LARAMIE – Michael Fitzgerald II was one of the stars of fall camp.
 
The 6-foot-6 graduate transfer from Central Missouri was frequently making catches in the end zone throughout practices leading into Wyoming's 2025 season.
 
But through five games, Fitzgerald only had one catch for 25 yards.
 
UW head coach Jay Sawvel tried to give the infuse some confidence in the talented wide receiver before the San Jose State game.
 
"Mike had a really good start to fall camp, and I think he got a little bit down on himself," Sawvel said. "He got down on himself that he could be doing better, down on himself that he wasn't having a bigger role, down on himself in certain ways. I had a talk with him last week and more than anything it was about I believe in you.
 
"I believe in him, and we all believe in him. It's time for him to look in the mirror and see who he is and go be that guy."
 
In the second quarter against the Spartans, Fitzgerald provided the spark the offense was searching for when he made a diving catch in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown.
 
The throw by Kaden Anderson, who bought some time by scrambling to the right, is one of the quarterback's top highlights at UW thanks to the awareness and effort of Fitzgerald on the other end.
 
"I was running through the end zone looking back for the ball and I saw him rotating out of my view, my periphery," Fitzgerald said. "So, I turned around and when I saw the ball it was way out there, and I knew I had to get on my horse. As soon as it came in, I knew I was going to catch it."
 
Anderson finished with 304 yards with two touchdowns, including a 45-yard scoring strike to Charlie Coenen to tie the score 28-28, during the dramatic 35-28 comeback win.
 
SJSU's Danny Scudero, who finished with 10 receptions for 180 yards and four first-half touchdowns, was targeted 25 times in the game. The 23 completions by Anderson were caught by 11 different Pokes.
 
Tight end Evan Svoboda led the team with four receptions and running back Tote Harris led the team with 58 yards receiving.
 
For the season, wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. is UW's leading receiver with 28 receptions for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Another shifty slot receiver, Deion DeBlanc, had a touchdown run against UNLV, a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown against SJSU and converted a key fourth down with a reception just before Coenen's touchdown.
 
"We've got a lot of playmakers on this team. If we play right and all have the same mindset then nobody can mess with us. There's too many of us," DeBlanc said. "We just have to believe the O-line is going to get its job done, believe Kaden is going to get his job done and the outside receiver is going to get his job done."
 
Tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, who is still UW's fourth-leading receiver despite missing the last 14 quarters due to injury, is expected to be back in the lineup when the Cowboys play Air Force on Saturday at Falcon Stadium (1:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network).
 
"Gyllenborg coming back would be a huge help," Sawvel noted. "(Fitzgerald) coming back and being what we think he is would be a huge help."
 
Fitzgerald certainly has the skill set to be star for the Pokes during the second half of the season. With a nudge from Sawvel his confidence is back, too.
 
"It really just lit a spark under me knowing I can go do it again this week. It feels good," Fitzgerald said. "You have to know that your moment is going to come and if you keep giving the give will come. Just keep going as hard as you can, control what you can control and the ball will find you."
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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