AUSTIN WARD Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2008 12:00 am
LARAMIE n- Nobody can accuse Wyoming of rushing to a decision at quarterback.
The Cowboys are justifiably taking their time to find the right guy, and after 15 practices they are closer to picking one n- if not by much.
UW has focused its attention on Karsten Sween, Dax Crum and Ian Hetrick after the three did little to differentiate themselves as the Cowboys wrapped up with their Spring Game at War Memorial Stadium.
"All three quarterbacks all did well again, so there's not a lot of separation," offensive coordinator Bob Cole said. "We'll see what happens. We'll play the best guy when September rolls around.
"When you've got three good ones, that's a good problem to have."
The fourth one was statistically the best on Saturday, though all of Chris Stutzriem's work was against the second- and third-team defenses.
The redshirt freshman was the only passer to throw a touchdown, but he's still clearly the odd man out as the Cowboys move into the fall without an official starter.
"We won't name one for a while yet," UW coach Joe Glenn said. "I imagine two weeks out from our first game Bob will want to pick one guy and give him all the turns with the ones and everybody will share the rest.
"The battle is still on. Everybody is still doing pretty good things."
They're also all still doing some bad things, which is part of the reason the position hasn't been filled.
Sween managed the huddle well again and had little problems with the new 40-second play clock, but he was an average 5-for-10 passing and made some poor decisions in the pocket.
Hetrick had perhaps the best day of the three, going 3-of-4 with his incompletion batted down at the line, but the senior's happy feet continue to be an issue.
Crum had the longest completion, zipping a 19-yarder to Kyle Jacobo on a third-and-18 n- but the junior college transfer also struggled with his timing and threw the only interception of the game.
Consistency clearly remains a problem, but that's hard to come by with four guys shuffling through under center.
That's the Catch-22 of having an open audition n- the Cowboys don't know which quarterback can find the best rhythm since none of them has had a chance to get much this spring.
"I'm happy that I got an opportunity to show my stuff and do my thing, but it kind of got problematic today just because it was hard to get in a rhythm," Crum said. "It's supposed to be a spring game, but it just didn't feel like a game.
"That's part of it when you're letting kids compete."
It should get easier with one less competitor to worry about in the fall.
But the Cowboys won't be in a hurry to rule out the next two.
LEARNING CURVE: Gabe Knapton gave himself an 8 out of 10 for the spring.
On a freshman curve, UW coach Joe Glenn would probably bump that grade up after another solid scrimmage for the linebacker.
"Gabe Knapton, I'm not saying he's a surprise, but to come in and play like he has all spring as a freshman is really super for us," Glenn said. "He's one of those guys that maybe you don't do it by the book every time. He's got that extra sense of where to be and how to get there and what to do when he gets there.
"He's a big dude that's got stature, sideline-to-sideline, sheds blocks, he's got to get a little more comfortable with the defense."
Knapton's been the most uncertain about pass coverage, but he was credited officially with one breakup on Saturday and was always around the football.
He could have had another breakup, but got a questionable holding flag instead.
"I'm a lot more comfortable," Knapton said. "Now I think I've kind of gotten it down and I'm knowing what I'm doing better, so I was able to make some plays out there.
"There's still room to improve."
SOMETHING SPECIAL: There was still one ugly kick.
And punter Nick Landess could probably have used some more time in the wind to gauge his distance control.
But all things considered, Glenn felt much better Saturday about his special teams than he did last week.
"(Scott) did better, and we needed to have him show up today," Glenn said. "Hats off to Jake, it's hard to hit in this wind. You've got to drill it perfect, and I thought he did a real good job today and needs to. We need him.
"Landess had a good day. We took a step forward there and we'll have some competition coming in the fall, but I thought they took a step forward."
PICK IT UP: Weston Johnson swears it was a clean interception.
There was no instant replay crew to dispute the junior linebacker's claim on his diving pick n- the only one in either scrimmage n- but players on both sides backed it up.
"I caught it. I promise I caught it," Johnson said. "I don't know where he was throwing it or who he was throwing it to, but I'll take them anywhere I can get them.
"Fumbles are nice and everything, but I think interceptions are really fun to get. You don't get very many of them as a linebacker."
This one even led to a rare admission from running back Devin Moore that somebody on the UW roster might be able to beat him in the 40-yard dash.
"With Weston I'll say it didn't hit the ground," Moore said. "He's an unbelievable athlete.
"I think he can actually beat me in the 40. He's a good guy, man."
BUMPS AND BRUISES: UW held out a handful of players, but it didn't suffer any additional injuries believed to be serious.
Running back James Davis left the game early with a stinger after taking a vicious shot from Knapton, but Glenn said he'll be fine.
"Lot of good things, to be honest with you," Glenn said. "Probably the best thing of all is everybody walked off on their own two feet.
"We're healthy, and in 132 days we'll get to put the pads back on for a game with Ohio."
Scoring Plays
James Davis 3-yard run (Jake Scott kick)
Scott 23-yard field goal
Devin Moore 3-yard run (Scott kick)
Moore 1-yard run (Scott kick)
Wynel Seldon 2-yard run (Scott kick)
Seldon 20-yard run (Scott kick)
Chris Stutzriem 3-yard pass to Josh Biezuns (Scott kick)
Scott 40-yard field goal