UNLV, coming off bye week, faces shorthanded Wyoming

Wyoming coach Craig Bohl’s voice was a little raspy during his weekly news conference Monday. He told the assembled media that he was fighting a cold.

But barring an unforeseen setback, Bohl will be on the sideline Saturday when the Cowboys (3-1) host UNLV (1-2) at 5 p.m.

As for some of his players, that’s another story.

Wyoming suffered its first defeat Saturday, and the Cowboys lost more than just a game. Four players went down in the 24-21 loss at Tulsa with injuries that linger into this week:

■ Running back Trey Smith is out six to eight weeks with an ankle injury, and usual starter Xazavian Valladay has been battling a foot injury. Valladay is expected to be healthy against UNLV, but Wyoming coaches are looking at also playing freshman Alphonso Andrews Jr.

“We’re concerned about that spot,” Bohl said.

■ Guard Logan Harris and cornerback Tyler Hall are going through the concussion protocol. Harris was even hospitalized after the game at Tulsa, but Bohl said the player will recover, though he was not expected to play this weekend. Bohl was more optimistic Hall would return this week.

■ Offensive right tackle Alonzo Velazquez will undergo an MRI on his knee and isn’t expected to play.

Wyoming’s injury situation could create an opportunity for UNLV, a 9½-point underdog, to give the Cowboys a real fight. But it also presents a risk.

The Rebels aren’t completely certain which players will suit up and which ones will be given the evening off. Then there’s the issue of not having as much video on the backups as they do the starters.

Not that the Rebels are going into this weekend completely blind. They will get ready for what schemes the Cowboys run at least as much as who runs them.

“There are certain things you look at personnel-wise,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said. “There are always cat-and-mouse things you look at, but (the preparation) is scheme-based.”

UNLV is mostly healthy as it comes off a bye.

Backup running backs Courtney Reese (ankle) and Darran Williams (hamstring) should be able to play at Wyoming, Sanchez said.

More than getting healthier, the bye gave coaches an extra week to prepare for the Cowboys. Rather than any self-analysis, they placed most of the emphasis on being ready for the Cowboys.

“We did a little more (game preparation) than you would if we had a bye in say Week 6, 7,” Sanchez said. “We’ll handle the next bye week (in November) a little bit differently than we did this. … I feel really good about where we are moving on into this week.”

Linebacker Javin White is ready to get back out there.

“I think the best thing is you get an extra week of learning your opponent,” White said. “You actually know their tendencies and what they’re doing, so you can really buy in. I think the worst is watching college football all day and not playing a game at the end of the day.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.