Guest Column

York is sending our tough guy, Tom Erwin, your way

By Steve Moseley
Posted 6/2/20

What do coach Craig Bohl, Jay Novacek and Bob Devaney have in common? All three are human bridges between the state of Nebraska and the University of Wyoming football program.

There are many …

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Guest Column

York is sending our tough guy, Tom Erwin, your way

Posted

What do coach Craig Bohl, Jay Novacek and Bob Devaney have in common? All three are human bridges between the state of Nebraska and the University of Wyoming football program.

There are many others like them over the years, the most recent of which happens to be Tom Erwin, a proud product of York. That’s where I have lived the past 15 football seasons — 14 of them occupied chasing a whole slug of York High School sports with camera and notebook in hand.

Tom Erwin, a tough hombre who tied the school single-game record with 20 tackles against rival Seward last season, recently said “Yes” to a preferred walk-on offer and will soon be a brand-new Poke in Bohl’s program.

Since Tom is one of “ours” here in York, I thought perhaps Tribune readers might appreciate a little insider information that I find myself uniquely positioned to provide.

Why the Pokes?

Unlike the Huskers, who went silent after a broken hand hampered the last half of his senior season, Wyoming “gave me the time of day,” Tom told York News-Times assistant sports editor Steve Marik for a recent story in the local paper. “Aaron Bohl, who’s one of the linebacker coaches [and head coach Craig Bohl’s son], came to my house and we did an in-home visit. They would always check up on me a couple times a week just to see how I was doing and how classes were.”

First and foremost, I assure my Powell friends from first-hand experience that Tom is a great kid. The son of a local physician and member of a great family, he is cracker jack smart, mature beyond his years and a dang handsome lad who measures 6-3 and 220 pounds. Happily, he hits like a runaway train too. He led our Dukes on defense with 110 tackles last season and did it playing the last five games with a cast on the aforementioned broken left hand.

Tom told Marik of the News-Times how he also loves the Cowboys for their run-heavy, downhill style on offense. That scheme is very like what he experienced with us here at York High.

A multi-talented guy? Oh my, yes. Consider his possible positions on both sides of the ball at UW. Tom will most likely begin at fullback, but is listed as a prospect at tight end, linebacker and defensive end as well. He played all of those last year as a Duke and found himself on the offensive line at times, too, during a team-wide, injury-riddled 2019 season.

Glen Snodgrass told Marik that, in his view as head coach of the Dukes, Tom was the best blocker on the whole squad.

Hmmm. Let’s see now. Best blocker. Record-setting tackler. Gonna be fun to see what Bohl and his staff do with our fair-haired boy in years to come.

I suggest you Poke fans stay tuned.

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