LARAMIE – Jay Sawvel didn't name a starting quarterback after spring practice.
 
Wyoming's second-year head coach wants the competition at every position to continue through the final whistle of fall camp before writing anything on the depth chart in ink.
 
However, Sawvel and the Cowboys are confident Kaden Anderson, who performed well down the stretch last season, is ready to take the reins of the offense.
 
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore completed 58.3% of his passes for 955 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions with three starts in 2024.
 
"It's going to be a special group and we're pushing for a lot of love in the locker room, a lot of love for the team and the guys," Anderson said after the spring game. "It's going to be a fun season. I'm excited."
 
A year ago, Evan Svoboda was anointed QB1 status and veteran Jayden Clemons was in position to be the backup after serving in the role behind Andrew Peasley.
 
Anderson was still working his way back from the two devastating knee injuries he suffered in high school after replacing Quinn Ewers in the spotlight at Texas powerhouse South Lake Carroll.
 
"A whole different thing," Anderson said of entering the 2025 offseason with a chance to lead an offense that returns a strong offensive line and experienced weapons in the passing game, including tight end John Michael Gyllenborg. "You're coming in and you're not competing for the three or two spot, you're competing for the starting job, so it's a little more up tempo, a little more upbeat. You've got to be on point 24-7."
 
In his first career start, Anderson finished 20-for-29 passing for 342 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a dramatic 49-45 comeback win at New Mexico.
 
Anderson threw a touchdown pass to give the Pokes a 10-7 lead against Boise State but was knocked out of the game with an injury before halftime. UW lost 17-13 to the eventual Mountain West champions and College Football Playoff qualifier.
 
"I see a great leader and a great quarterback," sophomore wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. said of Anderson. "He's bigger, he's stronger, and I see a great guy. He's a cool guy, and I'm glad he is my quarterback."
 
Svoboda, who led UW to a 15-14 win at Washington State with Anderson unable to make the trip to Pullman for the season finale, has moved to tight end.
 
Mason Drube, a star at Campbell County High School, enrolled early and passed for 175 yards in the spring game.
 
The future at the position appears to be bright with the addition of the 6-3, 218-pound Drube, whose father Kirby played tight end for UW and whose older sister Gabby is a standout track athlete for the Cowgirls.
 
"Mason Drube, the chance there to be a really special player is pretty evident," Sawvel said on the One Wyoming Podcast. "High, high, high level of investment. This is a guy who should have been a senior in high school right now but when you talk to him, he's in bed at 9 O'clock every night, he's doing football at some point every day and he's programmed to be an excellent player."
 
Landon Sims, a transfer from East Central Community College in Mississippi, also learned offensive coordinator Jay Johnson's scheme quickly. The 6-3, 210-pound senior from Evergreen, Ala., passed for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game.
 
Gage Brook, a 6-4, 237-pound sophomore from Fort Collins, was 5-for-6 passing for 51 yards in the spring game.
 
"I think this is the best that room has looked since I've been here (over) five years," Sawvel said. "We've been very fortunate in the quarterback room right now of having people who work together really well, who have their own individual goals but are supportive and coach each other and are all talented."
 
Anderson will have to continue his ascension during summer workouts, perform well in fall camp and separate himself for the other quarterbacks to officially be QB1 for the opener on Aug. 28 at Akron.
 
But those are the expectations for the talented Texan.
 
"I feel like we could be the top offense in the Mountain West, honestly," Arizone transfer receiver Jackson Holman said. "He's primed for a breakout year."
 
(Editor's note: This is the eighth in an eight-part series reviewing UW's position groups. You can find the archived spring reviews on the Pokes Insider page).
 
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.