Wyoming coach Craig Bohl to retire after Arizona Bowl; Jay Sawvel to take over role
Wyoming football’s Craig Bohl will retire after 10 seasons leading the Cowboys, and defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel will replace him as head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Bohl went 60-60 as Wyoming coach, following a 104-32 run at North Dakota State, where he won three Football Championship Subdivision national championships and developed a powerhouse program. An overtime win against Texas Tech highlighted this Wyoming season, and Bohl will coach the Cowboys against Toledo in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30.
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“Being the head football coach of the Wyoming Cowboys has been a privilege,” Bohl said in a statement. “I felt like now was the time for me (to) step away and entrust the program to new leadership. … There’s one more ballgame before I ride off as an old Cowboy. Let’s Ride for the Brand one more time and get a win in Tucson.”
Bohl led Wyoming to more bowl appearances (six) and wins (three) than any other coach in Wyoming history, and his six winning seasons were the second most. He also developed Josh Allen into the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the highest selection in school history.
Sawvel joined Wyoming in 2020 after serving as defensive coordinator at Minnesota and Wake Forest. Wyoming’s defense this year is second in the Mountain West in points allowed per game and yards per play allowed.
“Jay has done a masterful job in his time at Wyoming building strong relationships with players and staff,” athletic director Tom Burman said in a statement. “His defense embodies Wyoming’s culture in that we play physical, disciplined and with passion.”
Is this a surprise?
Bohl is 65 years old and has been in coaching since beginning as a Nebraska graduate assistant in 1981. The former Huskers player was also an assistant coach on multiple national championship Nebraska teams in the 1990s. In the past two years, Wyoming has been hit particularly hard by the transfer portal, losing several starters each offseason, including star players like receiver Isaiah Neyor (to Texas), and running back Xazavian Valladay (to Arizona State). But despite such roster turnover, Bohl kept winning, posting winning records in three consecutive seasons. An Arizona Bowl win later this month would mark Bohl’s first nine-win season with the Cowboys.
Bohl has also remained active in the NCAA and coaching support worlds. He has recently served on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee and the D-I Football Competition Committee. He served as president of the American Football Coaches Association in 2022 and was a longtime member of its board of trustees. Often serving as the voice for veteran coaches, it wouldn’t be surprising if he takes on a larger role in that space.
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As for Sawvel’s promotion, it sounds like it’ll be a continuation of the culture Bohl put into place, leaning on tough defensive football to win games. Like Bohl, Sawvel worked up from the FCS level. Wyoming is in many ways a difficult job, in terms of recruiting, but the fan support is deep. It’s the only game in town and the Cowboys represent the entire state to the sporting world. This change means five of 12 Mountain West schools will have new coaches in 2024.
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(Photo: Chris Gardner / Getty Images)
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