[Izulde]

First New Cowboys Rounded Up

The transfer season witnessed Head Coach I. Zulde's success in garnering two players who will be coming to Laramie next season: QB Dwight Smoot (RS Fr), a Cerritos, CA native who is transferring from Syracuse, where he failed to break the Orangemen depth chart and WR Lowell Dodson (RS Fr), originally of Swanville, MN, who left his home-state university, the University of Minnesota, to become a Cowboy.

"We're very excited to have these guys here", remarked Zulde, "They're both extremely talented young men who will contribute a lot to our progress as a program."

Both men were ecstactic to become a part of the Cowboys program.

"Being clear across the country, it was tough for me and for my family. Laramie's a lot closer to home and Coach Zulde said there's a real good chance I could be the starting quarterback after I serve my year", said Smoot.

"I needed to get away from Minnesota. I felt too trapped there, being surrounded by everybody I knew. I wasn't getting the PT I felt I deserved, either. I'll get that opportunity here and Coach Zulde knows what it's like, because he was a Minnesota to Wyoming transfer too", Dodson said.

Zulde was attended the University of Minnesota in 1979 before transferring to the University of Wyoming.

Smoot and Dodson will have to sit out a season as per NCAA rules, but when they become eligible, Smoot is widely expected to becoming the starting QB and Dodson should challenge for a starting spot at WR.

A Difficult Recruiting Season Bears Fruit At Last

It's been a rough first recruiting season for new Cowboys coach I. Zulde, but he finally landed his first two recruits last week.

RB Bruce Taylor out of Avenal High School in Avenal, CA, became the first Wyoming recruit to sign. Rated a 2 star prospect and ranked the 33rd best RB prospect in the West region, he rushed for 866 yards (5.1 YPC) and 14 TDs and added 25 receptions for 348 yards in his senior season. A true scholar-athlete with a 3.9 GPA, he projects as a situational back for the Cowboys.

OT Ronald Begay from Gonzaga Prep High in Spokane, WA was the second and biggest signing of the week. A 3 star prospect, ranked the 53rd best player in the West region and the #7 OT in the West, he's anticipated to become a strong, aggressive blocker equally adept at both run and pass-protection and a real cornerstone for the Cowboys' offensive line. While Begay has incredible potential, he's still considered quite raw by most scouts, meaning a redshirt isn't out of the question, particularly given the presence of Edwin Hernandez (Jr), an All-WAC Third Team OT last season and Richard Patterson (So), who played well as a true freshman starter.

More recruits are expected to decide their schools soon and it's believed that Wyoming has on the inside track on a select number of them.