LARAMIE — What do 20 carries and 38 pass attempts in a football game get you? A lot of time in the cold tub and training room, along with a lot of respect from your teammates.
That’s what Wyoming true freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels has experienced this week after he directed a 30-28 victory at Florida Atlantic. Carta-Samuels rushed 20 times for 69 yards and was 29-of-38 passing for 223 yards.
All that took its toll on Carta-Samuels as he received six stitches after the game to close a cut on the back of his head, which he suffered on the first play after his helmet came off.
He also suffered cuts on his right arm and left leg, yet never missed a play.
Not to mention being sacked three times and taking numerous other hits throughout the game.
“He gained a lot of respect from the older guys,” senior defensive tackle John Fletcher said about Carta-Samuels, 18, during Monday’s weekly news conference. “He’s been doing it every week. He’s making plays out there. He’s taking some shots, and he pops right back up, no matter what.”
Said Carta-Samuels, who was named the Mountain West Conference’s offensive player of the week for the second straight week: “I love the feeling of being tired, sore and beat up like this after a victory where you put it all out on the line.”
Three of the five scoring drives against Florida Atlantic (0-4) were 80 yards or longer. The game-winning drive in the fourth quarter was 91 yards. Ten of the 12 plays were runs, including four by Carta-Samuels for 28 yards.
“I think he’s shown great courage in his play,” Wyoming coach Dave Christensen said. “He’s executed the offense. He hasn’t been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s certainly done enough to put us in position to win the last two football games.
“I certainly don’t think our quarterback needs to take the abuse that he did Saturday. But we also have to do whatever it takes for us to win a football game. I talked to him about some things we can do to alleviate some of those hits on him.”
In his two starts, Carta-Samuels has led Wyoming on 11 scoring drives. He led the team on game-winning drives in the fourth quarter in both games, and five others tied the game.
“We’ve got a good player on our hands. . . . I haven’t seen it since I’ve been here,” Fletcher said. “To have him come in, being 18 years old, and take over a team like he’s done is something else.”
