UVa at Wyoming Preview: UW Defense

Wyoming safety Quincy Rogers managed to break up this pass to Jonathan Stupar last season, but UVa’s tight ends could be used against the Cowboys’ safeties in 2007.

You can poke – no pun intended – holes in some of the numbers and argue about the level of competition, but the fact remains Mike Breske’s 2006 Wyoming defense was one of best in the country.

Following the 2005 season where UW ranked 61st in the land in total defense, 40th in passing defense, and 81st in rushing defense, the Cowboys finished 9th in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision last season after yielding just 162.9 yards per game. They ranked eighth in the country in pass defense (156.3 YPG) and 23rd in run defense, allowing 106.6 yards per contest.

Loaded with speedy, athletic linebackers, Wyoming switched from its 4-3 defense of 2005 to the 3-4 last season. The scheme fit the personnel to perfection as the results indicate.

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