Wyoming Running Back Harrison Waylee Entering Transfer Portal

LAS VEGAS, Nev.,  -- Jay Sawvel half-jokingly said this past winter, as long as Harrison Waylee is in a Wyoming uniform, he would never get tackled in practice again.

Wyoming's head coach kept his word.

Waylee, on the other hand, announced Thursday he would be leaving the program and entering the NCAA Transfer Portal with just one season of eligibility remaining. The running back boasted last October that he was fully committed to Sawvel's program and would be staying put.

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That came after Sawvel and Co. made the decision to preserve Waylee's redshirt status and not rush him back into action after undergoing surgery on his right knee after being injured during fall camp.

"Me and coach Sawvel said that I'm going to come back next year," Waylee said, adding doctors had already cleared him to play. "So, I'll play the last four games here then come back next year and just go crazy the whole season."

Not anymore.

Waylee told the staff this week he desires to finish his college career "closer to home," according to sources familiar with the situation. He is from Johnston, Iowa, just north of Des Moines.

He did appear in the team's final four games of the 2024 campaign, rushing for 323 yards and two touchdowns on just 63 attempts. That included a 170-yard day in his debut in Albuquerque. Two weeks later he carried the ball just eight times for 15 yards in a lopsided loss to Border War rival Colorado State.

The focus postgame is why the senior played such a limited role.

"He was in a walking boot all week," a source told 7220sports.com.

"We could've given Harrison Waylee the ball as many times as we wanted, we didn't win the line of scrimmage enough," Sawvel said that November night in Fort Collins, following a 24-10 setback to the Rams. "They had enough people in there."

Waylee mentioned a number of reasons for his return in 2025, mainly his relationship with the staff, more specifically Sawvel. His cousin, Axel Ramazani, is also an incoming freshman. The defensive end is currently on campus and injured, not taking part in winter workouts.

His former teammate at Northern Illinois, Terron Kellman, also transferred to Wyoming this offseason. The two shared a backfield in DeKalb in 2022.

There was also a school element.

Waylee said if he were to leave, some of his credits, he added, likely wouldn't follow. The 22-year-old added that he wanted to walk across the stage this spring.

"After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I have decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer," Waylee penned Thursday on social media, along with the tagline "Let's work." "This is a decision I did not take lightly and wish to thank the Wyoming coaching staff and my teammates for two great years in Laramie. I plan to chase my dreams, wherever they take me; I ask that you please respect my decision."

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Waylee burst on the scene in 2023 on just his second carry, knifing through the line and outracing the Texas secondary for a 62-yard touchdown in a road meeting with the No. 4 Longhorns. He finished the night with 110 yards on 18 attempts.

He also eclipsed the 100-yard mark the following two weeks, gashing Appalachian State (156) and New Mexico (191). Waylee went for 128 in a 24-15 home win over CSU. He capped the season with 947 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns.

Waylee again dealt with lower-body injuries that sidelined him for three games, including the opener against Texas Tech and a pivotal road trip to Air Force.

During his three seasons at NIU, Waylee rushed for 1,929 yards and found the end zone 10 times on the ground. He snagged one touchdown pass as a true freshman. His most productive year came in 2022 when he nearly hit the 900-yard mark and scored five times. He also hauled in 17 passes for 119 yards.

Waylee faced Wyoming the year prior. That outing left a major impact on former head coach Craig Bohl, who would later say, "It's embedded in my brain."

It's easy to see why.

The then sophomore torched the Cowboys for 179 yards and a pair of scores, including a 75-yard fourth-quarter jaunt that cut into the visitor's once 26-point lead. He again crossed the white stripe from 14 yards out just 13 seconds later. The Huskies eventually took a 43-42 lead before Wyoming answered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to pull off the 50-43 victory.

Sawvel was asked just last week about the status of Waylee -- both mentally and physically -- and how he was progressing this winter. The second-year head coach admitted he still wasn't 100% and added he needed to have a really good offseason.

"Obviously, he's a guy that's going to be counted on, but there's another couple of good backs here right now, too," Sawvel continued. "So, that's a good thing, too, because he's got competition. Like, he's not immune to competition."

Sam Scott, the team's leading rusher with 435 yards on 92 carries, returns to the Cowboys' backfield. Kellman is here, too. He capped the '24 season with 242 yards in a reserve role at Charlotte. Nico Hamilton and Dontae Burch redshirted last fall.

Patrick Broadway II, a 2,000-yard rusher last season at Fulshear High School in Houston, will arrive in the summer. So will Samuel "Tote" Harris (Cibolo, Texas) and Jaden Lawrence (Parker, Colo.). Sawvel also said before Waylee's decision he would be seeking another transfer running back when the portal window opens April 16. It closes nine days later.

Spring practice in Laramie is slated to begin March 25. The annual Brown and Gold Game is set for April 26 inside War Memorial Stadium.

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