LARAMIE – Jayden Clemons doesn't give up.
 
Despite a legendary prep career in Lehi, Utah, the prolific dual-threat quarterback prospect didn't receive any scholarship offers coming out of high school.
 
Clemons spent the pandemic-shortened 2020 season as a walk-on at Utah, but when he was asked to switch positions to safety he decided to transfer to Wyoming, which gave him a chance to prove himself at quarterback.
 
After grinding his way up the depth chart to the No. 2 spot during the 2022 fall camp, Craig Bohl awarded Clemons with a scholarship.
 
That season Clemons experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows filling in for an injured Andrew Peasley – throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to beat rival Colorado State in Fort Collins and then tossing as many interceptions (three) as completions (three) in a devastating loss to Boise State the next week.
 
Clemons was surpassed by Evan Svoboda for the backup job last spring and spent the 2023 campaign as the Cowboys' scout-team quarterback.
 
"I wouldn't classify it as disappointment," Clemons said. "It was just how the cards fell or what was in the cards for me. I didn't really take it as people don't care about me or people didn't believe in me. It was just the situation I was in, and it was how I was going to respond to it. It didn't really alter my outlook on practice or lifts or runs or whatever.
 
"I will say I wasn't as disciplined then as I am now with that mentality of getting better every day. I kind of took my opportunities in the role I was given and maximized them as well as I could."
 
Clemons returned from winter break motivated to continue his development day by day and to have a major impact on the 2024 Wyoming team. Through the first five of spring practices, the senior has looked sharp running new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson's system.
 
"What Coach Johnson has done a really good job of is preaching to us that when you're in and you're taking a rep, you're the starting quarterback for that rep and those plays," Clemons said. "Yes, there's a depth chart, but we're going out there and taking reps in practice acting like we're the starter, which is giving that simulation to feel what it's like to be the starter."
 
Jay Sawvel said earlier this week the unflappable Clemons would be Svoboda's backup right now if the Pokes were preparing for a game.
 
Much like Bohl, Wyoming's new head coach is a big fan of Clemons' relentless pursuit of his dreams.
 
"A year ago, he was on the scout team. He could have pouted, he could have complained and moaned and done everything else," Sawvel said. "He could have done all that stuff, and he didn't. He had a great attitude day in, day out. He has proven he's a good teammate.
 
"So, we're going to give him every opportunity to do the best he can in the program and see where that takes him."
 
History suggests Clemons will be called on to make a critical start or take the offense down the field for another game-winning drive.
 
Svoboda made his first career start at Texas after Peasley suffered a shoulder injury. He also led the Pokes down the field to set up John Hoyland's walk-off field goal in the Arizona Bowl win over Toledo to cap the 9-4 finish.
 
"It's a fact of life in football that you're a play away from a guy having to start one, two or more games as a backup quarterback," Sawvel said. "We've got to figure out what that order is right now, and that's one of the chief things for us offensively is to figure out that order at quarterback and where we go in that room."
 
Clemons will have to hold off some talented young quarterbacks, including redshirt freshman Kaden Anderson and sophomore Carson May, who are also making strides this spring under Johnson.
 
One certainty in the QB room: No. 7 isn't giving up.
 
"I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow or worrying about the past. It's kind of being where my feet are and getting better each rep I get," Clemons said. "I'll say I feel good, but I'm not satisfied. I still have that hunger, I still have that desire to keep going, which is what I plan on doing and why I have that mentality to get better every day."
 
Fans can check out the quarterback competition and get a sneak peek of Sawvel's squad during Wyoming's first open practice of the spring at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Indoor Practice Facility.
 
If you are interested in learning more about NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) or would like to support our student-athletes, please visit 1wyo.org. 1WYO was created out of Wyoming's culture of neighbor helping neighbor. The mission is to promote and strengthen local charitable organizations and develop Wyoming student athletes. 
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @by_ryanthorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.