LARAMIE – Wyoming's charter flight home touched down at 4:13 a.m. on Sunday.
 
First-year head coach Jay Sawvel had already delivered a message about accountability and togetherness hours earlier back in Tempe, Ariz., moments after the Cowboys' deflating 48-7 loss to Arizona State at steamy Mountain American Stadium.
 
"Look in the mirror," was Sawvel told the squad inside a somber visiting locker room.
 
The Pokes were back at work on Labor Day watching the painful film, working through the soreness in the weight room and then returning to practice Monday afternoon.
 
During his weekly press conference, Sawvel took full responsibility for the team's performance as the page was being turned to Idaho, an FCS powerhouse that pushed No. 3 Oregon to the brink during a 24-14 loss at Autzen Stadium.
 
"We're all embarrassed by what happened," Sawvel said. "I love the University of Wyoming; I love our fans, and I apologize to every single one of them for what we did Saturday night. We're going to do everything we can to make sure that never happens again."
 
The offensive coaching staff plans to adjust by figuring out ways to make Evan Svoboda more comfortable early in the critical home opener against the Vandals on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium (1:30 p.m., truTV).
 
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound quarterback threw a pick-six on the second snap of the game and perhaps put too much pressure on himself to perform in front of a large contingent of family and friends from his hometown of Mesa, Ariz.
 
"We've just got to respond from it," Svoboda said. "We have to learn and grow and flush this one."
 
Unlike last year's opener against Texas Tech, the Cowboys were unable to establish a running game or come up with key defensive stops after digging a 17-0 deficit in the first quarter.
 
"We took a gut punch on the second play of the game, and we didn't really recover and respond the way we needed to respond," Sawvel said. "We've got to get a lot better obviously as a football team. Fortunately for us it counts as one (loss) even though it feels like four or five right now."
 
UW still has a veteran offensive line and defense that will have to respond against a battle-tested Idaho team that Sawvel said appeared to "beat the dog out of Oregon physically" based on studying the all-22 tape.
 
Senior defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole blamed himself for not having his unit ready to compete in similar fashion against the Sun Devils.
 
"A lot of people are down obviously fresh off the loss. But guys are walking around telling guys to keep their heads up," Bertagnole said. "We have a mature group that can do that and bounce back. … This is not how we wanted to start our season and it's definitely not how we're going to finish it."
 
The sky outside the High Altitude Performance Center is falling after the Pokes' lopsided loss in the Arizona desert, which is now Big 12 country.
 
Sawvel understands the angst fans have, and criticism is part of his new gig as head coach.
 
However, within the walls of the facility and on the practice fields Monday, the team was busy preparing to get its swagger back and a season of lofty internal expectations on track.
 
"There's a full belief in this football team that we'll be a good football team and that we have the capacity to be a good football team," Sawvel said. "Because I've seen that a number of times, not only from players here in the program in their past, but also out on the practice field in the spring and fall camp. …
 
"There's a pride here, there's no question."
 
If you are interested in learning more about NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) or would like to support our student-athletes, please visit 1wyo.org. 1WYO was created out of Wyoming's culture of neighbor helping neighbor. The mission is to promote and strengthen local charitable organizations and develop Wyoming student athletes. 
 
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