LARAMIE – For five consecutive seasons from 2019 to 2023, Wyoming had a linebacker named to the all-Mountain West first team.
 
The streak ended in 2024, although starting linebackers Shae Suiaunoa (88 tackles) and Connor Shay (76 tackles) were the top two tacklers for the Cowboys as seniors.
 
UW head coach Jay Sawvel and defensive coordinator Aaron Bohl were determined to upgrade the depth and talent at the position this offseason.
 
Two sizable transfers – 6-foot-4, 241-pound Ethan Stuhlsatz (Lindenwood) and 6-3, 245-pound Brayden Johnson (Oklahoma Baptist) – are making the transition from the FCS and Division II levels, respectively.
 
"I wanted to move up to the FBS level. From the teams that talked to me I saw Wyoming as a school where they produce good linebackers and have a history of doing that," said Stuhlsatz, who spent most of spring practice at middle linebacker with the first team. "That for me was the biggest part of why I chose Laramie."
 
Evan Eller redshirted last season and has added about 20 pounds to his frame since transferring from VMI. The 6-foot, 230-pound senior will compete for the starting middle linebacker spot in fall camp after leading the Gold Team with nine tackles and a sack in the spring game.
 
"Now that I know the defense and the guys around me my confidence is through the roof," said Eller, who posted 106 tackles as a hybrid "rover" in 2023, which ranked No. 16 in the FCS.
 
The standard at the "Mike" position at UW is high in recent history.
 
As seniors, Easton Gibbs (109 tackles in 2023), Chad Muma (142 tackles, two interception returns for touchdowns in 2021) and Logan Wilson (105 tackles, one interception returned for a touchdown in 2019) were extremely productive while earning all-conference first team honors.
 
At the weak-side linebacker spot, Johnson had four tackles in the spring game.

"Brayden Johnson is a mature guy, he's going to show up to work every day," Sawvel said. "He's very physical. He benches like 420 pounds. When he lowers a pad on you, he's going to make a dent. Really good blitzer."
 
The LB room jas a bright future with Gary Rutherford and Dash Bauman coming on strong. The redshirt freshmen racked up 11 tackles apiece during the spring game.
 
Sawvel described Rutherford as "hell on wheels" during the spring and labeled Bauman as "Chad Muma 2.0" last summer.
 
Bohl, the son of longtime UW head coach Craig Bohl, still coaches the linebackers and was pleased with the group's progression over 14 practices and the spring game.
 
"We've seen guys with a lot of passion, a lot of care to improve every single day and competition breeds competition," Bohl said. "My dad always told me the best motivational speech he ever gave was, hey, you're going to sit on the bench, this guy is going to play. Then suddenly, they both are playing better.
 
"The more depth we have the better we're going to be, the more consistent we're going to be, and you always need a healthy fear of, if I'm not on my A game at practice I'm going to lose my spot."
 
UW is expected to sign a versatile linebacker from the portal before summer workouts begin May 26.
 
(Editor's note: This is the second in an eight-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Friday's review: secondary).
 
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