Which Wyoming Cowboy wore it best? No. 38

CHEYENNE -- Do you ever see a number on a Wyoming football jersey and think of all the great players to wear it? Yeah, me too. In this daily series, I’ll give you my take on which Pokes’ football player was the best ever to don each number. The criteria are simple: How did he perform at UW? What kind of impact did he have on the program?

No. 38 – Donovan McComb

Fullback/ tight end, 1994-97, Colorado Springs, Colo.,

Résumé in Laramie
Donovan McComb was named a team captain in 1997 and lettered two seasons at fullback. His personal stats were not impressive – 15 carries for 80 yards – but what he did as a lead blocker made him one of the best to ever play the position at Wyoming.

Why McComb?
Donovan McComb rushed for just 80 yards on 15 carries during his four-year career at Wyoming. He never even scored a touchdown.

So, why is he our best player to ever wear No. 38?

He did the dirty work.

It’s not about his stats, but the guy behind him – Ryan Christopherson.

If you recall, Christopherson was our pick at No. 35. He was the best running back in program history from 1991 to 1994.

Who do you think opened all those holes up for “Ryno” during his record-setting senior season?

McComb blasted linebackers, safeties or anyone else who dared get in his way during that ’94 campaign. Christopherson reaped the benefits, rushing for a then-school record 1,455 yards on 300 carries for Joe Tiller’s offense.

Christopherson scored 10 rushing touchdowns that season and for a time was the nation’s leading rusher.

McComb and Christopherson combined to give the Cowboys the fourth-best single-game rushing performance in program history on opening day that season. UTEP was in town. They quickly found out they were in for a long afternoon.

Christopherson gashed the Miners for 244 yards on just 27 carries. It was just as ugly as the stats would suggest.

Marques Brigham and Lee Sexton also had the luxury of following McComb through the hole from 1995-97. Brigham is still the Cowboys fifth all-time leading rusher with 2,605 career yards.

McComb was a trusted leader in the locker room and was named a team captain in 1997.

The Cowboys were one of the top rushing teams in the WAC during McComb’s tenure in Laramie. The stats piled up. So did the wins. McComb finished his career with 29 victories.

Honorable mention
Bill Lewis recruited defensive back Lee Mitchell (1978-81). Pat Dye was his head coach for one season. He thrived under Al Kincaid.

Yes, that was a time in Laramie when coaches came and went, but Mitchell, who also wore No. 22, was a standout cornerback for the Cowboys throughout his career. Especially in his final season, 1981.

Mitchell, who was 5-foot, 9-inches and 174 pounds, picked off five passes that year for the 8-3 Cowboys. That’s still tied for the eighth-best single-season in program history.

Mitchell intercepted seven passes in his three seasons as a starter in Laramie.

Who else wore No. 38
Randy Hudman (K), Andre Rudolph (HB), Kurt Whitehead (DE also wore No. 99), Herman White (LB also wore No. 54), Anthony Jones (DE), Kevin Fulton (RB), Jared Yannacito (RB), Rodney Jaynes (WR), Julian Hawkins (CB), Wade Cicierski (FB), Jaylon Watson (LB), Garrett Shipman (FB), Ray Rabou (LB)