Wyoming QB Landon Sims is Hungry to Make an Impact
- Jeff Bugher
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
LARAMIE, Wyo. – One week, Landon Sims was celebrating a touchdown against Colorado State. The next, he was facing the third torn ACL of his football career. Now, Wyoming’s quarterback is back, hungry to finish what he started.
Sims' brief stretch of action during the 2025 season gave Wyoming a glimpse of what the dual-threat quarterback could bring to the offense. The junior appeared in five games, completing 6-of-8 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown while rushing 15 times for 97 yards and another score.
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His breakthrough came against Colorado State University in the Border War.
Wyoming found a role for Sims as a runner, putting together a package that got him onto the field five or six times. Sims took advantage of it, scoring his first rushing touchdown as a Cowboy in the rivalry victory.
“On Monday, we talked about it before we went out to practice and meetings; we talked about how I was going to have a certain package where I run a couple of times. I think I ended up going in a total of five or six times. I was really trying to take advantage of the opportunity and help my team any way I could,” Sims told Pokesnews.com following the win in 2025.
Getting into the end zone carried extra meaning because of the rivalry.
“It was really special, especially in a rivalry like that. That's really important to the state of Wyoming, and it's really important to our fans. It was just really great to finally get the ball across that line for the first time,” Sims said.
The celebration provided a memorable moment of its own, as former Wyoming center Jack Walsh lifted Sims high into the air after the touchdown, reminiscent of Rafiki holding baby Simba above Pride Rock during the iconic opening scene of The Lion King. Sims described it simply as “pure emotion and reaction.”
Sims left the Border War wanting more.
He didn't have to wait long for another opportunity. Wyoming traveled to face San Diego State the following week in early November, and Sims became more involved in the offense. He finished with a career-high 52 rushing yards, including a career-long 37-yard run.
Sims was on the brink of taking the reins of the offense following performance issues from the team’s starting QB.
But during that game, Sims suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, ending his 2025 season. It was the third ACL tear of his football career.
The injury was difficult not only because of another long rehabilitation ahead, but because of what he felt was beginning to happen on the field.
“Before the injury happened, I felt like we were rolling pretty good against San Diego State offensively Sims recalled during fall camp.
He knew something was wrong after taking the hit in San Diego.
“I believe it was the second quarter, and I believe we were tied; it's going pretty well. Then the injury happened. It happened when I got hit, and I was on the ground. The part that sucked the most is that we were on track for me to play more,” Sims said.
Suddenly, the momentum he had built against Colorado State and San Diego State was replaced by surgery and another rehabilitation.
Being sidelined fueled Sims’ motivation.
“During the surgery and the rehab process, I was just thinking about the little taste of success I did get in those couple of games, especially like CSU, a big rivalry game, and San Diego State. That was a driving force, mindset-wise, for me throughout the whole rehab process. I'm just hungry for more of that, more of those experiences,” Sims said.
Coming back from an ACL tear is difficult enough once. Sims understood what he was facing after going through it twice before.
His parents helped him through the process, including his father, a high school football coach who played safety at West Alabama before spending time with the Atlanta Falcons.
Sims also leaned on his faith.
“You know, my dad was a really big factor. My parents in general were just big factors, you know. I really had to put my faith in God especially, because after three ACL’s, some people don't come back to the same,” Sims said.
That's why merely making it back onto the practice field wasn't the goal for Sims.
“There’s another factor for me; I don't want to just come back to come back. I want to come back to be elite, and be really great. Above all of that, come back and dominate,” Sims said.
He has made it back.
Sims stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 217 pounds, a junior from Evergreen, Alabama.
During spring practices, Sims was still working his way back and could be seen doing work on the sidelines. By the time Wyoming reported for fall camp, Sims was cleared to return.
Head coach Jay Sawvel said Sims entered camp healthy.
“From the look of it, he's healthy,” Sawvel said.
Sims is back and better than ever, according to Sawvel; he reached a higher top speed during summer workouts than he had before tearing his ACL.
“That’s pretty impressive,” Sawvel said.
“Everybody loves Landon Sims in this program. They love him because of how hard he works and how much he cares and how much he's invested in it,” Sawvel said.
Sims returned to a different-looking Wyoming offense as well.
Christian Taylor took over as offensive coordinator, giving Sims and the rest of the quarterback room a new system to learn. Sims likes an offense he believes can spread opportunities among several different players.
“It's definitely a very good offense. You’re looking to give the ball to playmakers,” Sims said. “Not just focus on one guy, putting playmakers in different positions to get the ball.”
There is also competition at quarterback. Wyoming's roster includes senior transfer Tyler Hughes, redshirt freshman Mason Drube, Sims and freshman Tyler Franklin among its quarterbacks.
The camaraderie is there amongst the quarterback room.
“We really push each other each day,” Sims said.
Returning to the field wasn’t just the finish line for Sims.
“I don't want to just come back to come back,” Sims said. “I want to come back to be elite.”
About the Author:
Jeff Bugher is a third-generation Wyomingite living in Casper. He is a sportswriter and Wyoming Cowboys/Cowgirls enthusiast who is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA ) and the National Sports Media Association (NSMA). Jeff's work has been cited by Sports Illustrated, one of the world's leading sports publications.
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