April 22, 2023 — Describing this upcoming Saturday’s scrimmage as a “major deal,” University of Wyoming head football coach Craig Bohl looks forward to seeing what Cowboys will step up to make their case for playing time for next season. Bohl emphasized that his team’s closed scrimmage today will be important for him and his coaching staff to make evaluations of players — more so than even the Spring Game that will take place next Saturday, April 29. That game-like scrimmage will be open to the public.
“This Saturday is going to be a major deal (scrimmage) — who can make a play getting off a block, who can sustain a block, who can catch the football,” said Bohl. “Along with that, as we compose our football team going into next year, you’re looking at who is going to rise up. We feel, for instance, we have three really good defensive ends — who’s going to be our fourth. Those are the things we’re looking for.”
In terms of the Spring Game on April 29, Bohl described that game as being more for the players to experience a game-like atmosphere but is not as important as an evaluation tool.
Wyoming Natives Expected to Play Key Roles in 2023
When discussing the tight ends, Bohl was asked to evaluate the development of Rock Springs native Isaac Schoenfeld. The redshirt freshman is currently listed on the Wyoming roster at 6-5 and over 250 pounds.
“I talked to him after our first scrimmage and told him I didn’t think he scrimmaged well last Saturday,” said Bohl. “I had watched him in high school at Rock Springs and was really impressed with him. He has shown good things in practice this spring but last scrimmage, he did not operate at the level we expect. I challenged him today, and he had a really good practice. I told him what we’re seeing today is what he needs to do come Saturday when the lights are on. He’s 257 pounds and is running well and catching the ball, and hopefully, he blocks well.
Unfortunately, another Wyoming native will miss the final week of Spring Football with an injury he suffered in Thursday’s practice. Junior fullback Caleb Driskill from Gillette sustained a knee sprain on Thursday. Bohl said that Mountain View native Kimball Madsen would step into the fullback role for Driskill.
One Wyoming native who returned to practice this week was graduate offensive tackle, Frank Crum. The Laramie native, who has started 36 of 43 career games over four seasons, will anchor Wyoming’s offensive line in 2023. Crum earned Third Team All-Mountain West honors last season from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and was a Fourth Team selection by Phil Steele.
After today’s scrimmage, the Cowboys will have three practices next week on Tuesday and Thursday and the Brown and Gold Spring Game on Saturday. The Spring Game is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. with free admission to the public. All other practices and scrimmages are closed.
