LARAMIE -- For Wyoming's offense, the 2009 season has been one of feast or famine.

Once again on Saturday they were left starving and all they had was a bagel to show for it.

The Cowboys suffered their third shutout of the season and looked anemic on offense for the third consecutive week in a 52-0 drubbing by BYU on Saturday.

"We didn't execute our plans, our assignments, and when you do that, you allow a defense to look special," UW wide receiver David Leonard said. "I can't really pinpoint [why] but it's something that we need to change."

It surely wasn't the first time the Cowboys helped an opposing defense bolster its statistics.

They scored three touchdowns in a season-opening victory over Football Championship Subdivision opponent Weber State, but then went three game's-worth of time without an offensive touchdown.

Now they have just one such score in their past three contests, their only touchdown coming on a trick play at Utah in a game that was sandwiched by shutouts.

To put things in perspective, UW now has 601 yards of total offense in its last three games, while BYU had 543 on Saturday alone.

"[We're] putting ourselves in that position where we're constantly trying to claw back just to make it reasonable on second and third down," wide receiver Zach Bolger said. "It's really hard to move the ball like that."

The problem might be more easily fixed if the Pokes had to correct just one issue, but the troubles have come from a slew of areas.

Tinkering with the personnel on the offensive line hasn't created any sort of spark and when UW's front five isn't allowing pressure on quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, it's forcing the Cowboys into tight spots with critical penalties.

They haven't been able to muster much of a run game in nearly a month, gaining just 263 yards on the ground in their past three games.

And while UW's receivers were better against the Cougars, they certainly haven't been the most sure-handed bunch.

"I don't necessarily know why it works one day and why it doesn't another other day," Carta-Samuels said. "All I know is what's going on out there and we're having a really difficult time moving the ball."

The Cowboys can still achieve their goal of a six-win season.

But to get there, they'll have to end their hunger strike.

ELDER GIPSON ENDURES ROUGH OUTING: After BYU's first touchdown, all Wyoming cornerback Marcell Gipson could do is hold his arms out in search of answers.

He never got them.

The junior was beat on both of the Cougars' long touchdowns, giving up a 44-yard strike to JJ Di Luigi to open the game and being out-run for an entire play by McKay Jacobson on a 79-yard back-breaker.

"I let the team down," said Gipson, who was visibly shaken during a post-game interview. "It's probably the longest touchdown pass I ever gave up."

Gipson was also called for a pass interference in the end zone, setting up another BYU score and was assessed a 15-yard penalty for a late hit in the fourth quarter.

HALL CAN'T MISS: BYU quarterback Max Hall rebounded from a tough start against TCU with one of the best outings by a quarterback in the Mountain West Conference this season.

Hall completed 16 of 17 passes in the first half and 20 of 22 in the game, throwing for 312 yards and four touchdowns.

"Coaches put us on an island and gave us a chance to prove ourselves and we just didn't," Gipson said. "Bad coverage, plus he put the ball right on the money. There's no excuse for that."

POKES SWITCH LINE MID-GAME: The Cowboys continue to try and tinker with their offensive front to no avail.

After trying out Sam Sterner and right guard and John Hutchins at left guard, the Pokes switched Sterner back to left guard and put in Nick Carlson to his usual spot at right guard.

But UW quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels continued to quickly run out of time in the pocket, though Pokes quarterbacks were only sacked three times.

"Our quarterback's running for his life," UW coach Dave Christensen said. "I don't know if there's a lot of good going on."

TURNOVER WOES CONTINUE: After opening the season on an eye-opening pace in terms of turnover margin, the Cowboys cold streak continued against the Cougars.

They turned the ball over three times against BYU and failed to force one for the third consecutive game.

UW, which threw 17 interceptions a year ago, threw two in one game for the first time this season as backups Robert Benjamin and Karsten Sween were each picked off once.

FIRSTS, WORSTS AND MOSTS: The Cowboys' 52-point loss was their worst home loss to the Cougars in series history.

The 52 points allowed were the most given up by a UW team at home since Oct. 12, 1991 and the Pokes were shut out at home for the first time since 2000.

UW wide receiver David Leonard caught seven passes in a game for the fourth time this season.

Junior safety Chris Prosinski had his sixth double-figure tackle game of the year, coming up one short of tying his career high with 16 tackles against BYU.

BUMPS AND BRUISES: The Cowboys may have to tack on injury to Saturday's insult.

Starting linebackers Gabe Knapton and Brian Hendricks both went to the locker room late in the third quarter and never returned.

Knapton saw his streak of seven games with double-digit tackles end as he left with a leg injury.

Hendricks, the Cowboys' leading tackler, was bothered by a sprained right ankle.

Their statuses will be updated on Monday.

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at eric.schmoldt@trib.com. Check out his blog at tribtown.trib.com/ESchmoldt/blog

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