LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming announced Monday afternoon that offensive coordinator Jay Johnson has been relieved of his play-calling duties, and that Jovon Bouknight will assume the role of offensive coordinator. Johnson remains on staff as an offensive analyst.
The change was announced during a news conference with head coach Jay Sawvel. The decision comes on the heels of Wyoming’s 24-21 loss at Air Force on Oct. 18, in which the Cowboys out-gained the Falcons 409-363 but committed costly turnovers and missed critical opportunities. Wyoming also ranks 115th in the FBS in scoring, averaging only 19.8 points per game.
“It came down to mistakes in the fourth quarter,” Sawvel said of the Air Force game. “A turnover that kept us from getting seven or at least three, a bad interception that gave them three and then defensively we didn’t play as well in the second half as what we had in the first half. We had a couple critical situations where we could have got off the field and didn’t get that done. All of us share in that.”
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Against Air Force, Wyoming’s offense showed promise, tallying 211 passing yards and 198 rushing yards for 409 total, but the miscues proved decisive. The Cowboys threw two second-half interceptions, including one on a trick play in the red zone when tight end Evan Svoboda threw a pass to John Michael Gyllenborg that was intercepted over the middle. On the very next drive, Kaden Anderson threw another interception in Wyoming territory.
Bouknight, a former Cowboys wide receiver and UW Athletics Hall of Famer, will now oversee the offense. His appointment comes with the program hoping for a reset and rejuvenation of an offense that has scored fewer than 20 points per game.
Johnson, who had served as Wyoming’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach since 2024, will transition into an analyst role, according to the presser with Jay Sawvell.
The Cowboys are scheduled to return to action on Oct. 25, when they host Colorado State in the “Border War” at War Memorial Stadium, who recently let go of their head coach for the rest of the season.
