Wyoming Spring Football Points of Focus: Special Teams

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The Cowboys statistically had one of the better special teams units in Division 1 last year, and it could be in for a step forward come fall.

Multiple key pieces are back in the fold, and that sort of continuity is bound to help once the season rolls around.

”Obviously we’re all working on our own things. I personally have my laces to work on for snapping and all that. [Punter] Clayton [Stewart’s] really good at holding, and everyone’s seen [kicker] John [Hoyland] go. It’s really nice just to keep that chemistry going and still have the same three guys,” Long snapper Carson York said.

With York snapping and Stewart holding, Hoyland had a breakout season. His 88% make rate was top 20 in the nation after going 22-25 in his attempts last year, and his field goals made per game was top tne as well with 1.69. Hoyland also showed the boom he has in his leg, going 4-5 from 50 plus with a long of 55.

While Stewart helped out on the field goals, he was also rock solid as a punter. His average of 44.08 Yards per punt was in the top third of Division 1, 21 of his 76 punts went for over 50 yards with a long of 67, and he was able to down 23 of them inside the 20 yard line.

The relationship these three have with each other is strong, and they say it’s a major key to the unit’s success as a whole.

”Everything we do is together. Whether it’s watching film saying ‘hey, let’s work on this,’ or we could see it in person. It’s really just us communicating and telling [each other] how to be better for everything we do,” Stewart said.

“The two C’s and I, we’re pretty tight as a unit and we’ve got to be. It’s all about trust that each of us can do our own jobs in the 1.3 seconds that are allotted to us. So having that is important, and I think we’re really good friends on and off the field,” Hoyland said.

Spring practice will conclude for Wyoming with the spring game on April 29.

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