Quarterback change has sparked Wyoming

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun isn’t surprised Wyoming freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels has energized the Cowboys and led them to three victories in three starts. After all, Calhoun wanted him at the academy.

“I loved this kid coming out of high school,” said Calhoun, who along with assistant Mike Thiessen recruited Carta-Samuels out of Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, Calif. “I just thought he was a really good player — versatile, could throw well, could run well, was physical. And I just knew he was going to be an excellent college quarterback.”

Carta-Samuels, who will lead Wyoming against Air Force on Saturday, said the academy was “a major consideration” in large part because of the coaching staff. But he was reluctant to play in the Falcons’ run-dominated offense, and he was wary of the five-year service commitment and potentially needing to attend the prep school.

In his three starts at Wyoming, Carta-Samuels has completed 68-of-105 passes (64.8 percent) for 689 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

First-year Wyoming coach Dave Christensen, formerly the offensive coordinator at Missouri, said Carta-Samuels is “similar in a lot of ways” to former Tigers standout Chase Daniel.

“In build, in reading defenses, reacting, knowing where to go with the football, (being) a student of the game, leadership skills at a young age,” Christensen said. “A lot of intangibles — the ‘it factor,’ I call it with playing that position. You’ve either got it or you don’t. And he’s got it.”