CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Sophomore transfer Dax Crum was named the starting quarterback for Wyoming on Friday, beating out returning starter Karsten Sween.
Starting quarterback has been the main question mark of the Cowboys offense, which ranked 107th nationally in scoring in 2007.
“It has been a battle, and we feel we have two very good quarterbacks,” head coach Joe Glenn said in a statement. “But at this point, we have to get one guy ready for the opener against Ohio. Dax will get the start, but Karsten needs to stay sharp and I know he will. We feel good about both of them.”
The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Crum transferred to Laramie from Mesa Community College in Arizona where he played one year after leaving the Arizona State team.
Crum earned honorable mention National Junior College Athletic Association All-America honors at Mesa. He was named the NJCAA Co-Region I Offensive Player of the Year, and also was selected First Team All-Western States Football League in his first and only year at Mesa Community College.
“I’m so blessed and so lucky to be the starter for this team, and hopefully I can do something with it and I’m going to try to do my best to take this team to the next level,” Crum said in a telephone interview.
Sween, a junior, played in all 13 games last year, starting 12. He threw for 2,028 yards and 12 touchdowns. But he was picked off 17 times and briefly benched after throwing three interceptions in a loss to Air Force.
“What we’re looking for is a quarterback who can manage our offense,” Glenn said.
The Cowboys also named brothers Marcell and Tashaun Gipson as the starting cornerbacks and sophomore Chris Prosinski as starting free safety on defense. Quincy Rogers, who started at free safety last year, will move to strong safety. Michael Ray, who started at strong safety last year, will back up Rogers.
Jake Scott earned the place-kicking duties, but the team has yet to name a starting punter.
Wyoming, which was 5-7 last year, opens its season Aug. 30 at home against Ohio, which is coached by former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich.
