Chandler Donaway Never Gave Up - Now He's Ready to Leave His Mark at Wyoming

Chandler Donaway. Photo courtesy of UW Athletics.

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Chandler Donaway has already faced the possibility that he would never play football again.

Now, the senior offensive lineman is ready for what he calls his final opportunity, bringing experience and a lot of gratitude to the University of Wyoming after transferring from East Texas A&M.

The 6-foot-1, 307-pound lineman arrived in Laramie after appearing in 27 career games with 21 starts and more than 1,400 snaps at East Texas A&M. But long before he became a Cowboy, Donaway endured one of the toughest stretches of his life.

What began as an ankle sprain during the 2022 season turned into a series of surgeries and an uncertain future.

"I originally had an ankle sprain in 2022. And I played through the injury during the season," Donaway said. "After the season, I had surgery. And then I ended up having some complications with my surgeries and ended up having to have about three more surgeries on my ankle."

The final procedure came with devastating news from the surgeon.

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"My last surgery was done by the Cowboys doctor and he kind of told me, 'I'm not really doing this surgery for you to play football again. It's just more basically so you can have a good rest of your life,'" Donaway recalled. "Hearing that kind of just broke me down."

At the time, Donaway believed his career was just beginning.

"As a freshman, I started and I was just feeling like I was getting to the point where I was about to take off in my career and then that happened."

A Year of Uncertainty

Emotions ran high as Donaway’s football future was on limbo.

"I cried. I had my parents there with me," Donaway said. "It was hard to hear that news and just be in that situation. I went through a point of just not being myself, just kind of down. It's kind of normal just getting some news like that after I've been playing football all my life."

What ultimately carried him through wasn't football.

"Looking back on it, I just feel like it made me stronger. It made me just be able to go through anything. It got me closer to God and my relationship with him," he said. "Although it did take a year, year and a half of my career away, I feel like it set me up for the rest of my life to just be able to push through anything and know that God's always by my side no matter what."

His family and close friends also became his support system.

"It took some time with just surrounding myself with good people and my friends, my family, just lifting me up during that time and just being able to push through that."

Earning Another Chance

Following nearly a year of rehabilitation, Donaway finally received the news he had been hoping for.

"Yes, sir, he did," Donaway said when asked if the doctor eventually cleared him to play again.

The road back required a lot of work and rehab.

"We took almost a year of rehab with my former trainer. I was in the training room two, three times a day, trying to get back after I ended up getting cleared to walk," he said. "I was just grinding, trying to get back on the field."

Rather than giving up and focusing on what the doctor initially told him, Donaway chose a “victor not victim” mindset.

"I kind of blocked the fact that he said that I wouldn't play again out of my mind. I just rolled with the punches and trusted God and trusted myself, knowing the type of person I am and player I am and I can fight through anything."

Why Wyoming?

Entering the transfer portal for his final season, Donaway had numerous opportunities. Wyoming quickly separated itself.

"Wyoming was the first one to book my visit," he said. "I talked to Coach Tripodi. He called me like three times the first day that we got in contact."

When he arrived in Laramie, he knew this was his new home.

"Everyone was just so welcoming and I just felt wanted here," Donaway said.

Despite moving from Texas to Wyoming, he never felt like an outsider.

"When I came on my visit, I was like, 'Man, I think this is definitely the place for me.'"

The facilities impressed him, but it was the people that ultimately convinced him.

"Going to a bigger program, you feel like you may lose that family aspect, but here, everybody's family," Donaway said. "This is a close team. It's one of the closest teams I've been a part of."

"They welcomed me. They showed me love from the beginning and always kept in contact with me through the whole portal. I just loved it and decided to come here, and I'm glad I made the decision."

Adjusting to the FBS Level

Donaway has noticed significant differences between East Texas A&M and Wyoming.

"The facilities are way different," he said. "We have our own hot and cold tubs, the trackers we wear during practice. We have cameras on the weight room racks that show us our speed. Everything's so dialed in and technical."

He also credits Wyoming's strength program for helping him develop physically.

"Coach Donoval has a great program for us to follow. He's gotten me way stronger since I got here."

Leading by Example

Although Donaway brings veteran experience, he understands he still has to earn the respect of a new locker room.

"I'm not the biggest vocal guy," he said. "It's kind of hard coming into a program being the new guy with one year left."

"I came in with my head down. I didn't want to be one of those guys that try to come in and lead before you put it on the field."

"I just try to go out there every day and put good tape, good things on film, and be able to gain the trust of my teammates."

He also appreciates the culture within Wyoming's offensive line room.

"It doesn't matter if I'm with the ones, twos or whatever. I feel like everybody should be treated equally as my teammate."

"There's no animosity between who's starting and who's not. Everybody supports everybody, and I just really appreciate that."

What Cowboy Fans Can Expect

When asked what Wyoming fans will see once he steps onto War Memorial Stadium for the first time, Donaway didn't hesitate.

"I'm a dog, man," he said. "I come out there every week to work and just put on for this team and my teammates."

"I'm going to work. I'm not going to lay down when things get tough. I'm standing 10 toes down, and you're going to get a player that's going to put it all out there no matter what."

"I just can't wait to get on the field for that first game and be able to showcase my talents in front of the Wyoming fans."

The Bronze Boot Already Matters

Even before committing to Wyoming, Donaway learned about one of the program's biggest traditions.

"During my visit, that was something they talked about," he said.

"I know this tradition. We don't like Colorado State."

Seeing the Bronze Boot Trophy on campus has given him motivation.

"I want to keep it there. I don't want it to leave here."

"I know that means a lot to this program, and it means a lot to me now and my teammates."

Donaway believes the Cowboys have the pieces to make an impact this fall.

"We're ready to go out there and show what this team can do," he said. "This team is full of great players from the guys that are already here to the transfer guys that got recruited to play here. This is going to be a great team."

Looking Beyond Football

Away from football, Donaway enjoys spending time outdoors.

"I'm from Texas. I was originally born in Louisiana," he said. "I like hunting and fishing and outdoor stuff."

He is eager to experience Wyoming's outdoors once the season allows.

"I'm a nature guy. I don't like being cooped up in the house all day."

Academically, Donaway has already earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration and is pursuing a sociology degree during his final year at Wyoming.

He also hopes his journey doesn't end after college.

"It's definitely something I want to pursue," Donaway said of the NFL. "I have to go out there and have a great season and be able to put my name out there because since I was at an FCS school, we don't get as many looks."

"But now that I'm on the big stage, I have to make the most of my opportunity and go out there and do the things that I know that I'm capable of."

For a player once told football might be over, simply having that opportunity is something Donaway no longer takes for granted.

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