A familiar face will be leading the Wyoming defense next season, as head coach Craig Bohl elevated Jake Dickert to defensive coordinator Tuesday.

In two other moves, Bohl announced that AJ Cooper, UW’s defensive ends coach, will be the Defensive Run-Game Coordinator, and Shannon Moore has been hired as the new Tight Ends/Fullbacks coach.

Dickert has coached the safeties at Wyoming the past two seasons. He has experience as a defensive coordinator in two previous stops, Augustana in 2013, and also at Minnesota State-Mankato in 2014-15. He enters his third season on the Cowboys staff.

Head coach Craig Bohl pointed to Coach Dickert’s capacity to connect with players in a release from UW.

“The last two years, Jake (Dickert) has demonstrated a great ability to relate to players and get them to play at a really high level. He has also demonstrated a broad understanding of the game that will enable him to coordinate a complete defense. This will be an exciting time for him and for our defense. I’ve known and worked with Jake for many years here at Wyoming and at North Dakota State.  He has coordinated defenses before and has had great success. I know our players will enjoy his leadership.”

Cooper will be in his sixth season with Wyoming in 2019. He’s coached defensive ends the previous five seasons.

Bohl said, “AJ (Cooper) has done a phenomenal job with our defensive front. Anytime you are going to play great defense, you have to be great up front. His understanding of our schemes and his experience is invaluable. We’re going to lean on him more this coming season.”

Wyoming ranked in the top 30 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense last season.

Moore comes to the Cowboys after spending the last three seasons at East Carolina. He’s been a collegiate coach for 15 seasons. Moore has also had stops at Florida International and South Dakota State. He was even head coach of the Wyoming Cavalry (Casper) of the National Indoor Football League in 2004-05.

Moore is originally from Gordon, NE. He played college football at Black Hills State in South Dakota.

Bohl said of the addition of Moore, “Shannon is a coach I’ve crossed paths with many times. He has a broad base of experience coaching at South Dakota State, Florida International and East Carolina, and he has a great enthusiasm for the University of Wyoming. We’re really excited about having him join our staff. Shannon grew up in western Nebraska and played at Black Hills State. His wife is a UW graduate. I think he will bring a lot of energy to our program and a good understanding of the culture here at the University of Wyoming.”

Coach Bohl has one coaching position on the defensive side to fill, a linebackers coach.

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