Laramie – There are plenty of football players across the country who get named to preseason all-conference teams and never live up to the hype.
The way Wyoming senior cornerback Julius Stinson has played in the first two games this season, he has been worth every bit of that honor, and more.
In the Cowboys’ 23-3 win over Virginia, Stinson came up with a pair of interceptions and had four solo tackles. His performance earned him Mountain West Conference defensive player of the week honors.
The 5-foot-10, 182-pounder from Victorville, Calif., came back last weekend to record 14 tackles, including eight solo stops and one for a 2-yard loss in a 32-18 victory over Utah State.
“He has been marvelous,” Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said of Stinson. “Just look at the two games he has had … and that’s the way he practices. He’s a big reason why our defense is what it is.”
Through the first two games, the Wyoming defense ranks among the top 30 in the country in six categories. The Cowboys are No. 2 in opponents’ third- down conversions (11.5 percent), No. 10 in total defense (190.0 yards allowed per game), No. 13 in pass defense (125.0 yards allowed per game), No. 14 in scoring defense (10.5 points allowed per game), No. 21 in rushing defense (65.0 yards allowed per game) and No. 30 in pass defense efficiency (95.0 rating).
In terms of the Mountain West Conference, the Cowboys rank No. 1 in total defense and rushing defense and No. 2 in pass defense and scoring defense.
“Our whole defense has been flying around and making plays, and I’m just trying to be a part of that,” Stinson said. “My interceptions are a credit to our front seven putting pressure on the quarterback. Everything they do has to do with me, too.”
The Cowboys’ defense will receive its toughest test to date, going on the road for the first time this season to play Boise State, which dropped out of the top 25 this week after losing at Washington. Since the start of the 2000 season, Boise State has averaged a national-best 41.5 points per game. Last year, the Broncos beat Wyoming 17-10 in Laramie.
