UW Expects Depth, ‘5-in-5 Rule’ to Lead to Special Teams’ Success

LARAMIE -- Dante Bruley crashed through the B-gap last Saturday afternoon and got his extended left hand on the football a millisecond after it boomed off the right foot of punter Bart Edmiston Jr.

The thud that followed echoed throughout an empty War Memorial Stadium.

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Wearing a raggedy blue warm-up jersey, the true freshman linebacker shared a quick celebration with his teammates before again heading to the line of scrimmage for his next opportunity.

David Leonard, a sophomore safety, might have had a shot at the block, too, if not for a late chip that left him on the ground in discomfort.

Jay Sawvel expects better results from all of his special teams' units this fall. And that reasoning basically boils down to one word: Depth.

The new "5-in-5 rule" doesn't hurt matters, either. Wyoming's third-year head coach had to preserve redshirts in 2025, forcing him to sideline rookie linebackers like Steven Perez and Parker Moore, who were limited to just four games.

That's now a thing of the past.

If Bruley is ready for a role, he'll play. Same goes for other newbies like Bo Gable, who is physically strong and runs well, Sawvel said.

"It opens up certain opportunities for people to contribute, even in smaller ways," he continued.

That recent ruling will also allow Edmiston, if he chooses, to return to Laramie in '27. The senior had the second-best average in the Mountain West last fall at 38.2 yards an attempt. Sawvel joked at media days in Las Vegas last month that they "broke" Edmiston's leg off. Wyoming was forced to punt 67 times. Only Utah State was worse in that category.

While Edmiston will handle punting duties, the placekicking "battery" will likely consist of Erik Sandvik, holder Gavyn Helm and long snapper Nathan Curry. Sandvik, who was just 6-for-11 in field-goal attempts during his first season as the starter, is also expected to kickoff.

Charlie Coenen and Eric Richardson are expected to be the two punt returners, while Deion DeBlanc could again be on kick return. BJ Inmon and Richardson also handled those duties during last Saturday's 110-play scrimmage.

Sawvel also pointed to the fact six true freshmen arrived on campus in January, getting a head start on the playbook and training, among other aspects, and went through all 15 practices with the team. Can guys like wide receiver Jayden Williams, cornerbacks Therman "Boogie" Williams and Kendall Griffin, along with linebacker Mason Wright and offensive and defensive linemen Grant Lott and Tanielu Maafala-Barbasa, respectively, help this season on special teams?

You bet, Sawvel added.

"I think it's very beneficial for people who do that," he said of graduating high school early, something, he added, eight verbal commits for the '27 class have expressed their desire to do in the winter.

Safety Jaden DaCosta, according to Pro Football Focus, is the top-rated returning player on those units, tallying an overall score of 81.4 on 148 total snaps. The Los Angeles product appeared on kick return (53 snaps), kick coverage (41), punt return (40) and punt coverage (14).

DaCosta registered three tackles, tied for third most along with Brooklyn Cheek, who also remains on the roster. So do impact players like cornerback Tyson Shamsid-Deen and linebackers Dash Bauman and Gary Rutherford. All were on the field for more than 100 snaps.

Safety Jones Thomas and Rutherford are presumed starters this fall. So is Shamsid-Deen. Still, according to a source familiar with the situation, all three are still expected to contribute on special teams.

Justin Erb was "Mr. Do Everything" on five of the Cowboys' six units in 2025. The Nebraska native racked up a team-high five tackles, and one assist, on 236 snaps. Fellow tight ends Isaac Schoenfeld, Tyler Hampton, Landon Pace, Ishmael Muhammad, Colin Ford or Tyler Siddons could help fill those shoes.

Isaac Sell (108 snaps), Caleb Merritt (206), Brayden Johnson (129), Enock Sibomana (167) and long snapper Carson York (103) are also gone.

The other top returners are: Bricen Brantley (57 snaps), Coenen (71), Dainsus Miller (47), Schoenfeld (89), DeBlanc (61), Ethan Stuhlsatz (58), Kevin Sjogren (53) and defensive tackle Jayden Williams (44).

Wyoming also had a late addition to the roster in Nathaniel Watson, who was on the field for 158 special-teams' snaps last fall at the University of Colorado.

He was credited with "26 points," according to CU's official website. That includes three assisted tackles, 10 spring blocks, three forced fair catches and one downed punt. Nine times he was the first defender downfield. Watson will also likely line up at cornerback for the team this season.

Position battles rage on as the Cowboys inch closer to an opening-day date with Border War rival Colorado State in Fort Collins. Sawvel said the numbers -- and talent -- at spots like safety and cornerback, will leave the staff with plenty of options on special teams, a breath of fresh air compared to years past.

"I like where that's at because, it's kind of like feeding the fish tank, right? You drop it in there and a bunch of them come to the top," he said. "You're going to see who eats that food."

The Cowboys and Rams will meet Sept. 5 inside Canvas Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be televised on USA Network.

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