LARAMIE – Jay Sawvel is entering his seventh season at Wyoming.
 
The third-year head coach, who previously served as Craig Bohl's defensive coordinator during the former coach's final four seasons in Laramie, can't recall a scrimmage dominated by the offense.
 
That all changed Saturday when new offensive coordinator Christian Taylor's unit had a nearly flawless performance from the opening snap through a long fourth-down touchdown by the fourth-string offense that concluded the 95-play dress rehearsal.
 
Tyler Hughes made some clutch throws in traffic and raced down the sideline for a long touchdown run while showing off his mastery of Taylor's scheme.
 
During his Monday press conference, Sawvel publicly named the William & Mary graduate transfer UW's starting quarterback for the opener at Colorado State on Sept. 5 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins (4 p.m., USA Network).
 
"Just the overall command of everything," Sawvel explained. "I mean, really it has been from the minute he got here. The command of the whole offense, the presence that he's got, the dynamic to him.
 
"I feel good with where he's at. I think the whole team does."
 
Landon Sims and Mason Drube also played well on Saturday and remain locked in a battle for the backup position.
 
Tyler Franklin, who was signed in late July after Taylor Hasselbeck suffered a season-ending injury during summer workouts, even connected on a deep touchdown pass with fellow true freshman Jayden Williams.
 
"I'm really happy with that room overall," Sawvel said. "Tyler was really good Saturday night. Offensively we did really well in that scrimmage. So, it was good. We have a lot of growth still to do and get into a game plan situation. I'm looking forward to that part of it."
 
Two notable skill players, running back Samuel "Tote" Harris and tight end Kyle Frendt, were held out of the scrimmage as a precaution but participated in Monday's padded practice.
 
Running backs Markell Holman and Nico Hamilton and tight end Landon Pace found the end zone against a UW defense Sawvel is still very high on.
 
The wide receiver competition continues, but Eric Richardson and Charlie Coenen will have prominent roles based on their impressive body of work since January.
                    
Hughes, originally recruited to William & Mary by Taylor, passed for 2,330 yards and 20 touchdowns and only three interceptions in 2025. The 6-foot, 214-pound senior also rushed for 670 yards and 11 touchdowns during his final season at the FCS level before transferring to UW.
 
"The one word that I would use to describe him is leader," Coenen said of Hughes. "He kind of really took control, whether it was watching extra film after spring ball, watching extra film even in fall camp or even our summer throwing sessions. We were throwing three times a week on top of all our workouts. So, he was really orchestrating all that stuff.
 
"Obviously, in the huddle he has been in the system, he knows what he's doing, and he can really take control."
 
Sawvel still believes the Pokes will be stout on defense and wants players on that side of the ball to use scrimmage as a reminder that they need to go out and prove him right every Saturday.
 
But UW's Hughes-led offense can do some of the heavy lifting for a change.
 
"It will be a whole new look for fans and everyone watching," Coenen said. "I mean, being able to show we're not the same team is going to be fun."
 
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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