Sawvel: ‘I Just Want to Score A Bunch of Points’
LARAMIE -- Tyson Shamsid-Deen said the conversation was brief.
"If you let me play offense, I'll give you a good look," the youthful Texan told his coaches last October, flashing a diamond-encrusted grin.
The then-freshman cornerback knew he wasn't going to see the field the following Saturday against Air Force and its vaunted triple-option attack. Still, he wanted to be a part of the game plan. A sputtering Wyoming offense, one that capped the season averaging just 16 points per game, needed a spark.
Nothing short of a Swiss-Army knife during his prep days -- Shamsid-Deen was a punter, returner, receiver, running back, safety and linebacker at Southwest High School in San Antonio -- he was eager to show that he still had "it" on scout team.
He did.
"I scored on Markie (Grant) and Tyrese (Boss)," he said, referring to arguably the team's top-two corners. "Coach was like, 'Oh.'"
The post-practice chat was even more concise.
"We're going to use you (at wide receiver)," Shamsid-Deen continued, referring to the meeting with head coach Jay Sawvel.
It's no coincidence that this decision also came following the mid-season firing of offensive coordinator Jay Johnson. Sawvel said he wanted more creativity in the run game. The passing attack was even more abysmal, averaging just 183 yards an outing.
After the bye week the Cowboys faced off with their oldest rival Colorado State. Back-up quarterback Landon Sims saw his first real action since a Week-2 win over Northern Iowa. He even found the end zone with his legs. Caden Barnett, a 300-plus pound offensive guard, was also inserted into the backfield, playing the role of lead blocker near the goal line.
And, of course, Shamsid-Deen lined up on the outside, serving as a deep threat.
Wyoming rolled its Border War nemesis 28-0 under the lights inside War Memorial Stadium, claiming the Bronze Boot for the 32nd time in history.
"I was wide open in the end zone in that one," he said with a slight shake of the head and that ever-present smile.
Over the final month of the season, Shamsid-Deen snagged three passes for just six yards. But he did manage to take the top off defenses and was on the field for 13 snaps. That number is expected to rise significantly in 2026.
He will also likely have another job this fall: Being the Cowboys' top cover corner.
"We're working him both ways right now, and that's the plan," Sawvel said on Thursday. "You know, the offense has a certain period of time that they get him. This isn't like a gimmick thing. They're teaching him the offense, so he's going to need to know a number of different things."
Shamsid-Deen is on board.
"I've always been a type of kid to really not play one position, just to play multiple positions to help my team and to succeed in the season," he added. "I really don't care if I play offense or defense, I just want to win."
So does Sawvel.
And for that to happen, he added, the Cowboys have to find the end zone. He even joked Thursday that he doesn't want placekicker Erik Sandvik to even attempt a field goal this fall.
A "blowtorch" was taken to a historically poor offense this offseason.
The hiring of new play-caller Christian Taylor was the first piece of the puzzle, followed by one of his former recruits at William and Mary, quarterback Tyler Hughes, joining the program. Wyoming spent money on the offensive line, snagging East Texas A&M's Chandler Donaway and Jason Maciejczak from Nebraska.
Last year's scheme is now in the dustbin of history. With a mobile quarterback under center and one of the top running backs in the Mountain West, Samuel "Tote" Harris, lined up behind him, deception, aggression and speed are on the horizon.
Quotable as always, Sawvel all but scoffed when asked if he really wants his top cornerback playing on both sides of the football.
He reminded the room he is 5-3 as a head coach when his team scores at least 21 points. What that really means is, in 24 outings, the offense has managed to find the end zone three times in a single game just eight times, prompting Sawvel to call that low bar "disgusting."
No one ever accused him of being coy.
"Here's the deal: I want to score a bunch of points, OK?'" he said. "So, I don't give a s--- if it's somebody from the band that plays for us, in that regard. I don't. I just want to score a bunch of points. That's the whole goal."
Shamsid-Deen might not be the only defender pulling double duty, either.
"I don't care who it is," Sawvel continued. "So, Jayden Williams, you can have anyone you want in short yardage, too. If you want (defensive tackles) Dante Drake and Jayden Williams back there, then have at."
MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* 'Let's Get It:' Bruley Carrying on Father's Legacy in Laramie
* Biggest 'What If' Recruits in Recent Wyoming Football History
* 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