LARAMIE -- "Five or six throws."

Jay Sawvel said Monday during his weekly press conference that if quarterback Evan Svoboda connects on that many more passes, we're talking about a 2-0 start to Mountain West play and not the fifth loss in the first six games of his head coaching career.

He didn't put it all on the junior signal caller, either.

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He said passes were dropped, including Alex Brown's mishandle on a 3rd-and-5 in the first quarter. Justin Stevenson also dropped a flea flicker deep down field on the opening play of the second quarter.

It also didn't help matters that Wyoming's undermanned offensive line was credited with allowing six sacks and eight tackles for loss in that 27-24 setback. Svoboda certainly deserves some of the blame, too.

How does Sawvel, along with first-year offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, even begin to fix the mess you're about to read below?

 

TOTAL OFFENSE: F

Wyoming is ranked 132nd out of 133 qualifying FBS teams, averaging just 265.2 yards per game. On 380 offensive snaps, Jay Johnson's unit has rolled up a grand total of 1,591 yards. To put that in perspective, San Jose State quarterback Emmett Brown has thrown for 1,551 yards in six games.

 

PASSING OFFENSE: F

John Michael Gyllenborg leads the team with 174 yards on 13 receptions. The junior tight end also essentially missed the first three games of the season with a high-ankle sprain. This Wyoming passing game ranks 125th in the nation, averaging just 149.7 yards through the air per outing. Quarterback Evan Svoboda has thrown for just 809 yards in six games to go along with three touchdowns and five interceptions. If it wasn't for Air Force's offense -- a triple-option attack -- the Cowboys would have the worst passing offense in the Mountain West.

 

SCORING OFFENSE: D

The Cowboys average 17.7 points per game, which ranks 124th in the country. Svoboda and Co. have managed to score just 12 touchdowns and five field goals through six weeks (Wyoming has 13 total thanks to TK King's kick return at North Texas). San Jose State wide receiver Nick Nash, for example, has 10 receiving touchdowns.

 

THIRD-DOWN CONVERSION PERCENTAGE: D+

On 90 total attempts, Wyoming has successfully picked up the third-down conversion 33 times, which is good enough for 97th in the FBS. That's a .367 average.

 

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FOURTH-DOWN CONVERSION PERCENTAGE: B-

Craig Bohl attempted just eight fourth-down conversions all of last season. Jay Sawvel has already given his team the green light 11 times. Seven of those have been converted, including a perfectly executed fake punt in the first half of Saturday's home loss to San Diego State. Jayden Williams, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle, took the direct snap and rumbled 17 yards on a 4th-and-6 from the Cowboys' 44-yard line. Wyoming ranks 42nd overall in this category.

 

COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: F

Only New Mexico State (.418) and Air Force (.427) have a worse completion percentage than Wyoming, which sits at .487. Svoboda has connected on just 68-of-145 throws this fall. Back-up Kaden Anderson is 9-of-12.

 

PASSING YARDS PER COMPLETION: D

Svoboda and Anderson have combined to complete 77 passes. When those two signal callers do connect with their target, it's for an average of 11.66 yards. That ranks Wyoming 90th in the country in that category.

 

RED-ZONE OFFENSE: A

The Cowboys are tied for No. 1 in the nation in red-zone efficiency. In 13 attempts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, there have been 13 scores -- nine touchdowns, four field goals.

 

SACKS ALLOWED: C-

That number sits at 15 through a half-dozen games. Allowing six sacks to the Aztecs last Saturday in Laramie certainly didn't help matters. Wyoming's offensive line has struggled, at times, in pass protection. That unit has mainly struggled with staying healthy. Nate Geiger, the opening day left tackle, was lost for the season. Starting guards Jack Walsh and Wes King have missed time. Now, Alex Conn, a back-up at guard, is out of commission. Back-up center Luke Sandy is also sidelined. Svoboda also shares some responsibility when it comes to this category.

 

TEAM PASSING EFFICIENCY: F

Only New Mexico State is worse in this category. With just 77 completions, five interceptions and four touchdown passes thrown, Wyoming's number sits at 98.50. In comparison, Army is No. 1 in the nation with a 210.26. That team, which predominantly runs the option, has completed 27-of-46 pass attempts for 555 yards, seven touchdowns and no picks.

 

RUSHING OFFENSE: D

The Cowboys have yet to have a running back eclipse the 100-yard mark on the ground in a game this season. Hard to believe, huh? Playing without starter Harrison Waylee hasn't helped. Dawaiian McNeely, who sat atop the depth chart before the 2023 season, has carried the ball just twice before again suffering a season-ending knee injury. DJ Jones will miss his third straight game this Saturday due to a personal issue. Wyoming ranks 109th in the nation, averaging just 115.5 rushing yards per game. Only Fresno State, San Jose State and Hawaii have been worse in the Mountain West.

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