7220 Snippets: New-Look Mountain West is Officially Official

LARAMIE -- Aren't vacations supposed to be refreshing?

My girlfriend Lindsay and I visited five states -- and Washington DC -- in a five-plus day span, making a pit stop to watch my beloved Phillies erase a 5-0 deficit and win inside Nationals Park, hang with my awesome cousins in Pittsburgh for a couple of days and go accept the NSMA Sportswriter of the Year award in Greensboro, N.C.

Get our free mobile app

We also spent an entire day exploring wild and wonderful West Virginia, including a brief stop in Boone County. One of my favorite documentaries was filmed there.

If you know, you know.

Unfortunately, we never did see Jesco White "pickin' and clickin'" down by the train tracks in Madison. That would've been something.

While I was on this journey -- and computer-less (which was both amazing and still surreal) -- I was still receiving some interesting UW tidbits, like always. That got me thinking: I should just jot them down in a space like this whenever I have a few instead of posting them on X or Facebook. Keep them all in one place, you know?

MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

* Brooklyn Cheek Eyeing Starting Gig in UW Secondary

* Drake's Love Affair With Football Rekindled Through Adversity

* Richardson Has Coming-Out Party in Pokes' Spring Game

* Cowboy Offense Finds End Zone Five Times in Spring Game Victory

* Pokes' Latest Downfield Threat May Have Been on Roster All Along

* Wyoming Teammates on Johnathan Bush: 'He's Our Psycho'

* Josh Allen to Tyler Hughes: Wyoming Football 'One Step Away'

* New UW President on Athletics: 'We Will Compete'

* Landon Sims: 'You Can't Get Rid of Me That Easy'

* Sawvel Believes This Could Be His Best Defense at Wyoming

* Lofty Expectations Ahead for Desman Hearns

* Wyoming's Staff Expecting Inside Dominance From Jayden Williams

* PJ Jackson Looks an Awful Lot Like a Former UW Receiver

* Are the Cowboys Really Flirting With Adding an Option Attack?

So while it was more than relaxing to put a dent in a case of Coors on the porch while watching a western Pennsylvania rain storm, and the food along the way was nothing short of delicious (Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh's Strip District, Smokin' J's Rib and Brewhouse in Morgantown, WVa. and Tom's Watch Bar in DC's Navy Yard, among others) this trip included more than 1,000 miles on the road -- a flat tire -- and 1 billion trees along the way. I'm being generous when it comes to the latter.

It was exhausting. It was also needed.

Mountain West Media Days, believe it or not, is two weeks from today in Las Vegas. Sundance Wicks' Cowboys are already a week into summer workouts. It will be here before you know it.

Here are some chunks of info that have recently landed in my inbox:

* The new-look Mountain West became official at midnight. The all-sport members are: Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, UNLV, New Mexico, San Jose State, UTEP and Wyoming. UC Davis and Grand Canyon will join as all-sport members outside of football, while Colorado College (women's soccer), North Dakota State (football), Northern Illinois University (football and women's gymnastics) and Utah Tech (baseball and men's soccer) are also in the club. That means San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State, Utah State and Colorado State are out. I don't know about you, but, for me, it's bittersweet. Thankfully, for now, the Border War isn't going anywhere.

* Wyoming currently has 15 verbal commits for the 2027 recruiting class, "way ahead" of where that number typically sits this time of year. Head football coach Jay Sawvel has said in the past he wants prospects to witness actual games in the fall inside War Memorial Stadium. He thinks that's the program's top selling point. That way of thinking has changed a bit this summer. According to a source, the staff took potential recruits -- and their families -- to Curt Gowdy State Park to get the full "Wyoming experience." Let's be real, too: Schools around the country are going so transfer-portal heavy that high school kids are being left in the cold. Wyoming will never get away from being a "development program." This is a win-win. You can view the entire class HERE.

* During these visits, that same source said the Cowboys were a perfect "12-for-12" this June, meaning all dozen prospects who stepped foot in Laramie have announced they intend to sign here.

* I'm told the vibe around the football facility is extremely high right now despite coming off another unimpressive campaign last fall. Another source tells me that has been another determining factor in landing 15 early verbals. "The team is in a really good spot right now," he said. "That becomes evident to the recruits also."

* The Cowboys, along with the other nine conference teams, will be sending four players, along with Sawvel, to media days in Sin City. In the past, it was just two players -- one on offense, one on defense -- coming with the head coach. I'm told quarterback Tyler Hughes, left tackle Rex Johnsen, linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz and defensive tackle Jayden Williams will represent the program July 15-16 inside the Palms Casino Resort.

* Craig Bohl was adamant about a number of things during his decade-long tenure on the high plains, one of those being issuing the No.1 to a player. "This is a team," the former head coach said back in December of 2023, adding no one would ever wear that digit. You might recall, he also scoffed at the idea of names on the back of jerseys or distributing any uniform with the No. 0. My how times have changed. Cornerback Tyson Shamsid-Deen, who is also known to play a little receiver, is indeed sporting the latter number. Names have been on the uniforms since Sawvel took the reins of the program back in 2024. Now, No. 1 is also a thing. And it belongs to running back Samuel "Tote" Harris, who donned 26 during his breakout true freshman season. I say, good. It's time to embrace the now. That may also land you a recruit in the future. Here are some former players in Wyoming history who also wore the No. 1.

* If this type of "story" is well-received, we'll keep it up. I'll know by the analytics. Thank you, as always, for reading.

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players