Wyoming's Jay Johnson Out as Offensive Coordinator

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LARAMIE -- Jay Johnson is no longer the offensive coordinator at Wyoming.

Less than 24 hours after dropping a 24-21 contest at Air Force, a game in which the offense committed two turnovers, including an interception near the goal line with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, head coach Jay Sawvel made the decision to strip play-calling duties and demote his second-year assistant.

Entering last Saturday's contest in Colorado Springs, Air Force featured statistically the worst defense in the FBS, allowing 40 points and 500 yards per game. Wyoming, on nine offensive possessions, found the end zone just three times, including a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kaden Anderson to Michael Fitzgerald with just 1:02 remaining in regulation.

In other words, it was too little, too late.

Three other opponents on the schedule -- UNLV, San Jose State and Akron -- also rank in the 100's in scoring defense out of 134 eligible programs. Wyoming's offense managed just six touchdowns in those meetings.

Anderson has struggled to find his footing during his first year as the Cowboys' full-time starter under center, averaging only 216 yards through the air an outing. He also has six interceptions, including a costly one late in the fourth quarter of that loss to the Falcons. The sophomore signal caller has also lost three fumbles.

"We haven't scored enough points," Sawvel said bluntly. "That was something that I had to take a hard look at. I look at these scenarios, you know, as a head coach, there's been five games that we've lost here the last two years by four points or less -- and these aren't 38-35 games. So that was where, I felt like to some degree, our talent this year offensively was out-matching our production.

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