Wyoming’s Jaylen Sargent Called Opening-Night Benching a ‘Wake-Up Call’

LARAMIE -- Eighteen.

That's how many snaps Jaylen Sargent was on the field for in Wyoming's season-opening victory at Akron. That was nine runs and the same number of pass plays.

The senior receiver didn't make a single catch. In fact, he wasn't even targeted.

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Was he hurt? Under the weather?

"He's got to play better," Jay Sawvel said the following Monday after that 10-0 blanking of the Zips. "There were some plays that he didn't play to the standard of what we wanted on those plays. And coach (Jovon) Bouknight, you know, pulled him."

Wyoming's second-year head coach said that Sunday he spoke at length with Sargent about the new expectations of that unit.

"I think you'll see a completely different Jaylen Sargent this week, which is a very good thing," he continued.

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He caught both passes thrown his way last Saturday in a 31-7 win over Northern Iowa. He accounted for 26 of the Cowboys' 190 yards through the air.

Sargent, who led the team last fall with 480 yards and two touchdowns on 23 receptions, said his benching served as a wake-up call.

"I didn't miss a couple of times during that game. I didn't have the best blocks," the 6-foot-2, 186-pound Logan, Utah product, adding that he respects the decision and stance Sawvel and Bouknight took. "He's going to keep in the guys who are hot, you know? I completely understand that. As a senior, I shouldn't be making those mistakes. I feel like I'm far past that.

"That was 100% my fault."

It's no secret Sawvel and Co. were not thrilled with that position group a season ago. Mike Grant, the longest-tenured member of the staff, was let go in the offseason, replaced by Bouknight, who himself was a Hall of Fame receiver in Laramie.

Devin Boddie Jr. abruptly "retired" from the program in early October. TK King, Wyoming's long all-conference performer (kick return) was told to find a new address just hours after the season finale. Justin Stevenson hopped in the NCAA Transfer Portal. He is now at Utah, Saturday night's opponent.

"I felt like a T-Ball coach that didn't take them to get ice cream," a clearly agitated Sawvel said of that wide receiver room after a home loss to Idaho last September. "I've never seen more people that were kind of selfish about their opportunity than what I saw during that game that day."

That is now a thing of the past.

Sargent was the first one to congratulate Chris Durr Jr. after he raced 35 yards into the end zone to cap that opener inside InfoCision Stadium. Disgruntled? Hardly. His smile and enthusiasm painted a picture of a team-first player.

"I just have to respond the next game," Sargent said.

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There's extra motivation on the horizon, too.

Not only is Utah the No. 20 team in the national polls, it's a school that flirted with Sargent in the recruiting process, but only offered a preferred walk-on opportunity. Why didn't the in-state product jump on that?

"They wanted me to play corner ... I like to score touchdowns," he said with a grin. "It would mean a lot to me. I do have a lot of friends back home who associate with that school, you know, and they go there. So, I just want to show them they kind of missed out, you know?

"I do want to go out there and play my absolute best."

Kickoff between the Cowboys and Utes is slated for 6 p.m. Mountain Time and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

"We're 100% capable of beating this team if everyone does what they need to do when they're supposed to do it," he added. "So, I feel like if we could get this win, it'll really show the Mountain West we're not a joke anymore. Like, it's time to go