklahoma Drill."

Maafala-Barbasa won, dropping the 203-pound ball carrier in his tracks. Those two met again just minutes later. Same result.

"Tani," safety Brooklyn Cheek said post-scrimmage, "man, he had a day today."

"He hit a surge and it's been really good," Gibson added. "So, we're excited about that."

Williams has also impressed early on. Sawvel said during the offseason the goal was to get much stronger, physically, on the outside. That's why he recruited a pair of Texas receivers in Jarell Gary and Jordan Styles, who are both around 200 pounds.

Williams is now in that same conversation.

"He's small, but he is tough," Bouknight said. "He'll hit you."

For four straight seasons, Maafala-Barbasa has witnessed that firsthand. When Williams wasn't busy hauling in 162 career catches for 2,898 yards and 35 touchdowns, he was punishing defensive backs and even linebackers.

"He's really good at blocking," Maafala-Barbasa said of his fellow Polynesian. "He's not afraid to block somebody. He will really go and find the biggest person and go drop him. I guess he doesn't care how big you are, how strong you are or how much you lift. As little as he is, he will go smack somebody."

It's that mentality that is likely going to get Williams on the field sooner rather than later.

"I like Jayden Williams," Sawvel said. "I think there's some toughness to him. I think he's got ball skills. I think that he's certainly a guy that when you look at things and you say, 'OK, who will play right away?' ... Jayden is in that mix. Which for a freshman that early enrolled, that's a good thing.

"Tani will play, too."

With the newly implemented "5-in-5 rule," serving a redshirt season is a thing of the past. Freshmen will not be hamstrung to just four games. If you're ready to play, you're in, Sawvel added.

Both came to Laramie in hopes that would be the case. Both have put in the work to make that happen. Talent was never the issue.

"Honestly, just being able to come in here every day, the biggest thing for me is to work, be consistent and just do what I can for my team," Williams said. "If I do my role and do my job, that's the biggest thing that can help us win football games."

Maafala-Barbasa fielded 10 offers after his junior season. That list also included UNLV, along with front-range rival Air Force. The three-star prospect finished with 47 total tackles in high school, 27 of the solo variety. He also tacked on a sack in just 18 games.

Though he will be stuck in a logjam at arguably the program's deepest position, the soft-spoken Samoan said he will do what he always does.

"I knew when I came in I wanted to play early," Maafala-Barbasa said. "I just put my head down and grinded the whole time."

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