Wyoming QB Evan Svoboda Trying to Win ‘Race to Maturity’

LARAMIE -- How much has Evan Svoboda been pushing Andrew Peasley in practice this fall?

Craig Bohl's answer is blunt.

"(He's) not," Wyoming's head coach said. "Now one thing Evan can do, his arm strength is really exceptional. So, from that perspective, I think he might have an edge. Arm strength is just one of the categories. Just his understanding and competency and completion percentage and decision making is not where Andrew is at."

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Svoboda didn't hear that initial quote from Bohl. That changed on Monday afternoon. His response wasn't one of defiance. There was no eye rolling. The sophomore didn't flinch.

"I guess, hearing that from Bohl, I need to obviously do more to push Andrew, because that's obviously going to make him better," he said. "It will make him better, it will make myself better and make the whole room better. So, I guess, I just need to continue to push.

"It's a race to maturity. That's what coach (Tim) Polasek emphasizes. I just need to keep pushing."

Bohl did say Svoboda played well in the Cowboys' scrimmage last Saturday inside War Memorial Stadium. While no actual stats were shared, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound signal caller agreed with his head coach, saying the situational plays were being made.

In the first scrimmage of the fall, Svoboda said he connected with new wideout Ayir Asante on a 50-yard touchdown strike, too.

"I felt like it went well," he said. "There were definitely some big plays that I made, and definitely some small errors that I can clean up and fix. But, other than that, it went well and I feel like we executed. We played fast."

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Svoboda, who spent his first collegiate season at Snow College in Utah, has yet to enter a game since arriving on campus in the summer of 2022. Last fall he was third or fourth on the depth chart behind Jayden Clemons and Hank Gibbs.

Bohl and Co. gave Svoboda every opportunity to snag the back-up role this offseason. He did just that, landing behind Peasley on the team's initial depth chart of the fall, which was released Monday afternoon.

Fans have only gotten two glimpses of Svoboda in action. Neither outing raised eyebrows.

During his first audition, he completed just 4-of-14 passes for 24 yards and an interception. Last April, he was a much improved 8-of-14. He threw for 63 yards. He again tossed a pick.

Bohl said there was nothing to be alarmed about.

"We chart everything and he has played really well," he said. "He has a good completion percentage. The other thing he can do is, he can put the ball in places on the field that, you know, (not many quarterbacks can)."

We've all heard about the arm talent. Svoboda wears the No. 17, the same digits Josh Allen once wore in Laramie. Bohl calls that jersey decision a "bold statement," but adds Svoboda can sling it with the best of them.

What Svoboda said he is missing is experience. That could come sooner rather than later. If so, he says he's ready.

"I'm very confident," he said, repeating it twice. "You always have to have the confidence playing the quarterback position. I guess whenever it's my opportunity, I just need to capitalize on it and capitalize in the moment."