Who Will Line Up at Left Guard For Cowboys?

LARAMIE -- Wyoming's three likely options to start at left guard will have a combined grand total of five snaps at the FBS level.

But that doesn't mean there isn't experience at the position.

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Chandler Donaway, who manned that spot throughout spring practice and early in fall camp, appeared in 27 games -- with 21 starts -- during his four-year stint at East Texas A&M. The 305-pound senior has had his hand in the dirt for more than 1,400 snaps.

That's the good news.

The bad?

The Klein, Texas native missed nearly two weeks of training camp, tending to a personal matter back home. He is still slowly making his way back to playing shape with just 10 days to go before the Cowboys' season opener at Colorado State.

If Donaway isn't ready to roll, two others, Jay Sawvel said, will be: Kalvin Janssen or Josiah Petaia.

"I think with that combination, we could be in a pretty good spot," Wyoming's third-year head coach said.

Janssen, who was a three-star recruit out of Gretna High School in Nebraska, redshirted during his first season with the program. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound three-sport standout also played basketball and "80-some games" per summer of baseball, Sawvel added. The multiple All-State performer was also recruited by the Cowboys' Border war rival Colorado State, along with Army, Navy, Coastal Carolina and new Mountain West foe Northern Illinois.

"Kalvin is further ahead than other guys who have been in this program that have played early over the last few years," Sawvel said. "Kalvin's doing really well, and that was kind of the hope when we recruited him."

Petaia, who was on the field for five offensive snaps in 2025, had a much more unorthodox path to the high plains.

The 313-pound Southern California native didn't play a single snap of football until he arrived at Long Beach City College four seasons ago. There, he developed into an All-Conference selection, starting 11 games during his second year. Hawaii offered. So did Cal Poly.

A middle hitter on the volleyball court first, Petaia has come into his own this offseason, Sawvel said.

When he arrived on campus, he tipped the scales at just 286. He wasn't exactly impressive in the weight room, either. Sawvel said last fall Petaia maxed in the power clean at 265. Now that number hovers around 335. That's not one up and one down. He's referring to reps.

Petaia, who this summer earned the "most improved award" for linemen in the program, said he could only squat around 400. Twelve months later, the iron plates add up to 500-plus pounds -- and counting.

"This is like an entirely different person," Sawvel added. "So, I think he's on an accelerated upside, and I think that the fact that he's going to be around here for a while longer is a really, really positive thing."

Fellow offensive lineman Spencer Rathbun said the line is in good hands with either in the lineup. He said Janssen is "hard-nosed" and starting to realize his potential. When it comes to Petaia, "his development has been crazy to see."

"They're great people, off the field," Rathbun added. "They are the hardest workers, and those are guys, more than anything, they want to get better, not only for themselves and their own standing on the team, but for the team. They're big team guys."

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