Healthy Evans ready to contribute

LARAMIE - Prior to Nico Evans coming to the University of Wyoming to play football, he never had hamstring injuries.

The Los Angeles running back redshirted as a freshman in 2014 with the Cowboys, and still had no hamstring issues.

But in the spring of 2015 Evans injured his hamstring. He also had the same injury when fall camp started that year.

"It slowed me down and lot and I couldn't prove what I could do," Evans said.

Evans played in 10 games last season and had 14 carries for 56 yards. He also had two kickoff returns for 21 yards.

"I needed to get in the ice tubs a lot and start stretching more," said Evans about preventing more hamstring problems. "When I wasn't at practice, I was in the training room."

So far, that strategy has worked. Evans has been healthy throughout fall camp and is competing for the No. 3 running back spot behind junior Brian Hill and senior Shaun Wick. Evans and redshirt freshman Milo Hall are the two guys behind Hill and Wick right now, and both are expected to play this season.

So far, third-year coach Craig Bohl likes what he sees from Evans.

"Nico has put on good weight. He's a smart, bright guy and his learning curve is pretty steep," Bohl said. "His hands have gotten better. He's picked up a little step in terms of speed."

Evans is 5-foot-9, and he came to UW at 180 pounds. He's now 207. Hill recently described Evans' body transformation as "all jacked up."

"It's a good 207, and I have to give a shout-out to coach Dennison," said Hall, referring to first-year UW football strength coach Russell Dennison.

"I haven't lost any speed and I feel strong," Evans said. "I'm able to push defenders off me, and I still can carry the load."

How much of that load remains to be seen.

Hill averaged 23.4 carries per game last season as he set a UW single-season record with 1,631 yards. No other running back on the team averaged more than six carries per game. UW would like to spread those carries out more this season, and hopefully improve the run game with a more efficient and productive passing game.

Whether he runs the ball, catches it or return it on special teams, Evans just wants to remain healthy so he can continue to show what he can do when he's at full strength.

"In my mind I can contribute a lot, and I will do everything I can to get on the field," Evans said.

Even if that means more time in the ice tubs and stretching.

Practice notes

The Cowboys held practices No. 12 and 13 of 24 total on Thursday and it appears there may be a shift coming on the offensive line.

"We're going to take a hard look at Gavin Rush at the starting left guard and Chase Roullier as the center," Bohl said after the morning practice. "We've been rotating that, but I think we're more inclined to give more reps that way than the other way."

The Pokes had been working since the start of fall camp with seniors Roullier at left guard and Du'Ryan Ebbesen at center. Rush, a true freshman from Phillips, Nebraska, was not listed on Wyoming's two-deep depth chart at the start of camp, but has worked his way into increased playing time.

"Every year you tinker with certain things," Bohl said. "We have a lot of experience there (at offensive line) unlike years past, but nonetheless we're not solidified there yet.

"It's not the five best players but the five players who can together the best. That's what we're looking for."

Bohl added that freshmen tight end Alec Stewart and offensive lineman Jace Webb suffered mild concussions during the practice, the first of the fall for the team.

Wyoming will practice once today before holding the team's first scrimmage of fall camp at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Robert Gagliardi is the senior editor of WyoSports. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rpgagliardi.