Nevada Notebook: Cowboys Still in Search of Offensive Identity

LARAMIE -- Identity? What identity?

Jay Sawvel said Monday during his weekly press conference that it hasn't been easy to establish much of anything on offense over the previous two outings, both lopsided road losses in California.

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Those opposing defenses had plenty to do with that.

San Diego State pitched three shutouts prior to holding Wyoming to just one opening-drive touchdown in a 24-7 loss inside Snapdragon Stadium. Fresno State also features a Top-15 unit, allowing less than 300 yards a game.

Kaden Anderson and Co. rolled up a season-low 184 yards of total offense in last Saturday night's 24-3 setback. The sophomore quarterback completed 6-of-23 throws for 64 yards. He also tossed a costly fourth-quarter interception, his 10th of the year. That much-maligned offense totaled just nine first downs, the exact amount of accepted penalties on the visitors.

Wyoming never even reached the red zone.

"Over the last couple weeks, it's hard to figure out what we've been good at," Sawvel said. "You know, we get spotty in certain things."

Spotty is the gentle way to put it.

The head coach mentioned success on the ground, referring to freshman Samuel Harris, who capped the night with 96 rushing yards on 12 attempts. When the box gets loaded with bodies, though, Sawvel said his offense hasn't been able to adjust.

Why?

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Lack of separation on the outside, for one, he added. The offensive line hasn't always held up, either. Sawvel said the Aztecs and Bulldogs can get after the passer with regularity without even utilizing the blitz. Anderson is also completing only 56.2% of his throws, a stat that is no doubt inflated thanks to a 23-for-29 outing at Air Force.

Turnovers have also been a major issue.

Wyoming has gifted 17 of those, 13 of which belong to the QB.

"There's 11 players on the field. We have to help all 11 players," Sawvel continued. "We're not going to make an excuse, we've got to be better. And that's the charge to what we've got. Look, I want to make it to where the University of Wyoming averages 30 points a game. I want that to happen. Some of those things sometimes take some time to develop."

When it comes to the NCAA Transfer Portal, this program struck gold on the defensive side of the ball. The top-two tacklers, linebackers Evan Eller and Brayden Johnson, didn't start their careers in Laramie. Neither did fellow defenders Desman Hearns, Ethan Stuhlsatz, Enock Sibomana, Dainsus Miller, Larry Wilson, Chisom Ifeanyi and many, many others.

On offense, well, that's another story.

Michael Fitzgerald has arguably been the most-productive player, snagging 10 passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns. Fellow wide receivers Jackson Holman and Eric Richardson also have 10 catches to their names, to go along with a combined 132 yards and a score.

Running back Terron Kellman has also shown flashes, gashing defenses to the tune of 331 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries.

Before he was sidelined with a third season-ending left-knee injury, quarterback Landon Sims was taking on an increased role in what is supposed to be a "balanced" scheme. The East Central Community College (Miss.) transfer served as a change-of-pace out of the backfield, adding a running element to the position. He finished his first year on the high plains with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also completed 6-of-8 passes for 38 yards and a score.

The list essentially ends right there.

"This isn't NFL Live," Sawvel said. "I'm not (Denver Broncos head coach) Sean Payton. I'm not coming on here and going to openly criticize players in our program. They are our players, OK, and we've got to help them get better. We've got to help them get better, schematically. We've got to help them get better, fundamentally. We got to help them get better, repetition-wise."

Here are some additional notes from Sawvel's weekly presser:

* Wyoming will say goodbye to 22 seniors on Saturday when it hosts Nevada inside War Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on Altitude TV. Here's the list of players who have exhausted their eligibility: Evan Eller, Brayden Johnson, Larry Wilson, Chisom Ifeanyi, Andrew Johnson, Ben Florentine, Jack Walsh, Caden Barnett, Jaylen Sargent, John Michael Gyllenborg, Michael Fitzgerald, Sam Scott, Dainsus Miller, Enock Sibomana, Max White, Jevon Davis, Tyce Westland, Carson York, Justin Erb, Evan Svoboda, Clay Nanke and Aneesh Vyas. "Senior days are always tough days, and the fact that it's the last time that you see certain guys on the field," Sawvel said. "You know, there's a true love between myself and the players in this program."

* Josh Allen makes his return to Laramie this Saturday for the first time since his NFL Pro Day back in 2018. You might have heard. What does Allen's appearance mean to this current team? That, Sawvel says, is immeasurable. "What he's done for the university, what he does for our program, can't be calculated in that way," he said, referring to the Buffalo Bills star and reigning league MVP. "I think that that's something that we're all very excited about."

* Speaking of quarterbacks, how is the current one dealing with the current adversity? "I can't fully speak to that, because, you know, I'm not him," Sawvel said, referring to Anderson, who has connected on just 18 of his last 47 passes over his previous two outings, to go along with four interceptions. in that regard. "He keeps a positive demeanor to him. I saw him this morning. He's still in a positive place and everything that way. And, look, to play that position, you got to be able to let some things bounce off of you at times. And that's the danger. Like, you say, 'what's my confidence level in him?' Well, look, I think that he gives us a chance to be successful. We have to help him, too."

* Harris served as the lone bright spot for this Cowboy offense in Fresno. What does Sawvel expect from the dynamic rookie going forward? "The hope would be that he's a guy that's 15 pounds heavier, and with that comes development: speed, strength," he said. "He's already fast, but what you want is that extra 15 pounds and more balance." Harris has rushed for a team-high 546 yards and averages 5.6 per attempt. He's also caught 15 passes for 182 additional yards.

* "They punched a hole in them," Sawvel said, referring to Nevada's surprising 55-10 rout last Saturday of visiting San Jose State. Caleb Ramseur rushed for a game-high 128 yards and Carter Jones completed 16-of-19 throws for 195 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolf Pack defense also picked off four passes, including a 66-yard return for a touchdown, courtesy of linebacker Nakian Jackson. "They controlled everything, and they controlled the line of scrimmage," Sawvel continued. "That's a big piece to it."

* Sawvel also warned to not put too much into Nevada's record, which now features just two wins. "They've had some turnover issues, but minus those, they've been right there with people," he said, including Boise State and New Mexico.

* Arguably the most-coveted recruit in the 2025 class, Gillette's Mason Drube, made his Wyoming debut in Fresno. He threw five passes, connecting on two of those for 13 yards. He added six rushing yards on five carries during that small sample size. What did his head coach think of the rookie QB's first outing? "Mason belongs," Sawvel said with a smile. "So, that was my takeaway."

* The Roaring Repeater Podcast will air again this Tuesday with Cody Tucker and Jared Newland behind the mic inside our Cheyenne studios. Make sure to watch our social media feed, where we'll be asking you, the fans, for any questions you may have before the home finale.

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