Bohl Says He Got ‘Overzealous’ With Fourth-Quarter Blitz

LARAMIE -- Hauss Hejny meticulously surveyed the defense.

He didn't like what he saw as both Wyoming linebackers, Ethan Stuhlsatz and Gary Rutherford, crept toward the line of scrimmage. It appeared the visitors were bringing an all-out blitz. Even strong safety Brooklyn Cheek was slowly inching forward.

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It was indeed a "Cover Zero." And Colorado State made them pay, dearly.

Hejny, who was making just his second collegiate start under center, barked out the audible, sending an additional receiver to his left. It was a decoy. The quick pass to the flat that followed instead went even further out to the perimeter and right into the hands of Jackson Harper.

The UConn transfer immediately headed south, but showed enough patience, allowing his blockers to do their jobs. Toriyon Johnson, all 330 pounds of him, quickly eliminated Wyoming's remaining safety Jones Thomas. Tight end Juice Vereen and wideout Terrence Smith Jr. provided the additional convoy to the end zone.

"That Bronze Boot feels a little bit closer than it did before," the television announcer said after that 24-yard pitch and catch that extended the Rams' lead to 28-13 with a little over 11 minutes left in regulation.

To make matters even more frustrating, that play transpired on a 3rd-and-16.

Deep inside the bowels of Canvas Stadium, long after the post-game party on the field came to an end, Jay Sawvel sat down in front of the media and started naming off the laundry list of mistakes him team made. While most of his vitriol was aimed at an offense that committed four turnovers and committed a penalty that erased a 21-yard third-down completion, he was especially displeased with a pair of defensive lapses that led to the rout.

The scenario above was one of those.

"We got a cover-zero blitz going and they're making a check," the Cowboys' third-year head coach said, adding that he wasn't happy with his defensive staff in certain situations. "We've got to get out of it -- and we didn't. They throw a screen and get a touchdown."

What did Aaron Bohl think about that criticism?

"Me and coach Sawvel have worked together for a long time," Wyoming's defensive coordinator said on Tuesday. "We see stuff very similar. The No. 1 critic is myself. Definitely there were times, I told players after the game, I let them down, especially in the third-and-fourth-quarter stretch. I should have had some better calls."

On this particular play, CSU lined up at the opposing 24-yard line. Facing a nearly impossible situation, Bohl said his thoughts were simple: Get the sack, make the subsequent field-goal attempt even longer. Kali Nguma had already pushed a 54-yarder wide right in the second quarter.

"I got overzealous and I should have had a check to get us out of it," Bohl admitted. "So, good learning lesson. The initial call is not bad, but you have to have better mechanics on how to check out (of the play)."

Stuhlsatz, following a 15-tackle performance in his first start, said following the game, in hindsight, he should've gotten his defense out of the play-call.

There was an issue, though. He couldn't have, Bohl said.

Unlike year's past, they didn't incorporate an audible of their own. That's because of the youth of that unit, Bohl added.

Both linebackers are new. So is Cheek. Cornerbacks Kendall Griffin and Therman "Boogie" Williams combined for 65 defensive snaps. That freshman duo spelled Tyson Shamsid-Deen and Ian Bell, who had never before started a college football game. Taunielu Maafala-Barbasa is a rookie. Ja'Quan Redfern was appearing in his first game in a Wyoming uniform. So was Travis Franklin and Jack Dunkley.

"You always get nervous with a young group, but there are certain things that you just always have to have," Bohl continued. "That's one of the things I just need to make sure I always have."

Wyoming will open the home portion of its schedule Saturday against Northern Colorado. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. and the game will stream exclusively on MW+.

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