AKRON, Ohio – Jay Sawvel accrued a lot of defensive talent through the transfer portal during a winter of discontent in the High Altitude Performance Center.
 
Wyoming's second-year head coach was confident the unit would take shape this season, but early in fall camp there was some concern with communication and fundamentals as new players were being broken in on the defensive line, at linebacker and throughout the secondary.
 
"We are not anywhere close to being ready, especially defensively, with where our eyes go," Sawvel said during a salty post-practice huddle. "We're not even in the area code of being ready defensively."
 
Fast forward a few weeks and the defense made the 307-area code proud during the 10-0 victory over Akron to open the season on a cool, rainy Thursday night at InfoCision Stadium.
 
UW, which had nine new starters, limited the Zips to 228 total yards, including only 89 rushing yards, while posting the program's first shutout since 2017 and first shutout in an opener since 1977.
 
"I knew that for 60 minutes we were going to play like our hair was on fire because I watched that daily," Sawvel said of the progress defensive coordinator Aaron Bohl's crew made over the last three weeks.
 
The Pokes' offense was highly productive between the 20s but stuffed on some key fourth-and-short plays and had a couple other drives bog down in Akron territory.
 
Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson had a balanced attack with Chris Durr Jr. catching seven passes for 146 yards, Jackson Holman catching four passes for 79 yards and receiving and Sam Scott getting 29 carries for 132 yards rushing.
 
It felt like UW, despite clinging to a 3-0 lead deep in the second half, was in control until Kaden Anderson had a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted in the third quarter.
 
The Pokes' starting quarterback was confident Erik Sandvik's 25-yard field goal in the second quarter would have held up, if necessary.
 
"The way the defense was playing, I knew the defense was going to get us the ball back. I knew we were going to win the game," Anderson said. "There's no doubt in my mind. When we got that first field goal, I said, 'All right, we're going to win.'"
 
Moments after the miscue Anderson's counterpart, Ben Finley, had a chance to put Akron ahead but his ill-fated pass into the end zone was picked off by linebacker Brayden Johnson.
 
"I was just dropping back looking for somebody to guard. I looked back at the quarterback, and he threw it right to me," said Johnson, one of the key impact transfers from lower levels playing in his first FBS game. "It was an easy play for me. … It feels good. I had a lot to prove."
 
On the decisive drive, Anderson hit Holman for a 44-yard completion. Then the redshirt sophomore, who was making his fourth career start for UW, diagnosed pressure off the edge and quickly got the ball out of his hand to Durr on a perfectly blocked screen pass for a 35-yard touchdown with four minutes left.
 
The Akron student section finally zipped it.
 
"You are going to see a lot of the Kaden Anderson to Chris Durr connection," Anderson said. "Right when he caught it and I saw the sea part I knew he was gone. …
 
"Sam Scott won that game, too. That was a hell of a performance by Sam. He's really good. We have a really damn-good running back, and I'm really happy for him."
 
UW's offense line also kept Anderson clean. Since he was not sacked QB1 will be taking the big boys out for dinner on Thursday.
 
"Pretty up there," Anderson said when asked how much that tab will be.
 
Sawvel also said he will get out his wallet, if necessary, to make sure his entire defensive staff and the strength and conditioning staff receive game balls.
 
The Pokes showed off their improved depth, physicality and speed while shutting down Joe Moorehead's offense. Akron's head coach is one of the best play-callers in the country, which he proved as an offensive coordinator at Penn State and Oregon.
 
But there were no answers to be found against Bohl's much-improved defense. UW, which led the nation in third-down defense in 2024, held the Zips to 3 of 15 on third down.
 
"I felt in control defensively," Sawvel said. "You just worry about the one play. So, when Chris took that screen it just let everybody breathe a little bit. …
 
"We looked way different defensively."
 
Craig Bohl was on the field proudly watching his son's smothering defense. UW basketball legend Larry Nance Jr., now playing for his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, attended the game and hung out with current UW basketball head coach Sundance Wicks.
 
Pokes fans, including some members of Bills Mafia who made the drive from Buffalo to root for Josh Allen's alma mater, took over the stadium in the fourth quarter.
 
And "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" echoed through the visiting locker room after UW accomplished its weekly goal of going 1-0.
 
"We won 10 to nothing and everybody's like, that's an ugly win," Sawvel said. "Well, it's better than a pretty loss."
 
Sawvel's squad will be back in the 307 for the home opener against Northern Iowa next Saturday in the renovated War Memorial Stadium (2 p.m., Altitude Sports).
 
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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