Sawvel on Waylee: ‘He’s Got To Get The Ball More’

LARAMIE -- Harrison Waylee said Monday he's not frustrated with his role in Friday night's 24-10 Border War loss to rival Colorado State.

His demeanor and brief answers would suggest otherwise.

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The senior running back carried the ball just eight times against the Rams. That amounted to only 15 yards on the ground. He didn't start the game in Wyoming's backfield. He didn't receive a single handoff in the fourth quarter.

"I was there. I just do what I had to do," the typically upbeat Waylee said. "They put me in, I do what I have to do."

Jay Sawvel said postgame in Fort Collins that different personnel packages and ineffectiveness on the line of scrimmage led to the limited workload. Monday, he was singing a much different tune.

In fact, Wyoming's rookie head coach blurted out his response before the question was fully asked.

"He's got to get the ball more," Sawvel said bluntly and repeatedly. "He had the most carries. He had eight ... He's a home-run hitter, though, too, so that's why you got to get him the ball. The eight carries weren't enough, and we'll get that addressed."

Sawvel said falling behind 24-3 early in the third quarter all but scrapped the initial game plan. Still, the fact remains, Waylee handled the ball just three times in the first half.

Sawvel was reminded of the time Waylee gashed his unit for 179 yards and two touchdowns in a wild affair in DeKalb, Ill., back in September of 2021. Wyoming led that game 42-16 midway through the third quarter. Northern Illinois, sparked by Waylee, erupted for 27 unanswered points and briefly took a 43-42 lead late in regulation.

Waylee broke a 75-yard touchdown run and found the end zone again on the following drive.

Sawvel was the defensive coordinator on the visiting sideline.

"We've got to make sure that we stay with that, to some degree," Sawvel said. "That's something that, you know, we abandoned it too early and didn't give him enough touches.

"That's not going to be part of the plan going forward."

There was no mention of a previous injury Friday night. That also changed during Monday's weekly meeting with the local media.

Waylee said he had a "little toe" ailment following the Cowboys' 49-45 victory over New Mexico. He carved up the Lobos to the tune of 170 yards on 27 attempts and scored from six yards out in that shootout.

Sawvel inferred if the team didn't have a bye week, Waylee likely wouldn't have played at all.

"So, he did miss a week of practice," the head coach added.

Waylee missed the first eight games with a knee injury sustained late in fall camp. Instead of returning midseason, he, along with Sawvel, hatched a plan to appear in the final four outings, maintaining his redshirt status so he can return to Laramie in 2025.

Waylee was asked if he thought he even had a legit chance to find a rhythm inside Canvas Stadium. He deferred to Jamari Ferrell, who did get the start, saying he was proud of his performance.

Farrell capped the night with 74 yards on six carries, 62 of which came on one third-quarter run.

Will Waylee start this Saturday night with Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty and Boise State paying a visit?

"That doesn't bother me, I'm still going to get playing time," he said. "So, just as long as I play ... It's going to be a battle this week, Jamari and all of them. So, you know, whoever wins, I want them to play."

Waylee cracked the 3,000-yard career rushing mark in Albuquerque and has averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He has scored 17 total touchdowns, six of which have come since transferring to Wyoming.

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