LARAMIE – Evan Svoboda taking snaps out of a spread formation and making down-field throws to a list of dynamic young receivers and tight ends was a sight to behold this spring.
 
That doesn't mean Wyoming's offense will be shying away from running between the tackles – the bread and butter of the Craig Bohl era – under first-year head coach Jay Sawvel.
 
"Make no mistake about it, our M.O. is going to be to hit people and run the ball and control things," Sawvel said.
 
The running backs room is one of the deepest and most talented units on UW's 2024 roster.
 
Harrison Waylee leads the group after averaging 94.7 yards and 5.8 yards per carry in 10 games following his transfer from Northern Illinois last season.
 
Sam Scott (237 yards, two touchdowns), who made the full-time position switch from linebacker in 2023, and Jamari Ferrell (188 yards, one touchdown), who transferred from Saddleback Community College last summer, also return from the rotation that helped Bohl win nine games during his final season on the sideline.
 
All three players are healthier and stronger after spending an offseason together in the weight room.
 
"I wouldn't say our philosophy has changed. I think maybe some of the ways that we do it will maybe change a little bit," running backs coach Gordie Haug said of new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson's playbook. "We're going to do what we normally do and still be Cowboy tough and run the ball.
 
"That's exciting obviously every year when you're the tailback coach and you feel pretty good about the room right now. That's fun."
 
There will be times when UW will utilize multiple running backs on the field at the same time. Scott's versatility, for example, gives the 6-foot-2, 228-pound junior bulldozer the ability to line up at fullback or tight end. Waylee and Ferrell can make explosive plays catching the ball out of the backfield.
 
"There's a plan set in place and Jay Johnson has a vision," Scott said. "Right now, it's making sure everyone knows what the signaling is and spreading the ball out to all the play-makers and knowing who the play-makers are and their skill sets and what plays they're good at."
 
Sawvel is so pleased with the addition of DJ Jones that he thanks the North Carolina transfer for coming to UW every time he sees him. Jones was one of the stars of the spring game, finishing with 77 yards rushing and a touchdown to help the Brown team defeat the Gold 17-10.
 
"I had no idea DJ Jones was going to be who he was until after he was here about three weeks," Sawvel said. "Then all a sudden you realize this guy is uber competitive, really mature and we gave him a lot more run at running back (in the spring game) because he needed to play live, and he needed to hit holes and he needed to make cuts and he needed to do some of those things.
 
"He did it pretty well, I thought. I'm a big fan of his."
 
Jones, who is from Fayetteville, N.C., and was a safety for the Tar Heels, chose UW out of the portal because Sawvel and the staff gave him an opportunity play running back.
 
"Honestly, moving out here and coming to Wyoming is probably one of the best decisions I've made," Jones said. "I was an in-state kid at North Carolina, but I feel like this is going to help me grow as a person and a football player. I think it's a great move for me."
 
The Pokes' depth will extend beyond these Four Horsemen when Dawaiian McNeely, who was on track to be the starter a year ago before tearing an ACL in fall camp, returns healthy. Mitchell Anderson enters his second season at running back after starting his career as a wide receiver.
 
"I don't think anyone ever has to question if we're going to be able to run the ball, especially when we get Dawaiian back and now we've got DJ," fullback Caleb Driskill said. "We've got like six dudes back there that teams are going to have to be prepared for. Our offense has a lot of opportunities for everybody, and I think we're going to be able to mingle those guys in and it's going to be scary in the run game for teams.
 
"Then you add on Evan's arm and the passing game and it's going to create a good dynamic that I don't know we've had in a long time."
 
(Editor's note: This is the second in a nine-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Friday's review: Fullbacks/tight ends).
 
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