University of Wyoming quarterback Levi Williams, center, runs through the grasp of Kent State safety Dean Clark on the way to a touchdown during the second half of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Tuesday in Boise, Idaho. Wyoming won 52-38. Associated Press
University of Wyoming wide receiver Isaiah Neyor, left, battles San Jose State defensive back Tre Jenkins for a pass in the end zone during the Cowboys’ 27-21 loss on Saturday in San Jose. Neyor had a pair of touchdown catches during the contest. DJ Johnson/Special to WyoSports
University of Wyoming quarterback Levi Williams, center, runs through the grasp of Kent State safety Dean Clark on the way to a touchdown during the second half of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Tuesday in Boise, Idaho. Wyoming won 52-38. Associated Press
Associated Press
University of Wyoming wide receiver Isaiah Neyor, left, battles San Jose State defensive back Tre Jenkins for a pass in the end zone during the Cowboys’ 27-21 loss on Saturday in San Jose. Neyor had a pair of touchdown catches during the contest. DJ Johnson/Special to WyoSports
It was all smiles for the University of Wyoming football program Tuesday evening after a convincing Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victory, but the celebration was short-lived.
The game’s MVP – Levi Williams, who became the first quarterback in FBS history to rush for 200 yards and four touchdowns in a bowl game – announced he was entering the transfer portal less than 24 hours later. Fellow sophomore Isaiah Neyor, the Mountain West leader with 12 receiving touchdowns this year, followed suit shortly after.
Anyone that watched the Cowboys this season shouldn’t be surprised.
UW’s offense had positive moments in 2021, whether it was putting up more than 40 points on four occasions or closing the year with a 315-yard second half in this week’s rout of Kent State. At the end of the day, though, the Pokes did little to inspire confidence in a talented quarterback or receiver that Laramie was the place to maximize their potential.
Despite increased efficiency from Williams, who posted a 69.1% completion rate over the last four games, it took a 24-0 deficit in a blowout loss at home to Hawaii for the Cowboys to air the ball out during the final month of the season. In both this game and the Potato Bowl, they didn’t target Neyor – who accounted for 41.5% of UW’s passing attack and a team-high 78 points, while ranking eighth in the FBS with an average of 20 yards per catch – until the final minutes of the second quarter.
It’s no secret Neyor was frequently double-teamed down the stretch of the season, and the Pokes don’t have to abandon their run-first emphasis in order to keep standout receivers from hitting the portal. Ignoring them for this long of a stretch on multiple occasions, however, is a surefire way to encourage them to take their talents to a place that will utilize them properly.
Ranking inside the top 120 in the country in pass attempts per game while having a potential NFL receiver on the roster wouldn’t hurt, either.
Obviously, these departures can’t be pinned entirely on the Cowboys. The beast that has become the transfer portal has left coaching staffs across the country scrambling to replace vital pieces on a regular basis.
This season alone, a third of the MW’s starting quarterbacks have entered the portal so far: Williams, Colorado State’s Todd Centeio, Hawaii’s Chevan Cordeiro and Fresno State’s Jake Haener. Haener ultimately elected to return to the Bulldogs, whiole Cordeiro will stay in the MW and transfer to San Jose State. As of Tuesday morning, according to Rivals.com, 865 FBS scholarship players had entered the portal since Aug. 1.
The one-time transfer rule that went into effect this year has allowed players to move freely from program to program, and seemingly every team has been dealt setbacks as a result. It doesn’t always have to be a detriment, though. One of UW’s conference rivals serves as a prime example.
Utah State used the portal to its benefit as much as anyone this past offseason, with a bevy of transfers – including starting quarterback Logan Bonner, leading tackler Justin Rice, No. 2 receiver Brandon Bowling and leading rusher Calvin Tyler Jr. – helping the Aggies go from 1-5 to 11-3, securing their first MW title in the process.
Nobody is expecting the Cowboys to overhaul their roster with newcomers, nor would this likely be an effective strategy. It’s also unreasonable to believe they can avoid losing top contributors to the transfer portal, as such is life in modern-day college football.
Nonetheless, the numbers show the Pokes could have done more to make Williams and Neyor – and future passing game threats – believe UW is the place for them.
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Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.
