Wyoming Loses Starting Center for Season With Injury

LARAMIE -- Jason Maciejczak's first year in Laramie lasted all of 86 snaps.

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Head coach Jay Sawvel announced Monday that Wyoming's starting center will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL in a Week-2 win over Northern Colorado. Chandler Donaway was inserted into the lineup last Saturday at Central Michigan and was on the field for all 59 plays.

Johnathan Bush, who immediately stepped in for Maciejczak against the Bears, will serve as the backup.

"I think I stayed calm and got everyone on the same page," Maciejczak said on the Monday following the Cowboys' season opener at Colorado State, his first collegiate start after transferring from Nebraska. "The biggest thing for me, going into that game, was making sure that, with the crowd noise and in a big game, we got everyone on the same page ... I was really seeing everything out there."

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior will have one season of eligibility remaining due to the NCAA's new "5-in-5 rule." The Pierre, S.D., native won't receive a medical redshirt.

Maciejczak was on the field for 71 total snaps during his two seasons in Lincoln, mainly serving a role on the Huskers' special teams units. He appeared in 21 games at Nebraska.

Sawvel also divulged Monday that cornerbacks Tyson Shamsid-Deen and Kendall Griffin will miss extended time. Both will undergo a procedure on their hand. The latter, a true freshman, played against UNC and CMU with a cast.

Those losses couldn't have come at a worse time.

Hawaii pays a visit to the high plains Saturday and is packing its famed run-and-gun offensive attack, which has averaged nearly 270 yards an outing through three games. Micah Alejado has connected on 81-of-137 throws for 794 yards and two touchdowns.

Sawvel said he is "hopeful" starting middle linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz will be back in the mix on Saturday after missing last week's game in Mount Pleasant with an ankle injury.

"He tried in pregame warmup and just wasn't all there," he added, referring to the 6-foot-4, 237-pound Wichita product. "With having push and being able to push off with contact and everything, we'll give him another week of treatment. The hope would be that he'd be ready to play."

Before his injury, Stuhlsatz was the No. 2 tackler in the nation with 26 through two games.

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University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players