LARAMIE – There was one shining moment at the end of a dark night in the desert.
 
Chris Durr Jr. caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Kaden Anderson with three seconds remaining on the clock to get Wyoming on the scoreboard in the 48-7 loss at Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.
 
The true freshman from Chicago has been consistently making similar plays since enrolling early to participate in the winter strength program and spring practice.
 
Notching his first career touchdown in his first career game has only made Durr more secure about his plan to be the next great wide receiver for the Pokes.
 
"My confidence is sparked after that," Durr said. "I was thinking in my head, wow, I can't believe I scored my first game as a true freshman. It's all I talked about with my friends and family back home. I told them (before the game) tonight is going to be a night, just watch it, win, lose or draw just watch me play."
 
Durr became the first freshman since Jovon Bouknight (2002) to have a touchdown reception in his first career game with the Cowboys.
 
Bouknight, who is currently an offensive analyst on head coach Jay Sawvel's staff and set to be inducted into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, finished his career with 250 receptions for 3,626 yards and 29 touchdowns.
 
Durr said his growth has been expedited by learning to play at this level from both Bouknight and longtime wide receivers coach Mike Grant.
 
"It feels good working with Coach Bo. He's an expert and he knows his stuff," Durr said. "Listening to him and being around Coach G gives us receivers an upper hand. Whatever Coach G doesn't see, Bo corrects, or whatever Coach Bo doesn't see, G corrects. I feel like it's good having them working hand in hand.
 
"I just want to keep earning their trust, keep working, stay level-headed and stay humble. I don't want to get too big-headed. I want to be great, and I just thank the coaches for giving me a chance."
 
Durr visited Laramie last September and verbally committed to join the program after witnessing UW's wild 22-19 victory over Appalachian State inside a raucous War Memorial Stadium.
 
After convincing his family it was the right move, Durr signed in December and arrived on campus in January determined to get on the field with the Cowboys this season instead of redshirting.
 
"My mom and dad were second guessing (enrolling early) a little bit and my grandma was like, I don't know about that because it's so far and it's something that we're not used to," Durr said. "After I talked to them and told them what I was trying to do, which was trying to play early as a freshman, they gave it a chance.
 
"We came out here for the visit and they liked it, and a bunch of love was shown. I feel like it was a place I could call home."
 
When Durr first arrived in the High Altitude Performance Center he weight 144 pounds. Under the tutelage of Eric Donoval, the program's director of sports performance, the diminutive prospect has bulked up to 171 pounds entering the season.
 
"I would say it was challenging," Durr said. "Every day I woke up like, man, I'm small and all these guys are big, how can I compete with them? But as time started to go by and listening to Coach E and talking to my parents, they were telling me to trust the process and I listened to them. I actually gained weight, and it worked. …
 
"I gained a lot of confidence and feel like I could do anything, run through anybody, because I had never been that big before. I felt like I could play really well because I'm bigger, stronger and faster. I'm at the top of my game."
 
Durr was rated as a three-star prospect after earning all-state honors twice in Illinois and finishing with 68 receptions for 1,130 yards and 13 touchdowns during his senior season at Morgan Park High School. He was also recruited by FBS programs Army, Eastern Michigan, Louisville and New Mexico State, as well Penn of the Ivy League.
 
"I actually didn't know anything (about UW) except some big names like Josh Allen and Marcus Epps and some more (NFL) guys went here," Durr said of the early stages of his UW recruitment before finally getting an offer from assistant Benny Boyd ahead of his senior season. "I was willing to give it a chance."
 
In the annual Brown & Gold game, Durr flashed his talent with 12 catches for 121 yards. The 5-foot-11 flash was productive throughout the spring and followed the strong first impression with some spectacular one-handed catches during fall camp.
 
"It's natural," Sawvel said of Durr's dynamic skill set. "The ball just kind of absorbs into his hands really well. He's a really good young man and has a great attitude. He is really enjoying Wyoming. He loves being here."
 
Evan Svoboda, who was watching the Cowboys' scoring drive at ASU on the sideline due to the lopsided score, is looking forward to getting his season on track against Idaho on Saturday.
 
UW's starting quarterback plans to be the one throwing the ball for Durr's next touchdown.
 
"He's a great kid and he's doing a lot for us," Svoboda said. "To go out there in his first game as a true freshman and prove to everybody what he can do and show what he can do was pretty special. He's going to be a great athlete here."
 
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. 
 
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