This bye week, according to head coach Jay Sawvel, couldn’t have come at a more perfect time after his team has been battered and beaten through their first five games, where they only recently managed to edge out a win over conference rival Air Force.
“This probably comes at a great time for us,” Sawvel said of the timing of the bye week. “…just kind of wish that we were in a, maybe a better overall physical state. This bye week will help us, but we’re still going to need a little bit of time before we get a lot of the pieces back that we need back.”
Just how extensive is the injury list?
The Cowboys’ injury list heading into their first bye week is an extensive one. Sawvel gave a complete run down of the status of almost every injured player on the team leading up to the Cowboys next contest at home against the San Diego State Aztecs on October 12, and that went as followed:
On the defensive side of the ball:
- Safety Wyett Ekeler broke both thumbs and will be questionable against the Aztecs. The senior likely won’t be at 100% if he does play, as Sawvel mentioned if he does it will be in a cast on at least one of his hands.
- Safety Isaac White aggravated a foot injury against Air Force and will be out against the Aztecs.
- Safety Andrew Johnson is probable to play against the Aztecs and will have a procedure done on a broken thumb this week.
- Defensive end DeVonne Harris has been out all season thus far with an elbow injury and remains questionable against the Aztecs.
On the offensive side of the ball:
- Running back Dawaiian McNeely is done for the season after suffering a knee injury against BYU. Fortunately for the senior, it is not the same knee he recently had reconstructive surgery on last season.
- Running back Harrison Waylee will be out against the Aztecs, and Sawvel says the senior is most likely to return by the Pokes’ contest against Utah State on October 26.
- Running back DJ Jones will be out against the Aztecs and the foreseeable future due to personal reasons that neither Sawvel or Jones have disclosed.
- Kick returner and wide receiver Caleb Cooley is questionable against the Aztecs after suffering a foot injury against Idaho.
- Wide receiver Devin Boddie Jr. is probable to play against the Aztecs after suffering a hip injury.
- Wide receiver Alex Brown is cleared to play after aggravating his knee.
- Fullback Caleb Driskill will be out against the Aztecs with a hand injury.
- Offensive guard Wes King will be out against the Aztecs and the foreseeable future after being carted off the field against Air Force with a knee injury.
- Offensive lineman Jack Walsh is questionable, but likely won’t play against the Aztecs with a shoulder injury.
The center and quarterback tandem of Nofoafia Tulafono and Evan Svoboda both also suffered injuries against Air Force. Tulafono appeared to go down with a bad knee injury, but Sawvel said the senior will be good to go against the Aztecs. Svoboda, after having his helmet ripped off on two separate plays against the Falcons, played a majority of that game with a broken nose. The junior will be fine and play against the Aztecs as well.
“They came to me in the first half and said that…he’s got a nasal fracture, and if he stops getting air, then he won’t be able to play. But he didn’t stop, he still had the ability to breathe,” Sawvel said.
“That’s not going to bother him,” Sawvel added with a smile.
How will the Cowboys improve off their first win during the bye week?
Sawvel said that his team will be taking it relatively easy through the bye week, with shorter practices so they can recover from a brutal five week game stretch. That doesn’t mean this group won’t stop working hard to improve, however.
“We keep it short this week, you know, work to get things sharper, but keep things short and go from there,” Sawvel said.
Maybe one of the only good things amongst the plethora of injuries the Cowboys’ have suffered is the fact that some of their younger and more inexperienced players have had an opportunity to prove themselves. Those younger players will have a big opportunity to improve during this bye week, as many will have to play against the Aztecs with multiple starters still questionable to start.
Both Rex Johnsen and Alex Conn impressed their first year head coach with their protection on the offensive line, as both those two had to step up in place of Jack Walsh and Wes King on the offensive line.
“I thought Rex Johnsen did a nice job stepping in for Jack Walsh the other night,” Sawvel said.
“Alex Conn played a lot of guard the other night,” Sawvel added. “Now, he gets another full week of practice doing that.”
Freshman wide out Chris Durr Jr. also had a breakout game against Air Force, as he led the Cowboys in receiving yards with 71 on three catches. Durr is one of the leading receivers of a young receiving corps, alongside sophomore transfer wide receiver Tyler King. Both King and Durr rank second and third, respectively, in receiving for the Cowboys, just behind veteran tight end John Michael Gyllenborg.
“It’s exciting, you know, when you look at, with Durr being young, Stevenson, you know, [Jaylen] Sargent playing so much more,” Sawvel said of his young group of wide receivers.
With the Cowboys entering the bye week as confident as ever after their first win of the Sawvel era, all they can do from here is continue to improve and look to extend that win streak further than just one game.
