Welcome to Wyoming Football: Jett Vincent
LARAMIE -- Wyoming, once again, has welcomed nearly 50 new faces to the roster this offseason.
Transfer portal era, am I right?
Jay Sawvel again made a list of 10 "keepers" last December, heading into free agency. Running back Samuel "Tote" Harris was, no doubt, high on that list. So were defensive tackles Dante Drake and Jayden Williams. The Cowboys' third-year head coach also wanted to hang on to players like tight end Jake Wilson, wideout Deion DeBlanc, nickel corner Desman Hearns and offensive tackles Rex Johnsen and Braylon Jenkins, among others.
Mission accomplished. All are back for another round on the high plains.
The team did lose its top-four outside targets, including leading receiver Chris Durr Jr., who is now at Maryland. Two impact cornerbacks also hit the open market. Tyrese Boss is at Arizona. Markie Grant headed west to former conference rival Utah State.
Wyoming will also have a new quarterback under center, snagging William and Mary graduate transfer Tyler Hughes, who has one season of eligibility remaining. The hope is he'll right the ship at that spot, keeping the seat warm for Gillette's Mason Drube.
The Cowboys also reloaded in the offensive backfield and at the line of scrimmage, adding 1,000-yard rusher Markell Holman and interior linemen Chandler Donaway, Jason Maciejcak and Jeremiah Katt.
You'll read all about those guys, along with 20-plus freshmen, in this summer series: Welcome to Wyoming football.
NAME | Jett Vincent
YEAR | Junior
HT/WT | 6',2", 204
HOMETOWN | Grinnell, Kan.
POSITION | Safety
JERSEY NUMBER | 4
PREVIOUS SCHOOL | Colorado State
YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY | Two
NOTABLE | Jett Vincent isn't the first to do it, but it still feels ... odd. The Kansas product, who in high school picked off a state record 36 interceptions -- he returned seven of those for touchdowns -- comes to Laramie from, of all places, Colorado State. The Cowboys' Border War rivals also happen to be first up on the schedule this September inside Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. "I would rather be the villain than the hero," Vincent told 7220sports.com back in early January after becoming the team's seventh transfer portal addition. While at CSU, Vincent played mostly out of position, according to Jay Sawvel, lining up at linebacker where he finished with 21 total tackles in two seasons. The former 8-man Defensive Player of the Year also received interest from in-state programs Kansas and Kansas State, as well as North Dakota before ultimately choosing CSU.
QUOTABLE | "All the coaches and football support staff made choosing Wyoming the easiest decision I've ever made. Laramie is a beautiful town full of wonderful people and I’m excited to be a Cowboy. Putting on that UW jersey for the first time just felt right." -- Jett Vincent's reaction to signing with his former Border War rivals in the offseason.
WELCOME TO WYOMING SUMMER SERIES:
MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* Brooklyn Cheek Eyeing Starting Gig in UW Secondary
* Drake's Love Affair With Football Rekindled Through Adversity
* Richardson Has Coming-Out Party in Pokes' Spring Game
* Cowboy Offense Finds End Zone Five Times in Spring Game Victory
* Pokes' Latest Downfield Threat May Have Been on Roster All Along
* Wyoming Teammates on Johnathan Bush: 'He's Our Psycho'
* Josh Allen to Tyler Hughes: Wyoming Football 'One Step Away'
* New UW President on Athletics: 'We Will Compete'
* Landon Sims: 'You Can't Get Rid of Me That Easy'
* Sawvel Believes This Could Be His Best Defense at Wyoming
* Lofty Expectations Ahead for Desman Hearns
* Wyoming's Staff Expecting Inside Dominance From Jayden Williams
* PJ Jackson Looks an Awful Lot Like a Former UW Receiver
* Are the Cowboys Really Flirting With Adding an Option Attack?