Making the grade

LARAMIE — The summer was all about work and studying for Austin Conway.

Conway joined the University of Wyoming football team as a wide receiver in the spring. He redshirted as freshman as a point guard for the men’s basketball team.

The 5-foot-10, 173-pound Conway impressed third-year coach Craig Bohl during spring drills, but Conway knew he had a lot of work to do to get ready for fall camp in August.

That work included spending time in the weight room to get bigger, faster and stronger. Conway added nearly 10 pounds of muscle. It also included studying his playbook so he knew exactly what he was doing when camp started.

“Fall camp is the test, and I’m pretty much acing the test,” Conway said.

Bohl said earlier this week that Conway has “exceeded” his expectations during camp. Conway has been getting more reps in practice as senior wide receivers Tanner Gentry and Jake Maulhardt recover from strained hamstrings.

Another part of that test starts at 10:30 this morning when UW holds its first scrimmage of fall camp at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. The scrimmage is closed to the public and media.

“I’m extremely comfortable,” Conway said. “I finally got a sense of the playbook. I know exactly what I’m doing now. Now it’s putting everything together and executing.”

Conway was named to The Denver Post’s All-Colorado team for all classifications as a dual-threat quarterback his senior season at Overland High in Aurora, Colorado. He threw for 1,341 yards and 13 touchdowns, and ran for 509 yards and five touchdowns. According to rivals.com, Conway had scholarship offers to play football coming out of high school from Army, Colorado, Colorado State, Nebraska, Rice and Utah State.

“You can see he’s a young man that used to be a quarterback because he’s picked up the offense well,” first-year UW wide receivers coach Mike Grant said. “He’s very conscientious in the meeting room and wants to do things right.

“I saw more in the spring that everything he was doing he was thinking every step. Almost robotical. Now, he can use his athletic ability and talent moving forward. He’s reacting a little more and getting more comfortable. I’m excited with what he brings to the group.”

One thing that’s impressed Grant is Conway’s conditioning. Grant said Conway “can run all day, and has created more competition for everyone in the unit.”

Conway said his basketball conditioning made his transition to football conditioning easy.

“(Football) conditioning this summer was cake,” he said. “It was so easy because in basketball it is non-stop running and not as much of a break. With football you get a lot of rest time between reps.

“My wind recovered faster. I think most will agree with me that I’m the most conditioned athletes this summer.”

Conway also is getting looks as a punt and kickoff returner for UW during camp.