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Wyoming Looks For Its Running Game To Dominate

Bob Beck

For the most part, 2014 was a tough year for the University of Wyoming football team. The Cowboys finished with only four wins and eight losses. But the while the team enters this season with a few question marks, how will its new quarterback fair? Will a revamped defense and offensive line be able to make the necessary improvements? Will the kicking game be better? But one area they feel pretty good about is the fact that they have two amazing running backs in senior Shaun Wick and sophomore Brian Hill. Wick agrees with those who say they are a lot alike. 

“I feel like we both share similar abilities, we are both fast, both strong, smart runners.” 

Wick is a Doak Walker Award candidate which means he is regarded as one of the top backs in the country and is 881 yards away from setting the school record for rushing yards. 

He was on his way to an outstanding season last year when he injured his hand against Colorado State. His replacement was freshman Brian Hill. Hill was sensational for the rest of the season, finishing that game with 121 yards and two touchdowns. The next week he was the national player of the week running for 281 yards. He added 106 receiving yards. Wick eventually came back and they combined for over 15 hundred yards for the season. There is one slight problem though, there are two good running backs and one football. Offensive Coordinator Brent Vigen isn’t worried about it. He has noticed that a healthy competition has developed between the two. 

“They are both motivated kids, self-motivated kids, but nothing motivates a guy more than seeing another guy that can get the job done. I think Shaun obviously set the bar at the beginning of the season, but Brian set it at the end. That competition will feed each other as those other guys in that group.”

Hill laughs and said the competition is real.

“It’s a great competition nobody wants to be second on the depth chart. Coach (Mike) Bath came to us and said we are going to split the carries 50/50, but I don’t wanna be number two and he don’t wanna be number 2.” 

Center Rafe Kiely doesn’t care which one is in the game, he says they both   impressive.

“They won’t let themselves be stopped.”

Kiely added that they are also physically strong. 

“When they lift they lift with the linemen. Shawn’s at over a 400-pound bench press which is just phenomenal for a guy his size.”

Fellow offensive lineman Chase Roullier added that strength matters.

“When you have backs that are that strong they are able to just run people over and get those extra one or two yards after every play. And I think that’s a big key for what our running backs can do.”

Wick stands out to his teammates for his second effort. He gets several extra yards with defenders hanging on him. Wick said it’s because it’s because he has a chip on his shoulder. 

“All my life I’ve been doubted you know, people didn’t think I was good at all, they didn’t think I could make it here, and as soon as I got here I thought I’ll just throw it in their face.”

Hill on the other hand, was a highly touted freshman. But he has learned a lot from Wick.

“He believes that he’s gonna run through anybody on a defense and that’s how he plays and he actually does run through a lot of people on a defense and that’s where it all starts, you gotta have that mindset, you can’t go out there scared and that’s what he taught me the most.”

Because Hill and Wick are so good, Wyoming expects teams to bring more players closer to the line of scrimmage in an effort to stop them. Offensive coordinator Brent Vigen said that will require the offense to be more successful in completing passes to keep the defense honest and force them to pay attention to more than just Hill and Wick.  

The Cowboys will test this all out when they open the season on September 5th against North Dakota. 

Bob Beck retired from Wyoming Public Media after serving as News Director of Wyoming Public Radio for 34 years. During his time as News Director WPR has won over 100 national, regional and state news awards.
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