Breaking down the Wyoming Defense vs Texas

Wyoming put up a hell of a fight against Texas in 2023. If you didn’t watch the game it was tied 10-10 into the fourth quarter when Texas finally pulled away with three scores including a pick-6 to seal the game. The final score was 31-10, but by no means was this a poor effort by the Wyoming defense. For more than three quarters,they had No. 4-ranked Texas, who had just beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, on their heels and unsure of how to attack the multiplicity of the Wyoming defense. 

Wyoming showed at least six different boxes including 3-3, 3-2, 4-2, 4-4, a 6-man front, and on occasion a 7-man front. Their ability to show different looks mixed in with 1-, 2-, and 3-high coverages was truly a defensive masterpiece for a team that was outmatched in talent. 

Below we break down some creative sets, coverages and pressures that Wyoming used to stifle the Texas offense. Let’s get into it!

Q1 | 12:40 | 2nd & 15 | 7-0 Wyoming

Texas is behind the sticks and looks to gain enough yardage to be in good shape for third down. 

Wyoming aligns in their 4-2, 3-high look. Instead of playing Cloud 3 or Tampa 2, which are normal looks for a 3-high team, they play Cover 2 with the middle safety robbing the wide side of the field in the hook/curl. Wyoming executes this beautifully and forces a throw to the back shoulder of the X receiver, which is incomplete.

Q1 | 12:35 | 3rd & 15 | 7-0 Wyoming

The very next play Wyoming continues to be aggressive, this time with a mug look with both backers in the A gaps. They present a 6-man front and bring a 4-man simulated pressure by bringing the safety from the boundary and dropping the defensive end from the field. Behind the simulated pressure they appear to run a Tampa 2 coverage look. 

Texas does a great job of picking up the pressure but, because Wyoming does such a good job in coverage, ultimately the play ends with an overthrow to the Y on the sail route. Another great call to deliver a non-traditional pressure with tight coverage behind it on a bring third down early in the game.

Q1 | 10:01 | 3rd & 7 | High Redzone | 7-0 Wyoming

Let’s fast forward to the next drive. Texas marches down the field before encountering another big 3rd down situation on Wyoming’s 19-yardline. Again, Wyoming presents another 6-man front with both backers mugged in the A gaps. This time, Wyoming brings a 5-man Firezone Pressure with 3 under, 3 deep coverage behind it. Texas decides to full slide to the field, which plays perfectly into the call, and the defensive end comes untouched  from the boundary to force an early throw by Quinn Ewers. Wyoming’s corner into the boundary gets beat, but the safety rotating to the MOF (Middle of the Field) makes a great play and almost ends up with an interception. Texas is forced to settle for a field goal, and Wyoming retains the lead 7-3. 

Q1 | 1:39 | 3rd & 7 | 7-3 Wyoming

The Texas offense has another 3rd & 7 and Wyoming shows another 6-man presentation with the backers mugged in the A gaps. Texas runs outside zone into the boundary. Because of Wyoming’s presentation, and the tackle/end stunt, Texas is unsure who to block. The bailing linebackers are able to scrape over top and join the bailing safety on a tackle 1 yard short of the sticks, forcing a 4th & 1 for the Longhorns. 

Q2 | 7:39 | 2nd & 10 | 10-7 Texas

This time, Texas tries pre-snap shifts and motions to find holes in the Wyoming defense. Texas trades the tight end before motioning the slot receiver to run a play-action route combination into the boundary. Wyoming is aligned with one safety buzzed into the field, the nickel on #2, and the other safety in the MOF. The corner and nickel are aligned at 7 yards. The tight end trade caused Wyoming to shift its linebackers weak, and when the slot goes in motion, Wyoming will super rotate the secondary. Typically the man on the slot receiver rotates to the MOF and the MOF player to the opposite flat; instead, Wyoming rotates their buzzed safety to the MOF, their nickel bumps into the box like a linebacker, and the MOF safety rotates to the flat. (See example below.) While this rotation isn’t out-of-this world crazy, it’s still very different from a typical rotation. Again, Ewers throws an incomplete pass to the slot in the flat after being rushed by the defensive end. The dig from the boundary is there because the Mike gets caught up in the play action, but because of Wyoming’s constant pressure, it becomes another incomplete pass..

Q2 | 3rd & 10 | 7:34 | 10-7 Texas

On the very next play, Wyoming has Texas in 3rd and long. Can you guess what they present? Another 6-man front with both backers mugged in the A gaps. However, instead of the 3 under, 3 deep pressures they’ve brought before, they elect to bring 5 and play quarters to the field and cover 2 into the boundary. This is a great job of presenting a 6-man pressure with a 1-high look then spinning to a 2-high coverage. The result? Another tight window throw for Ewers that is incomplete. The Mike, who is cutting #2, makes an outstanding play: he gets in the hip pocket and creates a very tough throw and catch for Texas.

Q2 | 4:26 | 3rd & 6 | 10-7 Texas

This time on 3rd down, Wyoming shows a normal 4-2 box, while Texas comes out in a bunch formation to the field. Again, Wyoming looks to be in a quarters look to the field and cover 2 to the boundary. So, as an adjustment Wyoming presses the bunch with the corner, which he will play MEG (Man Everywhere he Goes), and plays a banjo coverage with the other two receivers with the nickel and safety. Additionally, Texas puts the running back in push motion to the field, triggering a boxer to exit the box, which leaves a 4-1 box on the snap.  Texas runs a variation of mesh, which plays right into the coverage for Wyoming. Ewers finds the low route on the mesh from the bunch for a completion, but the cover 2 corner is waiting patiently to make a tackle before the sticks – resulting in another punt for Texas. 

Q3 | 11:43 | 2nd & 9 | 10-7 Texas

Finally Texas is driving, on Wyoming’s 28-yard-line and looking to cash in on the opening drive of the second half to go up two scores. Texas comes out in an empty bunch set. Wyoming, again, makes the perfect call and plays drop 8 cloud cover 3. Texas tries a screen & go into the boundary, and Ewers makes a perfect throw, but the safety breaks up the pass late with a good collision through the hands of the receiver. Honestly, this is high-level execution by both teams: the throw is perfect, and the receiver catches it until the safety dislodges it on a very good play. 

Q3 | 11:33 | 3rd & 9 | 10-7 Texas

This is another huge 3rd down for Wyoming to stay within 3 points. Guess what? Wyoming goes with another 6-man presentation. This time Wyoming brings a simulated pressure by bringing the safety into the boundary, dropping the backers, and dropping the defensive end to the field. Finally, Wyoming hits home and gets their first sack of the day, not only forcing 4th down but knocking Texas out of field goal range. It’s hard to tell from the sideline copy, but Texas appears to try a slot fade to the field. Ewers appears to want to work the single into the boundary, but the pressure comes too fast and he’s sacked. 

Conclusion

After this point, Texas got their offense going and eventually pulled away early in the 4th quarter. Much of Texas’ late success was due to the 12 personnel run game. Regardless of the final score, the defensive performance by Wyoming was fantastic. Quinn Ewers was coming off of a 349-yard and 3 TD effort at Alabama, and Wyoming held Ewers to just 131 yards passing on the night (he did throw 2 TDs). It’s very clear that Wyoming caught Texas off guard with a lot of zone coverage that night, as prior to the Texas game, Wyoming had shown quite a bit of cover 1 in previous games. This is a great example of game planning week-to-week and making critical adjustments geared towards success against your next opponent.

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