Wyoming QB Kaden Anderson to Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

LARAMIE -- His beaming grin said it all.

"It was fun, man. I was just out there having fun, playing ball. It was a really great time."

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Kaden Anderson, who was referring to his first start under center at Wyoming in November of 2024, had just thrown for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a wild 49-45 shootout in Albuquerque. He completed nearly 70% of his throws that afternoon against the Lobos. The then redshirt freshman also added a score on the ground.

What appeared to be just the beginning of a new era at the quarterback position in Laramie instead served as a highwater mark in a tumultuous stint that was marred by injuries and inconsistencies.

That trademark smile all but disappeared last fall as the Cowboys limped to a four-win campaign, his last in the brown and gold.

Anderson Monday announced he will be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, breaking his own news by penning a heartfelt letter on social media.

"First, I want to sincerely thank the University of Wyoming, the coaching staff, my teammates and the Cowboy fans for everything the past few years," he wrote. "Wyoming will always hold a special place in my heart. The relationships I've built and the memories I've made here will stay with me forever. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to represent this program and this state.

"... I'm excited for what's ahead and thankful for everyone who has supported me along the way."

The Southlake, Texas product has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Anderson, who appeared in 21 games during his three years on campus, started all 12 last season, throwing for 1,971 yards and 12 touchdowns. He completed just 56.3% of his throws and tossed 10 interceptions.

Turnovers plagued the redshirt sophomore all season, including tossing three first-half interceptions in a 24-7 road loss at San Diego State. Anderson also lost three fumbles. The last of those came in a home setback against UNLV where Anderson was also picked off deep in the red zone.

"I can't imagine what people are saying right now. I can't imagine," he said postgame. "I just want to say, trust me. Keep having faith in me, man. I know the fans are pissed. We're pissed, too. That was a frustrating loss."

After suffering a pair of torn ACL's during his tenure at high school powerhouse Southlake Carroll, Power-4 programs like Oklahoma State and TCU stopped calling. Wyoming didn't. Then head coach Craig Bohl inked Anderson in 2023 and allowed him to come along slowly behind Andrew Peasley and Evan Svoboda, rehabbing his twice surgically repaired right knee while learning the playbook.

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The 6-foot-4, 230-pound signal caller saw his first action in the 2024 opener at Arizona State, threading a 1-yard touchdown pass in the dying seconds to fellow rookie Chris Durr Jr. He relieved Svoboda five more times during that 3-9 campaign before eventually earning the starting role heading into New Mexico.

Facing the Cowboys' biggest rival on the road two weeks later, Anderson completed just 13-of-30 passes for 120 yards in a lopsided 24-10 loss at Colorado State. He suffered a concussion the following Saturday in the first half of the season finale against Boise State.

Anderson again claimed the starting job last offseason, outdueling incoming transfer Landon Sims and the state's top-ranked recruit, Gillette's Mason Drube.

Wyoming's offense mustered an average of just 16 points per game last fall, the lowest total in the Mountain West and the 129th worst in the FBS. The passing attack netted 183 yards an outing. Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson was demoted after a Week-7 loss at Air Force, replaced by wide receivers coach Jovon Bouknight.

After a 28-0 blanking of CSU, the Cowboys managed just 24 total points over the final four games.

Head coach Jay Sawvel just last week announced the hire of new playcaller Christian Taylor.

Anderson, according to Pro Football Focus, finished with an overall grade of 51.1, which lands him 315th out of 329 qualifying quarterbacks. He was sacked 15 times and finished with minus-39 rushing yards. His longest rush of the year was for just nine yards.

"We have to go through a remake this offseason. There's no question about it," Sawvel said after a season-ending loss at Hawaii. "As far as the whole picture, what we're doing will be so much different. We're going to have to upgrade some things, too. I mean, that's something that, as a head coach, I have to address."

Anderson was not forced to enter the portal, according to a source familiar with the situation, but Sawvel has been open about his desire to find a quarterback on the open market.

Wyoming's Athletics Director Tom Burman echoed those sentiments earlier this month when discussing what qualities he wanted to see in the next offensive coordinator hire.

"We need somebody who, in my view, has a history of quarterback development and quarterback identification, because we've missed and we haven't developed," he said. "I mean, the reality of it is, we got a great tight end (Svoboda), but he used to be a quarterback. We've got a quarterback who, I think, lost his confidence this year. We have not developed quarterbacks in our program so that we have guys ready to go and that's part of a big part of why we are where we are."

Anderson is the fourth starter and 15th known Cowboy to enter free agency this offseason. The lone two-week transfer window is set to open this Friday.

Wyoming Cowboys in the NCAA Transfer Portal:

* Kaden Anderson - Redshirt Junior

* WR - Chris Durr Jr. - Junior

* CB - Tyrese Boss - Sophomore

CB - Markie Grant - Sophomore

* DT - Lucas Samsula - Junior

OL - Luke Sandy - Senior

LB - Cooper Mailand - Junior

DT - Gabriel Ikechukwu - Redshirt Freshman

RB - Patrick Broadway II - Freshman

RB - Terron Kellman - Graduate

RB - Damashja Harris - Senior

LB - Enock Sibomana - Senior

DB/ KR - Caleb Merritt - Senior

RB - Nikos Varelas - Junior

S - Justin Taylor - Junior

* Indicates starter

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players