by Keith Kelley–14 Sep ’22
Wyoming Cowboy head football coach Craig Bohl has built a very solid walk-on program in Laramie. Year in and year out, walk-ons are contributing to this team, and some eventually earn a scholarship. One of those former walk-ons is junior wide receiver Wyatt Wieland, who says that he plays with a bit of an edge every time he goes on the field.
“Definitely a chip on the shoulder coming in as a walk-on,” exclaimed Wieland. “Thankfully, at Wyoming, the coaches and everyone that’s a part of this program does a really good job of not making you feel like a walk-on, which I was really grateful for. It’s not like we were separated from the scholarship kids, or anything like that. And the double-repping that we do in practice really game me an opportunity to show that I can play with everyone, and just through that, work my way up a little bit.”
Wieland recorded his first reception last season, and so far this year he’s caught seven balls for 73 yards, including five receptions last week in the win over Northern Colorado. But, it’s not about the number of catches he gets, it’s about helping the Cowboys win.
“I don’t really care how many catches, all that stuff that happens, I’m here to do whatever I can to help this team win,” said Wieland. “Whether that’s running down and making a tackle on a punt, whether that’s blocking for our amazing running backs, or whether that’s catching the football, it’s all the same to me. Although it does feel good to get the ball in my hands and try to do something with it. Now that the pass game is a little more relevant, hopefully we can make some plays as receivers, that can help the game go our way.”
Wyoming is back in action Friday evening, as they host Air Force. Kickoff is set for 6 pm.
