LARAMIE – Jay Sawvel sees the physical traits and work ethic coaches look for in quarterbacks from Evan Svoboda and Kaden Anderson every day in film study, practice and the weight room.
 
However, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Svoboda has struggled with consistency in his first season as the starter and the 6-4, 221-pound Anderson will be sharing the spotlight when Wyoming hosts Utah State on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium (5 p.m., CBS Sports Network).
 
Sawvel will play both quarterbacks after Svoboda and Anderson combined for 310 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions during the 24-14 loss at San Jose State.
 
The Cowboys' first-year head coach met with Svoboda and Anderson to reveal his offensive game plan before his Monday press conference in the High Altitude Performance Center as the Pokes look for a spark after a 1-6 start (1-2 in MW play).
 
"The anticipation is Evan will start and Kaden will come in very early in that game," Sawvel said. "We're going to play both throughout the course of the game unless there is one that is substantially providing a high level of execution to the offense, then we will keep riding that player."
 
Svoboda finished 14-for-27 passing for 194 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Spartans. The junior has completed 47.7% of his passes for 1,013 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions through seven games.
 
"This isn't a loss of confidence in Evan Svoboda," Sawvel said. "Like I talked to him about today is maybe in the situation that we're in occasionally getting you some plays to step back and recenter and refocus. …

"We've got to get something to jumpstart us."
 
Svoboda leads UW with five rushing touchdowns. He has shown big-play ability – his 51-yard touchdown run gave the team a lead in the fourth quarter against San Diego State and his 18-yard touchdown strike to Justin Stevenson got the Pokes within 14-7 midway through the third quarter at SJSU – but costly mistakes and three-and-outs have stymied any momentum.
 
Anderson was 4-for-11 for 116 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against the Spartans. The redshirt freshman has completed 56.5% of his passes for 195 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in spot duty.
 
"I love Evan Svoboda, I love Kaden Anderson," Sawvel said moments after Anderson threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Michael Gyllenborg with 43 seconds left at SJSU. "I think they both have good talent, they have the ability to be good players, but we've got to play better at the position."
 
More help could be on the way for the Cowboys to perhaps take some pressure off the quarterbacks.
 
Harrison Waylee, who has not played this season due to a knee injury, returned to practice on Monday. Sawvel will closely monitor the running back's progress before deciding if he will play against the Aggies or make his 2024 debut on Nov. 2 at New Mexico.
 
"I would say right now that needle would be on the lower percentage of him playing this week, because it's his first week back at practice, and a much higher percentage next week," Sawvel said.
 
Sam Scott leads the team with 319 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Gyllenborg is UW's leading receiver with 311 yards (17.3 yards per catch) with Tyler King (176 yards), Chris Durr Jr. (144 yards, one touchdown), Jaylen Sargent (131 yards, one touchdown) and Stevenson (40 yards, one touchdown) starting to come on.
 
"Whoever is back there we have full faith in," Gyllenborg said of the quarterbacks. "We're going to continue to go out there and ride for them."
 
Wyett Ekeler returned to the lineup and made an interception, one of the Cowboys' four forced turnovers against SJSU, despite having clubs covering his two broken thumbs. UW's other standout safety, Isaac White, is expected to be back in the lineup against Utah State.
 
Sawvel said there weren't any new injuries of note to add to the list coming out of the game against the Spartans.
 
"The defense played a heck of a game. They gave us several opportunities. We just didn't execute," Gyllenborg said. "We're going to continue to improve. We're going to go in on Monday, we're going to ride on the back of these seniors and their leadership and we're going to get these things fixed."
 
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