Tuck’s Take: Winless Cowboys Suffering Identity Crisis

DENTON, Texas -- "Win a championship."

Jay Sawvel, without hesitation, said those were his marching orders last December when he was named the 33rd head coach in Wyoming football history.

How would he go about accomplishing that?

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"I mean, we're not going to change the blueprint of what we are," the rookie head coach said confidently from behind the podium. "I believe in that blueprint."

Fast forward 289 days.

Surrounded by recorders and cameras outside the visiting locker room on a muggy Saturday night in Denton, Sawvel was singing a much different tune. Moments after a thorough 44-17 thumping at the hands of North Texas, one that sent his hapless Cowboys to 0-4 on the season, he had an admission to make.

"I take ownership of it," a clearly frustrated Sawvel said bluntly. "I've jacked it all up for our whole program right now. We've got to get it fixed. And, you know, it starts with we've got to look at what we do best, how we can get better, and what we've got to be able to execute, be able to keep the ball moving, score points and get stops. Right now, we're not doing any of that at a high enough level."

This team, from top to bottom, is without an identity.

In an effort to find balance on offense, something that is sorely needed for this program to compete for that elusive Mountain West title, Sawvel and Co. have somehow managed to jackhammer the foundation of what took Craig Bohl a decade to build in Laramie.

They can't run the football. The defense is in shambles.

The only tradition that has made its way from the former regime to this one is the inability to complete a pass down field with any regularity.

"Cowboy Tough" doesn't allow nine sacks in four games. It doesn't rush for 82.5 yards per outing, either. It certainly doesn't allow 36 points and more than 425 yards a night in total offense. It doesn't get outscored 52-0 in the third quarter or have just one takeaway. It doesn't allow 10 fourth-down conversions on a dozen attempts.

That mantra now is nothing more than a catchy T-shirt slogan.

"No, I don't," tight end John Michael Gylleborg said when asked if this program has lost that mentality. "You know, that's something we preach and that's who we are. You know, obviously, 0-4, it's tough. It's tough to stay positive, but we're going to stay positive.

"We're going to continue to be tough and play tough. You know, (we're) looking forward to next week."

No one can question the junior's resiliency. Gyllenborg is essentially playing on one leg, still dealing with the lingering effects of a high-ankle sprain. Despite that heavily-taped right foot, the Leawood, Kan., product hauled in a team-high five balls Saturday night for 56 yards.

He wants to contribute. He shows emotion on an otherwise morgue-like sideline.

Who are the other leaders on this roster? Who holds teammates' accountable? Captains are voted on. That doesn't necessarily mean they are vocal or confrontational. That's a natural skill.

How can Nofoafia Tulafono tell fellow offensive lineman Caden Barnett to clean up the penalties when numerous shotgun snaps this season have not been on target? How can Evan Svoboda get on receivers when he's completing just 44% of his passes?

"I get that, for sure," defensive captain and starting middle linebacker Shae Suiaunoa said Saturday night, referring to the emotionless atmosphere on Wyoming's sideline through the first month of the season. "We're definitely not yelling, definitely not throwing stuff. I mean, that's not how you act. That's not mature. That's not Cowboy football. Cowboy football is a team. We're together. No matter where we go, where we play, what the score is, we're together.

"There definitely has to be more energy. I mean, you guys see it. There has to be more energy, for sure. We pick up off of each other. So, obviously, whenever things don't go good, it's hard to bring energy."

There were opportunities to stay in the fight inside DATCU Stadium.

Svoboda found running back Sam Scott all alone between the hashes late in the second quarter. The junior hauled in the pass and bolted 41 yards into the end zone to make this a 17-10 game.

Wyoming needed a stop. That didn't happen.

In fact, starting edge rusher Sabastian Harsh was drawn offside on a 4th-and-4 from the 9-yard line. One snap after that automatic first down, Makenzie McGill was bashing his way past the white stripe.

TK King answered, returning the ensuing kickoff 103 yards. The Texas Tech transfer, with the benefit of solid blocking, weaved his way through a crease and darted to the outside, outracing three defenders to the green paint.

Wyoming again needed a stop. Again, that didn't happen.

Chandler Morris and DT Sheffield connected on four passes for 40 yards in the final 1:03 of the half. Kali Nguma took care of the rest, splitting the uprights from 45 yards out at the buzzer.

North Texas outscored the Cowboys 14-0 in the third frame and tacked on a field goal in the fourth.

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* Nanke: 'I got my opportunity and I'm going to take it'

* TCU transfer leading Mean Green's high-powered offensive attack

* 'Obviously, we need him': Gyllenborg slowly returning to form

* Just how bad has this Wyoming offense been through three weeks?

* Know Wyoming's Foe: North Texas Mean Green

* Wyoming Football: News and Notes Ahead of North Texas

* Tuck's Take: How long is Evan Svoboda's leash?

It's not just the losses that are troublesome, it's how they are transpiring.

Aaron Bohl's defense gave up 534 yards of total offense and 28 first downs. The Mean Green was perfect on four fourth-down tries. They averaged 6.8 yards per carry in the process. Shane Porter, who wasn't even one of the top-four running backs on this roster to begin the season, gashed the Cowboys for 120 yards on the ground. McGill scored three touchdowns. Sheffield eclipsed the century mark on eight grabs. Eight wideouts finished with one catch.

North Texas was 5-of-5 in the red zone and scored points on seven of its first eight drives.

Yes, the visitors were without starting safety Wyett Ekeler (thumbs). His running mate Isaac White (undisclosed) also left the game in the second half. Even reserve Andrew Johnson suffered a broken thumb in Texas. Defensive end Braden Siders didn't even make the trip. He was in concussion protocol. Starting nickel Wrook Brown was also forced to watch the first half from the sideline after being flagged for a targeting penalty last week against BYU.

That could be a valid excuse if the same things weren't taking place on a weekly basis even at full strength.

Oh, and North Texas was also without its top-three running backs, wide receiver Jeremiah Aaron and starting cornerback Brian Nelson II. That staff also made the switch from a 3-3-5 defense, one that allowed 66 points the previous week in Lubbock, to a 4-3 front in one week.

The confusion that comes with a new scheme is likely the only reason this Wyoming offense found the end zone at all. Having the guts to make a change paid off for head coach Eric Morris.

Jay Johnson's offense wasn't any better Saturday night.

Wyoming averaged 2.1 yards per carry on 31 attempts. Wide receivers accounted for just four receptions and 47 yards. That unit was 4-of-14 on third down and turned the ball over on downs twice.

The Cowboys managed only 175 passing yards against a secondary that was ranked 131st out of 133 FBS teams.

"Redefine."

That was a word Sawvel used numerous times after this latest setback. What does that even mean? Well, first off, don't expect drastic changes, he said. Personnel, though, could look different when Air Force comes to town this Saturday.

Will Svoboda still be under center after again failing to hit the 50% mark? Sawvel said if his team is only going to throw for 100 yards a game, it might as well run the wishbone like its next opponent.

"My confidence level in Evan is still high," Sawvel added after the junior connected on 11-of-23 throws for 155 yards and a touchdown. "Am I frustrated that it's taken as long as it has and that we haven't seen productivity the way I would want or wish? Yes. OK, there's maybe a lot of reasons for that, some of them aren't always his.

"... We're just not good right now. We're not good at anything right now."

Tom Burman said back in December this program was "really, really close" to winning a championship. Wyoming's longtime Athletics Director wanted to hold onto the continuity of last season's nine-win team and added the best coach to accomplish that was already in the building.

Sawvel, who spent the previous four seasons as the defensive coordinator under Bohl, said at his introductory press conference he wants the opposition to get on their bus after the game and say, "We don't want to see them guys again."

That used to be the case.

The "Dr. of Defense" is urgently needed in Room 7220. This entire operation is on life support and in major need of a miracle.

Surgery begins today.

"We're going to do a deep dive," he said. "It ain't going to be very fun the next couple of days for coaches. They ain't going anywhere. We're going to get something figured out and we got to come back and figure out what is best for the players we got."