LARAMIE – There's a reason why offensive line coach Joe Tripodi's focus during spring practice and fall camp is always on developing a rotation of at least eight or nine players he feels comfortable putting on the field for games.
 
Attrition is going to happen within an offensive line unit most seasons. Wyoming has already had to deal with three starters going down in the first five games.
 
Left tackle Nathan Geiger suffered a season-ending injury in the opener at Arizona State. Jake Davies, who is also a redshirt freshman, has started the last four games at the position previously held by current Denver Broncos rookie Frank Crum.
 
The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Davies played his best game to date during the Cowboys' 31-19 victory over Air Force.
 
"I've definitely learned a lot about the speed of the game, that's for sure," Davies said. "Over the course of these games, I've played faster and more physical."
 
Starting right guard Jack Walsh did not suit up for the homecoming win over the Falcons due to injury and is doubtful to play against San Diego State on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium (1:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network).
 
Rex Johnsen, a 6-5, 296-pound sophomore from Logan, Iowa, is expected to make his second consecutive start after receiving praise from head coach Jay Sawvel for his performance against Air Force.
 
"I took it and ran," Johnsen said of the opportunity to fill in for Walsh. "We came out in the second half humming. We were having fun, we wanted to be out there, and we wanted to take it to Air Force and to out-play Air Force how they play. We wanted to run the clock, run the ball and score. All of us executed our jobs very well throughout the game."
 
Starting left guard Wes King was injured in the first half and replaced by Alex Conn, who is expected to make his first career start for UW against the Aztecs.
 
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound junior was a touted high school recruit who began his career at Nebraska and won a junior college national championship last season at Iowa Western Community College.
 
"It means everything to me," Conn said of playing meaningful snaps for the Pokes. "I'm grateful again for the opportunity to be able to play for this team. I want to do right by everyone and not let teammates down."
 
Backup center Luke Sandy is also out indefinitely with an injury, which complicated Sawvel's decision facing a fourth-and-3 at the Air Force 39-yard line in the fourth quarter after starter Nofoafia Tulafono was shaken up and unavailable for the critical snap.
 
UW opted to punt and was awarded a first down when the Falcons were called for a personal foul on the play. Quarterback Evan Svoboda put the game away with a 17-yard touchdown run moments later.
 
King was the third option at center and Walsh was the fourth option at center entering the season.
 
"Rex Johnsen is the next snapper, but he was also starting at guard," Sawvel noted.
 
Quinn Grovesteen-Matchey, a 6-6, 305-pound redshirt freshman from Evansville, Wisc., is listed on this week's depth chart as the backup at center and left guard.
 
Brandt Rice, a 6-5, 296-pound redshirt freshman from Wausau, Wisc., is the backup at right guard and Braylon Jenkins, a 6-4, 290-pound true freshman from West Des Moines, Iowa, is the backup to Caden Barnett at right tackle.
 
Tripodi has already prepared at least 12 players to start or be ready to play on the offensive line this season with at least seven more games remaining.
 
"It shows that we're deep and everyone is working their ass off on our line," Johnsen said of the depth shining in the second half against Air Force. "We have multiple guys that can come in if they need to. I'm really proud of Alex, he kept his head on straight and kept his cool throughout the rest of the game that he played."
 
Sawvel is optimistic Walsh and King will return to the lineup in the next few weeks. In the meantime, Johnsen, Conn and Davies will be asked to raise their level of play along with returning 2023 starters Tulafono and Barnett.
 
"Losing the spot to Nate obviously hurt the confidence a little bit," Davies said of his tight camp battle with Geiger. "When I got thrown in there against Arizona State you can't worry about confidence you've just got to go perform.

"We really just got back to our roots (against Air Force) running the ball downhill and also making big third-down conversions in the air. It was kind of all of it coming together. Rex and Alex did a great job stepping in for the guys who went down. That's all you can ask for."
 
The Cowboys' O-line must be on the same page against SDSU, which ranks seventh in the FBS in sacks per game (3.8).
 
"We didn't have the start to the season that we wanted, but I think we really turned it around against Air Force," Johnsen said. "We got a taste of winning, and we don't want to lose again."
 
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