Wyoming’s Evan Svoboda earns 2025 Never Flinch Award

LARAMIE – Courage. Determination. Resilience.

Weston Johnson exemplified these traits while playing football at Wyoming and throughout his life, which was cut short at the age of 27 when the former Wyoming team captain from Wray, Colo., lost a valiant battle with cancer on Jan. 17, 2014.

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Each year Johnson's parents, Blane and Jill, choose from a list of Cowboy tough candidates for the Never Flinch Award in Weston's honor.

Evan Svoboda, who never wavered in his commitment to his teammates and UW during a career filled with adversity, was recognized as this year's winner during the Border War basketball game between the Cowboys and Colorado State on Saturday night at the Arena-Auditorium.

"Evan is not only extremely qualified and deserving but truly exemplifies what this award is really about," Blane Johnson said. "His character, leadership, competitiveness, scholarship, community service and a special passion for UW was truly remarkable."

Svoboda, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., was contacted by former head coach Craig Bohl's staff in high school but was not offered a scholarship during the pandemic. After spending one season at Snow College in Utah, the 6-foot-5 quarterback prospect transferred to UW and boldly chose jersey No. 17 with the dream of following Josh Allen's path from Laramie to the NFL.

"It was a little bit of a difficult time for me, but when I was given the opportunity, I was going to make the most of it and take it right away," Svoboda said. "When Coach Bohl called me, I was like, 'Yeah, this is where I want to be, I want to be a Cowboy.'"

After spending two seasons as a backup behind Andrew Peasley, filling in as the starter at Texas and also leading a game-winning drive in the Arizona Bowl to cap the Pokes' nine-win season in 2023, Svoboda won the starting job in 2024.

Against Air Force that fall at War Memorial Stadium, Svoboda suffered a broken nose but stayed on the field. His 17-yard touchdown run proved to be the game winner.

"When I my broke nose and had to choose: Am I going to (leave this game) and fail my teammates or am I going to make that decision to go back in and keep fighting?" Svoboda said. "When I made that decision, I was like, I love doing this for my brothers and for the state of Wyoming. As crazy as it sounds, that was probably my favorite moment in the War."

The following game against San Diego State a defender punched through Svoboda's face mask, and he suffered a deviated septum that made breathing difficult the rest of the season. He passed for 1,318 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions and rushed for 237 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games.

Kaden Anderson replaced Svoboda as the starter late in the 2024 season but was injured in the home finale against Boise State. Svoboda, who had started transitioning to tight end, was UW's QB1 one last time and finished a 14-play, 90-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to John Michael Gyllenborg with 24 seconds left to deliver a 15-14 win over the Cougars.

Instead of entering the transfer portal, Svoboda joined Gyllenborg, his roommate for three years at UW, in the tight ends room in 2025.

"Evan Svoboda is a kid that chose to stay after a time when he had all the reason in the world to leave," said UW defensive coach Brian Hendricks, who played against Johnson as high school rivals in rural Colorado and with him on the Cowboy defense. "That kid sat down with Coach (Jay) Sawvel and said, 'What can I do to be the best version of myself as a Wyoming Cowboy?'

"I don't think you can put a price tag on that. In a time where we're always pointing a finger at the negative stuff, I think it's very fitting that we point the finger at him for the positive stuff to overcome what he did. There's nobody better to receive this Never Flinch Award."

Svoboda had 11 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown for UW last season, his first playing tight end at any level. His touchdown came on senior day wearing No. 86 with Allen in attendance to have his No. 17 retired at War Memorial Stadium.

"It was good to get back into the end zone again and having Josh in attendance, that was a pretty surreal moment," Svoboda said. "That was a day full of emotions. My family was there, it was senior day, Josh's number is getting retired."

Svoboda, an academic All-Mountain West selection, graduated with a finance and marketing degree last spring and will leave UW with an MBA this spring. He is engaged to former Cowgirl soccer player Taylor Brook.

"I think my whole career has just been adversity. There's been so many ups and downs and it's not easy; it really isn't. You have to have a tight-knit group," Svoboda said. "I have my family as my support system, my fiancé, my friends back home, and my teammates here. You need people you can communicate to and talk to. That's the biggest thing for me because you get to a dark place when you're all alone and you have all this outside noise coming in. Getting through that adversity was falling back on my people."

Svoboda is currently preparing for the NFL and recently participated in the Hula Bowl where he was able to meet with scouts from several teams. He was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team this year, works in the community with various youth camps in the region and with local non-profits such as the Jae Foundation.

Now the 2025 Never Flinch Award can be added to Svoboda's Cowboy legacy.

"It means everything. I'm truly honored and very thankful for Coach Hendricks and Blane and Jill recognizing me," Svoboda said. "Weston was an incredible kid, an incredible student and scholar outside of being a captain in football and everything he did on the field. Being recognized as a guy who had courage and strength like he did means a lot and I'm very honored."

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players