Laramie, Wyoming - During the week leading up to the season opener against Arizona State University, sources were telling media members that tight end John Michael "J-Mike" Gyllenborg was likely out for the game. Approximately 30 minutes prior to kickoff, a UW official formally informed the press corps that Gyllenborg would be out of the game. After suffering a high ankle injury that kept him sidelined for several weeks, Gyllenborg reflected on what it was like to watch his team from the bench instead of being out on the field.
"It was tough, and as a competitor, you want to be out there and do everything you can for your team and your boys that you’re with year-round," Gyllenborg said. “Staying smart about an injury like the one I had—high ankle—I was at peace. I knew that I was doing all I could to get back out there. I couldn’t have done anything good for the team in the state that I was in. It was definitely hard, and I’m glad to be back for sure."
Being on the sidelines, Gyllenborg had time to reflect, and he quickly learned some valuable lessons about practice and preparation. His first game back was against BYU two weeks ago, and he admitted that the lack of practice time beforehand took a toll.
"The biggest one for me was while playing… I took like eight snaps in the BYU game, but not having practiced for three weeks to a month before that game, I realized how important practice and preparation really is because everything felt so fast," he admitted. "Coming out of that game, I realized how important practice is and how important taking every rep like a game is. This last week, I feel like I really embraced that—getting back into things and really focusing on the preparation part instead of just trying to get through practice."
Gyllenborg also spoke about his renewed appreciation for the game after being sidelined. "The Lord has given me some unique gifts, and having been sidelined, you kind of just sit back and watch, and you know, you miss it—even the hard times seemed kind of fun. It was tough and definitely gave me some unique perspective."
When Gyllenborg returned to the field for last Saturday's game against North Texas, he had five receptions for 56 yards in the first half. But despite their strong start, the Cowboys fell off in the second half. Still, Gyllenborg found reasons for optimism.
"It felt really good to play on Saturday. In the first half, things were competitive, and it was fun. I felt good energy on the sideline, felt like we were in a good place. Obviously, in the second half, we didn’t come out and play how we wanted to in any way, so that was tough, but being able to get back out there and make some plays in the first half—it was fun," he shared. "We were playing better than we have been this year and looking to build off that and have a good week of prep."
Looking ahead to this weekend's home game against rival Air Force, Gyllenborg has a clear focus: preparation and trust.
"It’s just another opportunity to go out and try to help get a win for this program, for this fan base, for these coaches and the guys in this locker room," he said. "Air Force is obviously a historic rival here, but in our locker room, we’re just focused on the next opponent. Especially where we’re at this point in the season, we’re just doing everything we can to improve and try to get a 'W.'"
Social media has been rampant with fans expressing their frustrations with the slow start to the Pokes's season. Blocking out outside noise and criticism is crucial for Gyllenborg. He attributes part of his mental resilience to staying away from social media.
"For the most part, I don’t have social media. I think it’s good to stay off that, especially during the season—even after a good game last year, I would stay away from hearing too much good stuff. Right now, we’re not in a great spot, and I’m sure there’s plenty of bad talk on social media, so I stay away from that stuff. Focusing on the guys in the locker room, the coaches, and moving forward—that’s really important."
J-Mike lives with starting quarterback Evan Svoboda, and he likely knows him better than most on the team. How has Evan been handling the rough start?
"I’ve always thought that Evan handles all this like a pro. He doesn’t let the bad affect him terribly off the field—he cares so much, but he doesn’t let it tear him down," Gyllenborg noted. "We’re trying to get on the same page with some things and get good reps. He does a great job of staying positive and trusting in the coaching staff."
We expect J-Mike to be back in his element at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday night against the Air Force Falcons.
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