Wyoming Spring Game to Kickoff at 2 p.m. Saturday


Laramie, Wyo. (April 20, 2012) --  The Wyoming Cowboy football team will conclude spring practice this Saturday with the annual Spring Game.  Wyoming’s Spring Game will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 21, from Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.  

      The teams for Saturday’s game were announced on Friday after a draft by the four 2012 team captains.  Senior center Nick Carlson and senior strong safety Luke Ruff will captain the Gold Team.  Senior linebacker Korey Jones and sophomore quarterback Brett Smith will captain the White Team.  Ruff and Smith will be relegated to the sidelines, as they have been limited to non-contact drills this spring due to injury.  The draft of teams took place on Thursday, and head coach Dave Christensen said the draft created some excitement around the football offices.

      “I do think the drafting of teams is a little more exciting for the kids,” said Christensen.  “It’s different from what they’ve been doing in practice all spring, which has been No. 1 and No. 2 offensive and defensive units going against one another.  I brought the captains in, we split the four of them up and then we went through a draft.  As soon as we came out of my office, everybody wanted to know what team they were on and the talking between players started.

      “It does add some excitement to the end of Spring Ball.  From an enthusiasm standpoint for both the kids and fans, I think it is a good thing to divide the kids up into two equal teams and battle it out on the field.”

      Christensen said the four newly-named team captains had fun selecting their teams, and put some serious thought into their drafts.

      “The four captains sat here in my office, two of them on each team, I flipped the coin to see who got the first pick, and then whatever player they chose first the other team got the backup at that same position,” said Christensen.  “Then the team who got the backup in the first round got to draft first for the next player.  I had to put them on the clock a couple of times because it was starting to take too much time, but they had fun with it and it was a good time.”

      The coaching staffs were also divided, with offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon named head coach of the White Team and defensive coordinator Chris Tormey named head coach of the Gold Team.  Preparations for Saturday’s Spring Game began on Friday with coaching staff and team meetings.

      “The gold squad and the white squad coaching staffs met Friday morning, and the two teams met Friday afternoon,” said Christensen.  “We had a little walk through Friday afternoon and we’ll get it teed up tomorrow.”

      Christensen said he thought it was also a nice change of pace for the coaches after 14 spring practices to have a game as the 15th and final practice of 2012 Spring Ball.

      “From a coaching standpoint, it gives our coaches a chance to see the kids in a game-like situation and it creates a little competition between the staff, which is good,” added Christensen.  “It’s not just an offense vs. defense scrimmage like it has been throughout the rest of spring.

      “Our evaluation out of the Spring Game will be a little different.  You can’t evaluate the offense or defense as units, because we have starters divided up on both teams, but what you can get good evaluation of is evaluations on individual players.  We can evaluate players’ techniques and how they carry out their individual assignments, so it is still an important evaluation for us.  You’re also able to put the kids in more of a game-like situation, which allows you to evaluate players’ competitive nature.”

      The format for the scrimmage will be four, 12-minute quarters with a running clock up until the final two minutes of each half.  The final two minutes of each half will be timed like a normal game.  At halftime, player awards will be presented to some of the most improved players during 2012 spring drills.  The game will be scored like a normal game.

 

Football Fun Day to Take Place on Saturday Morning April 21

      Prior to the Spring Game, the Wyoming Football team will be involved in a Football Fun Day for children in eighth grade and younger.  That event will begin at 11:30 a.m. in War Memorial Stadium and will run until 12:30 p.m.

      The Football Fun Day will serve as a fundraiser to help defray travel costs for the “Wyoming In Haiti” trip. 

      The Wyoming Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is organizing the “Wyoming in Haiti” trip that will take place May 7-13, 2012.  A group of 25 University of Wyoming football, volleyball and soccer student-athletes and coaches will be traveling to Haiti to help Haitian youth.  The Cowboys and Cowgirls will be conducting sports camps throughout the week of May 7-13 in Haiti, and will be assisting the local church of Lyonel Narcisse, the father of former Cowboy football player Ruben Narcisse, who was killed in a car accident in the fall of 2010.

      At the Football Fun Day, the entire football team will be on Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium to interact with children, as well as sign autographs.

 

Special “Wyoming in Haiti” T-shirts on Sale Saturday at the Stadium, Donations Also Accepted

      Special “Wyoming In Haiti” T-shirts will be available for sale from the Brown and Gold Outlet at the Football Fun Day.  The T-shirts sell for $15 with $10 of that total going directly to help pay for the cost of the Haiti trip. 

      Donations will also be accepted at the Spring Game.  To date 70 percent of the $40,000 needed for the trip has been raised, according to the trip organizer, Aaron Frude of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.      

      For more information on the “Wyoming in Haiti” project or to donate, please contact Aaron Frude with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at (307) 760-1391 or at afrude@fca.org.  Donations may also be mailed to:

      Wyoming Chapter of the FCA

      c/o Aaron Frude

      P.O. Box 2256

      Laramie, WY  82073

 

Concession Cabin Open Saturday at Southwest Corner of War Memorial Stadium

      Beginning at 11:30 p.m. and running throughout the Spring Game the Concession Cabin located on the Southwest Corner of War Memorial Stadium will also be open to fans to purchase food and beverages.


2012 University of Wyoming Spring Game

White Team Roster

 

Team Captains:                                                                                   Coaches:                Gregg Brandon, Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator

  5        Korey Jones, Sr., LB                                                                                                  Robin Ross, Defensive Coordinator                  

16       Brett Smith, So., QB          (Injured and Not Playing)                                            Jim Harding

                                                                                                                                                Matt Rahl

                                                                                                                                                Weston Johnson (GA)

                                                                                                                                                Jared Woodruff (GA)

                                                                                                                                                Zach Dickson (GA)

 

No.      Name                                 Pos.                 Ht.          Wt.         Class       Ex.          Hometown (Last School)

  2        Marqueston Huff              CB                   6-0          195         Jr.            2L            Texarkana, Texas (Liberty-Eylau)                       

  3        Trey Norman                      WR                  6-1          170         So.           1L            Texarkana, Texas (Liberty-Eylau)

  3D     Luke Anderson                  FS                    5-10        195         Sr.            1L            Southlake, Texas (Blinn CC, Texas)   

  5        Korey Jones                       LB                    6-2          233         Sr.            1L            Fort Collins, Colo. (Garden City CC, Kan.)

  6        Robert Herron                   WR                  5-10        187         Jr.            2L            Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey)

  7        Chad Reese                        FS                    5-11        180         So.           1L            Tyler, Texas (Tyler Lee)

15       Ben Durbin                        DE                   6-3          272         Sr.            2L            Gilbert, Iowa (Gilbert)

20       Blair Burns                         CB                   5-10        180         So.           1L            Plano, Texas (Plano)

25       Spencer Bruce                    WR                  6-5          225         Jr.            2L            Gillette, Wyo. (Campbell County)

27       Todd Knight                      LB                    6-2          210         Jr.            1L            Aurora, Colo. (Grandview)

30       Dack Lambert                    WR                  6-2          192         So.           SQ           Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley Northwest)

32       Jake Schiffner                    CB                   5-10        195         So.           SQ           Calgary, Alberta (Centennial)

35       Oliver Schober                   LB                    6-0          235         RSr.         1L            Munich, Germany (Feodor-Lynen)

44       J.J. Quinlan                        LB                    6-1          238         Jr.            SQ           Everett, Wash. (Central Washington)

46       Ben King                            LB                    6-0          215         Fr.            HS           Tacoma, Wash. (Bellarmine Prep)

50       Mike Purcell                       DT                   6-3          303         Sr.            3L            Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Highlands Ranch)

51       Tyler Strong                       OG                  6-3          292         Jr.            2L            Longmont, Colo. (Niwot)   

54       Miraldo Michel                  DE                   6-3          265         Sr.            SQ           Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Ellsworth CC, Iowa)

55       Eddie Yarbrough              DE                   6-3          253         RFr.         RS            Aurora, Colo. (Grandview)

61       Shayne Kelley                    OG                  6-4          293         RSo.        RS            Camarillo, Calif. (Ventura CC, Calif.)

63       Rafe Kiely                           OG/C              6-3          290         RFr.         RS            Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton North)                          

71       Austin Traphagan             OT                   6-5          291         RFr.         RS            Yuma, Colo. (Yuma)

75       Zach Rushing                     OG                  6-3          295         Sr.            1L            Woolmarket, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Miss.)

77       Connor Rains                    OT                   6-7          305         Jr.            JC            Placerville, Calif. (American River CC, Calif.)

86       Shane Sullivan                   WR/H-Back     6-4          240         So.           SQ           Orange, Calif. (Orange Lutheran)

92       Tom Harris                         DE                   6-5          235         RFr.         TR            Parker, Colo. (Colorado School of Mines)

94       Stuart Williams                  K/P                  5-11        180         So.           SQ           Nederland, Colo. (Nederland)

94D     Max Gustafson                 DT                   6-4          226         Jr.            SQ           Casper, Wyo. (Natrona County)

98       Kurt Taufa’asau                 DT                   6-2          284         Sr.            1L            Pago Pago, American Samoa (New Mexico Military)

 

2012 University of Wyoming Spring Game

Players in Brown Jerseys Will Play for Both Teams

 

  1        Kody Sutton                      RB                   5-8          194         So.           SQ           Texarkana, Texas (Texas)    

  4        Zaquoya Parham               RB                   5-10        175         RFr.         RS            Phoenix, Ariz. (Shadow Mountain)

  8        Brandon Miller                  RB                   6-0          193         Jr.            2L            Parker, Colo. (Mountain Vista)

11       Colby Kirkegaard              QB                   6-3          205         Jr.            SQ           Phoenix, Ariz. (Phoenix CC, Ariz.)

28       Tim Gleeson                      P                      6-2          195         Fr.            HS           Melbourne, Australia (Viewbank College Prep)

36       Zach Ewan                         LS                    5-9          216         So.           1L            Phoenix, Ariz. (North Canyon)

45       Riley Lange                        H-Back            6-3          247         So.           1L            Parker, Colo. (Ponderosa)                   

 

 

2012 University of Wyoming Spring Game

Gold Team Roster

 

Team Captains:                                                                                   Coaches:                Chris Tormey, Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator

60       Nick Carlson, Sr., C                                                                                                   Pete Kaligis, Offensive Coordinator

29       Luke Ruff, Sr., SS               (Injured and Not Playing)                                            Jason Ray

                                                                                                                                                Danilo Robinson

                                                                                                                                                Derek Sage

 

No.      Name                                 Pos.                 Ht.          Wt.         Class       Ex.          Hometown (Last School)

  2        Eric Nzeocha                      WR                  6-1          200         Fr.            HS           Neusitz, Germany (FOS Ansbach)

  4        DeAndre Jones                  CB                   6-0          180         So.           1L            Killeen, Texas (Harker Heights)

  8        Zack Berg                           LB                    6-2          226         RFr.         RS            Edmonds, Wash. (Edmonds Woodway)

12       Sonny Puletasi                   DE                   6-3          241         So.           1L            Lawton, Okla. (Lawton)                                      

13       Darrenn White                  CB                   6-0          184         So.           1L            Kansas City, Mo. (University Academy)            

14       Daniel Sullivan                  K                     5-10        185         So.           1L            Snohomish, Wash. (Jackson)

18       Josh Smith                         QB                   6-3          209         So.           SQ           Manchester, N.H. (Manchester Memorial)

19       Keenan Montgomery       WR                  6-1          180         So.           1L            St. Paul, Minn. (Central)

21       Mark Nzeocha                   SS                    6-3          220         So.           1L            Neusitz, Germany (FOS Ansbach)

24       Kenny Browder                 FS                    5-11        180         Sr.            3L            Round Rock, Texas (Stony Point)

31       Jeff Roueche                      DE                   6-3          234         Jr.            SQ           Niwot, Colo. (Niwot)

33       Dominic Rufran                 WR                  6-0          185         So.           1L            Colorado Springs, Colo. (Palmer)

35       Oliver Schober                   LB                    6-0          235         RSr.         1L            Munich, Germany (Feodor-Lynen)

37       Brandon Albright              CB                   5-7          175         RFr.         SQ           Peyton, Colo. (Falcon)         

41       Andrew Meredith             SS                    6-0          200         Jr.            2L            Green River, Wyo. (Green River)

42       Nicholas Cipriano             LB                    5-11        190         RFr.         HS           Preston, Conn. (Norwich Free Academy)          

43       Devyn Harris                      LB                    6-3          225         Jr.            2L            Fountain, Colo. (Fountain-Fort Carson)

53       Alex Borgs                         LB                    6-2          231         So.           1L            Raesfeld, Germany (Dusseldorf)

58       B.J. Sumter                         DT                   6-1          305         Sr.            1L            Columbia, S.C. (New Mexico Military)              

60       Nick Carlson                      C                     6-4          292         Sr.            3L            Arlington Heights, Ill. (Prospect)        

62       Jake Jones                          OG                  6-3          295         RFr.         RS            Lakewood, Colo. (Lakewood)

64       Daniel Fleischman             OT                   6-6          300         So.           SQ           Issaquah, Wash. (Issaquah)                

66       Zach D’Amico