Terron Kellman Spins, Slashes Way Into End Zone For Game Winner

LARAMIE -- The plan was to kick a game-winning field goal.

Jay Sawvel wanted the ball either in the middle of the field or "to the right upright" for his young placekicker Erik Sandvik. Wyoming's second-year head coach was going to drain the clock to one second and call a timeout.

The attempt would likely be from 40-plus yards.

It never happened.

"I would have rather taken the seven than rely on a field goal to win the game," Sawvel added.

His wish was Terron Kellman's command.

The junior running back initially followed the pulling left tackle and guard between the B and C gap. The 5-foot-8, 210-pound Maryland native danced over a few bodies before spinning out of the pile and bouncing off a trio of would-be tacklers. He revolved again, this time 365 degrees the opposite way, before making a sharp right cut and bouncing it to the outside where wideouts Chris Durr Jr. and Charlie Coenen had their men occupied.

Kellman outraced the Spartans' secondary before leaping into the Tetons and getting mobbed by his teammates.

"I mean, honestly, just trying not to do anything dumb and put the team in the best situation," Kellman said postgame when asked about that dazzling 28-yard eventual game-winner. "But when I broke the first few tackles, my eyes got big and I saw the end zone. So, I just had to go, man. I just had to go long."

Kaden Anderson, who put the ball in Kellman's belly in the first place, followed the play, throwing his hands up and signaling touchdown once he saw the speedster had the edge.

"I think he broke all 11," Wyoming's sophomore quarterback joked, still in amazement of the number of tackles Kellman broke on the play. "I mean, gosh dang. He's a special cat, man. That was awesome. I was so excited for him. He's such a good player. Gosh, man, that was pretty electric, wasn't it? ... Great run. I had a front-row seat to that run, it was insane. Crazy run."

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Evan Eller capped his night with seven tackles and tipped a third-quarter pass that was eventually hauled in by fellow senior linebacker Brayden Johnson, who in turn rumbled 65 yards into the end zone to cut San Jose State's lead to just seven.

He said the feeling inside the home locker room after this improbable 35-28 victory was simply a sigh of relief. Kellman just put the nail in the coffin, punching in the Cowboys' 21st unanswered point of the frame.

"He deserves that for sure," Eller said. "That's my guy. He just works his tail off. He's a great running back, obviously, and he deserves that."

Kellman initially signed with Northern Illinois back in 2022 before transferring to Charlotte where he played the previous two seasons. He inked with Wyoming after again hitting the free-agent market last offseason.

He carried the load throughout spring ball with returner Sam Scott still nursing a knee injury. Other backs like Samuel Harris, Max White and Damashja Harris weren't yet on campus.

The former three-star recruit out Baltimore's Saint Frances Academy had just 25 carries coming into Saturday night. His stat line also included 142 rushing yards and a touchdown, a late 15-yard scamper to finally get the Cowboys on the board late in the fourth quarter of a 31-6 home loss to then No. 20 Utah.

He touched the ball just six times against the Spartans.

Kellman said he wants to make the most of the opportunities he does get. He certainly did that Saturday night.

"This is what you pray for, to be in this moment," he added. "So, I feel as though, being a professional, it doesn't matter. One week, another guy's getting the carries, or it may be your week or another guy's week, you just got to stay ready at all times because you never know when your moment or your name will be called."