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Brown, Wrook 2023 Celebrating Interception vs. Appalachian State
Troy Babbitt

Pokes Insider: Secondary spring review

Cowboys return four starters in veteran unit seeking more takeaways

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Ryan Thorburn Pokes Insider 5/22/2024 11:51:00 AM
LARAMIE – Wyoming's defense was one of the best in the nation at diffusing explosive plays in 2023.
 
The Cowboys finished tied for fourth in the FBS with Nebraska in allowing the fewest plays of 20 or more yards (36). Iowa (20), Michigan (32) and Ohio State (33) were the only defenses that gave up fewer explosive plays.
 
Now UW head coach Jay Sawvel is looking for his experienced secondary to create more explosive plays this fall. The Pokes had 11 interceptions last season, which was tied for 55th nationally.
 
Arguably the most spectacular touchdown by the Cowboys during the 9-4 campaign was scored by Wyett Ekeler, who broke a series of tackles Austin Ekeler-style while making a 38-yard pick-six in the regular-season finale at Nevada.
 
Ekeler should be in the mix for all-Mountain West first team honors as a senior. The hard-hitting free safety was UW's third-leading tackler (77) and had two interceptions last season.
 
Junior nickel back Wrook Brown, whose turnover in the opener flipped the Texas Tech game, led the team with three interceptions. Senior strong safety Isaac White added one interception.
 
The trio combined for 185 tackles and 18 pass breakups. Ekeler and White started all 13 games at the safety spots with Brown starting 12 games at nickel.
 
"Those three are critical to what we do defensively," Sawvel said. "We weren't like a dominant defensive football time last year or anything like that, but one thing we were really good at, and actually top five in the country at, was giving up the least explosive plays. A big piece of that is those guys don't beat themselves with missed alignments, missed assignments.
 
"Our biggest thing with those three is to create more takeaways."
 
Andrew Johnson, an extremely fast junior safety from Cheyenne, is also expected to play a lot of snaps at safety after seeing action in all 13 games as a reserve last season.
 
"I'm pleased with him," Sawvel said. "Andrew did some good things last year when he played, and he has come (along) pretty well. He had a great offseason. His weight is up and he's 196, 197 (pounds). Late year he was high 180s. He cleaned 330.
 
"That shows right now in how he's moving around the field. The next step will be when we get to Saturday of getting off blocks and finishing plays. I think he's on a really good trajectory right now."
 
Sawvel coached the safeties when he was Craig Bohl's defensive coordinator the past four seasons.
 
New safeties coach Jason Petrino started developing some of the young talent behind the starters during the spring. The unit includes Malique Singleton, Koa McIntyre, TJ Urban, Myles Tucker, Jones Thomas, Garrett McGriff, Nikos Varelas, Lafai Purcell and Jevon Davis.
 
"You talk about when the head coach becomes a head coach and all of a sudden, you're coaching his position, there's always a little extra pressure," Petrino said. "You're looking at him like, is that right? But those are the things I'm excited about because I'm confident.
 
"I believe I'm a good coach and I'm excited about the things that I can do and bring to this staff and to these players and to this program."
 
The Pokes would like to have a more reliable two-deep established before the Aug. 31 opener at Arizona State.
 
"We lived a blessed life last year with Wrook and Ekeler and Isaac White and the fact that they rarely came off the field," Sawvel noted. "That's difficult to sustain."
 
One of the stars of the spring was Tyrecus Davis, who came up with big plays in seemingly every practice. The senior cornerback had 27 tackles, seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one interception in nine games for the Pokes last season.
 
"We've just got to stay focused and finish games," Davis said on his mindset as one of the defense's leaders. "I missed a couple games last year, but I'll be here for the full season this time. There won't be any silly cornerback stuff. We're going to play hard and go crazy."
 
UW loses Jakorey Hawkins, who returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown and a blocked extra point for a 2-point conversion, but there are several young players competing for the starting cornerback spot opposite Davis.
 
Ian Bell was taking the first-team reps during the spring until suffering a foot injury.
 
"I need to get better in press coverage," Bell said. "I'm trying to be a true lockdown corner and eliminate one half of the field. I feel like building my press (coverage) will be important."
 
Keany Parks was limited during the spring, but the speedy sophomore is expected to push Bell for the job during fall camp. Naz Hill, a 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman, is an intriguing player for cornerbacks coach Benny Boyd to develop.
 
Caleb Merritt flashed some impressive ball skills after converting from wide receiver late in the spring to help the depth in the room. Isaac Sell, a walk-on from Laramie, has also made the transition from wide receiver and made four tackles during the Brown & Gold Game.
 
"That position is less about assignments and more about exactness and technique," Sawvel said. "We had breakdowns at that position last year and it was because of exactness and technique. We're second-and-10 against Air Force and they're completing 10-yard balls. It was ridiculous. We've got work to do at the position."
 
(Editor's note: This is the eighth in a nine-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Friday's review: Special teams).
 
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.
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Players Mentioned

Ian Bell

#13 Ian Bell

CB
6' 1"
Freshman
Naz Hill

#14 Naz Hill

CB
6' 3"
Freshman
Keany  Parks

#18 Keany Parks

CB
6' 1"
Freshman
Jones Thomas

#23 Jones Thomas

S
6' 2"
Freshman
Tyrecus  Davis

#12 Tyrecus Davis

CB
5' 10"
Junior
Jevon  Davis

#32 Jevon Davis

S
6' 0"
Sophomore
Wrook Brown

#2 Wrook Brown

N
5' 11"
Sophomore
Business
Wyett Ekeler

#31 Wyett Ekeler

FS
5' 11"
Junior
Entrepreneurship
Jakorey Hawkins

#7 Jakorey Hawkins

CB
5' 11"
Senior
General Studies
Andrew Johnson

#3 Andrew Johnson

SS
6' 1"
Sophomore
Biology
Koa McIntyre

#21 Koa McIntyre

SS
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared
Caleb  Merritt

#23 Caleb Merritt

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared

Players Mentioned

Ian Bell

#13 Ian Bell

6' 1"
Freshman
CB
Naz Hill

#14 Naz Hill

6' 3"
Freshman
CB
Keany  Parks

#18 Keany Parks

6' 1"
Freshman
CB
Jones Thomas

#23 Jones Thomas

6' 2"
Freshman
S
Tyrecus  Davis

#12 Tyrecus Davis

5' 10"
Junior
CB
Jevon  Davis

#32 Jevon Davis

6' 0"
Sophomore
S
Wrook Brown

#2 Wrook Brown

5' 11"
Sophomore
Business
N
Wyett Ekeler

#31 Wyett Ekeler

5' 11"
Junior
Entrepreneurship
FS
Jakorey Hawkins

#7 Jakorey Hawkins

5' 11"
Senior
General Studies
CB
Andrew Johnson

#3 Andrew Johnson

6' 1"
Sophomore
Biology
SS
Koa McIntyre

#21 Koa McIntyre

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared
SS
Caleb  Merritt

#23 Caleb Merritt

5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared
WR