Monday news & notes

LARAMIE -- Craig Bohl, win or lose, has always implemented a "24-hour rule" for his players and coaching staff.

What does that mean?

Stew and brute or celebrate and gloat for one day, then it's on to the next opponent.

That's easier said than done these days.

Sunday the Mountain West announced that the Wyoming-Air Force game would be canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the academy in Colorado Springs. That means the Cowboys will have 14 days off between an emotional 34-24 loss against Colorado State and a Nov. 19 home meeting with Utah State.

During the team's weekly press conference Monday, it was apparent that last Thursday's loss, coupled with this Saturday's cancelation, is still very much on the minds of the Pokes.

Let's hear what Bohl and Co. had to say during the weekly press conference:

• Defensive tackle Ravontae Holt will miss the remainder of the season with an undisclosed injury, according to Bohl. Holt missed last season with a torn ACL. It is believed Holt has another knee injury. In 2017, the Sacramento, Calif., product also suffered a torn ACL. "It's a season-ending injury," Bohl said. "It's unfortunate for him. He did a heck of a job coming back."

• Offensive guard Logan Harris' status is still up in the air for the Utah State game, but Bohl didn't show much optimism. The senior missed the CSU game with an illness. It is not COVID-19 related.

• With no game this weekend, Bohl said his team will take this time to work on fundamentals. A majority of the freshman class spent fall camp in quarantine. This will be a chance for them, and others, to reboot and work on the little things they missed during camp.

• Bohl did confirm that athletic director Tom Burman did try to schedule a game this weekend when Air Force's decision was announced. "We threw around some teams and reached out to a couple institutions," Bohl said. "Tom was not very optimistic. I know he did try."

• Bohl didn't sugarcoat it -- he's worried about the amount of sacks his offensive line has allowed through three games. Wyoming gave up just 21 during a 12-game schedule in 2019. Through three games this fall, that number sits at nine.

• Sacks are never a good thing, but when you have one quarterback on the roster with experience, it becomes a major issue. Bohl said the team has not run Levi Williams as much because of that problem. Behind Williams, Ryan Marquez (a wide receiver and holder) and Gavin Beerup are battling for the back-up spot.

• Offensive line coach and run-game coordinator Bart Miller took a majority of the blame when it comes to the line's early woes this season. Miller said the first three opponents -- Nevada, Hawaii and CSU -- all have new defensive coordinators and have given the Cowboys looks they aren't accustom to. "Teams are playing us different," Miller said. "The way we performed last year and our ability to move guys on the line of scrimmage and plug and play ... we aren't seeing near the same looks."
  
• Latrell Bible has earned the start at left tackle over Rudy Stofer, according to Miller. While Miller has been impressed with Bible in the run game, he said the redshirt freshman has to get better in pass protection. Bible, according to Miller, added 60 pounds of good weight in the offseason. "He played really well so we decided to move forward with him," Miller said. "... He's such a young, gifted player."
  
• Miller, for one, is not excited about this unexpected off-week. Like his players, he wants to get the taste of that Border War defeat out of his mouth. "You don't want to sit around and wait after coming off that loss," he said. "We're hungry. We're hungry to get better. It's a bit of a shock to your system, maybe for some, even some humbling feelings there. The sun came up. We're ready to go to work again."
  
• Treyton Welch said he definitely finds himself watching other tight ends and trying to emulate them on the field. One of those guys is former Cowboy Jacob Hollister. Welch said he didn't block much in high school, but loves the challenge at this level. Welch snagged two passes for 55 yards last Thursday in Fort Collins.
  
• Jordan Bertagnole, the freshman walk-on from Casper, has been a bright spot for the Pokes' defensive line this season. He didn't take the news of losing Holt very well though. Said he looks up to Holt and wants to impress him.
  
• Trey Smith has not made up his mind about returning to Laramie next fall. Thanks to the coronavirus, all college players will receive an additional season in 2021 if they so choose. For Smith, a sixth-year senior, that would mean seven years of college football. He doesn't know if he'll play, he said he is waiting to see how the season plays out, but he will have his master's degree in American studies.
  
• Esaias Gandy can't get the image out of his head. He said he watched as CSU's bench rushed the field last Thursday and celebrated around the Bronze Boot. "Watching them take the boot was the worst feeling in the world," the Cowboys' senior safety said. "It was a long bus ride home. It wasn't like the Nevada loss."
  
• Gandy was also vocal about his disappointment of not facing the Falcons this weekend, calling it a "huge rivalry." Now, with Utah State coming up next, that means three straight trophy games for the Pokes. Does that really make that much of a difference? To Gandy, absolutely. He said he sat in the locker room in Fort Collins staring at the Bronze Boot during pregame. "All I was thinking about was winning that trophy and bringing it home," Gandy said. Now, the focus is on Jim Bridger's rifle.