By Jeff Bugher
On Wednesday afternoon, Wyoming's 2024 Head Coach Jay Sawvel quietly announced that Aaron Bohl will be Wyoming's Defensive Coordinator in 2024. Bohl will be filling the same spot that Sawvel will hold until after the Barstool Arizona Bowl on December 30th in Tucson, Arizona. All of the pieces will be set in motion following current HC Craig Bohl's last bowl game before he rides off into the sunset of retirement. The announcement came as a surprise to the members of the media, because the purpose of the press conference was to announce the newest recruiting class signees.
1. Coaching Journey: Aaron Bohl embarked on his coaching career at Wyoming in 2017 as a Defensive Graduate Assistant, eventually being named the full-time linebackers coach in January 2020. The 2023 season marked his fourth year in this role.
2. Bowl Success: Bohl has been pivotal to Wyoming's success, contributing to five bowl-eligible seasons and being a part of three bowl championships – the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the 2019 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, and the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
3. Linebacker Excellence: Bohl's coaching impact is evident in the achievements of his linebackers. Notably, Easton Gibbs earned First Team All-Mountain West honors in 2022 and ranked third in the conference and 22nd nationally in tackles. We can't forget about Shae Suiaunoa and his big jump in 2023. Gibbs and Suiaunoa are NFL prospects for 2024 and 2025.
4. Defensive Rankings: Wyoming's defense, under Bohl's guidance, has consistently performed well. In 2022, the defense ranked second in the Mountain West and 21st nationally in sacks, averaging 2.85 per game. The 2021 defense excelled as the top pass defense in the Mountain West and 12th in the nation, allowing only 189.8 passing yards per game.
5. Player Achievements - Muma: Linebacker Chad Muma, coached by Bohl, was a standout performer, earning Second Team All-America honors and being selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Muma was also a Butkus Award finalist in 2021.
6. Young Team Success: Despite being the fourth youngest team in the country in 2022, Wyoming posted a 7-6 record, finished second in the Mountain West Conference Mountain Division, and secured a spot in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.
7. Consistent Winning: Wyoming's 7-6 record in 2022 marked their fifth winning season in the past seven seasons, highlighting the program's sustained success. Defense played a big part!
8. Defensive Dominance in 2019: In 2019, Bohl's coaching contributed to Wyoming's defense ranking second in the Mountain West and 11th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 17.8 points per game.
9. National Recognition - Wilson: Bohl has coached players like Logan Wilson, a national finalist for the Butkus Award in 2019 and was drafted as the No. 1 pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
10. Personal Background: Bohl's experience as a former college linebacker at Minnesota State Moorhead, where he was a four-year starter and three-year captain, provides valuable insights into the game. He graduated with a math education degree in December 2016.
Year-by-Year Coaching History
2024- Wyoming - Defensive Coordinator
2020 - Wyoming - Linebackers
2019 - Wyoming - Interim Linebackers Coach
2017-18 - Wyoming - Graduate Assistant
*Information gathered from the University of Wyoming for this article.