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Sunday, June 24, 2012

114. Nevada-Las Vegas


(2-10, 1-6) Mountain West


(October 28, 2011 - Source: Ethan Miller/Getty Images North America)

Rankings - 



Offense
Avg
Defense
Avg
Rushing
164.25
Rushing
194.17
Passing
109.58
Passing
249.00
Total
273.83
Total
443.17
Points
17.25
Points
40.42


Overview

The Rebels tend to be one of the more disappointing teams on a yearly basis, promising much talent-wise, but usually failing to realise their potential Last year was no different with the defense struggling and the passing game, well, there was no passing game. They had a couple of solid wins over Hawai’i and Colorado State, but lost to miserable New Mexico and got spanked by FCS squad Southern Utah. They have some good returning talent, especially on offense, but I’m hesitant to say they could make a move towards respectability this season.

Offense

The key to the offense this season is the entire return of an offensive line that was getting its act together down the stretch last year. They still need to work on their pass protection after allowing 35 sacks, but they should be a factor in the running game. The top 3 running back also return, with Tim Cornett, Dionza Bradford and Bradley Randle each bringing different skills. Between them they gained 1775 yards and 12 scores. Starting QB Caleb Herring is back, but he hardly lit it up last season. He showed some potential, but was never consistent, although the lack of protection sure didn’t help. He only threw for 1004 yards and 8 TDs (6 Ints) and faces pressure from a trio of passers, including last year’s backup Sean Reilly. No-one has stood out yet, so it’ll probably be a last-minute decision. The top 4 receivers (2 WR, 2 TE) have graduated, leaving an inexperienced crew to try and improve an already anemic passing game. To be fair though, only Phillip Payne (44-509-7) will be missed. If the running game isn’t strong, it could be another long year for the Rebels.

Defense

The defense has lost a few starters from last season, but none will be missed more than DE James Dunlap and MLB Nate Carter. All four players who started at DT last season are back, but they’ll be breaking in two new DEs. JUCO transfer James Boyd, who also tried out at QB, has moved to DE and stood out in the spring game. Fellow JUCO Parker Holloway got some offers from BCS schools and has shown flashes too. Four LBs who started a game last season also return. All of them play outside though, and finding someone to take over in the middle could be problematic. Tani Maka has the size, but played on the weakside last season, which is far cry from the trenches. Perry Cooper was Carter’s backup last season but didn’t see much action - he has a shot too. Of the secondary, only corner Sidney Hodge returns. He’s not bad, tallying 53 tackles and 8 PBUs last season, and there’s enough talent to field a decent unit this year. The good news is Minnesota transfer Dre Crawford is finally ready to go. He’s got good range and should keep QBs from taking too many deep shots. He was hurt in the final scrimmage, but should be okay to go in fall. Sophomores Kenneth Penny  and Tajh Hasson came out of spring favorites at CB and SS respectively, but need to continue to play well to keep their spots. However, it may not matter who plays in the secondary if they can’t get after the QB up front.

Special Teams

This is possibly the best unit on the team, although it’s not all sunshine and lollipops. First the good news:- the specialists are solid and there’s enough speed for the KR squad to be as effective as it was in 2011 (2 TDs). K Nolan Kohorst started out hitting 50%, but made his last 4. He should carry on where he left off. P Chase Lansford is rock solid and bailed the defense out on a number of occasions. KR Deante’ Purvis is gone, but any number of guys could replace him. Same goes for the PR unit. No-one has nailed down the job yet though, which could be a cause for concern. The coverage units were poor, and definitely need to be addressed, but like every other part of the team, there is enough talent for them to be at least competent.

5 Players to watch out for


  1. QB Caleb Herring - odds are he will start, and he’s shown he’s good enough to be keep the chains moving, but he hasn’t been consistent. It’s not completely his fault, but he’s got to take care of his end of things first.
  2. WR Marcus Sullivan - Sullivan showed great potential in 2010, starring as a KR and showing some zip as a receiver, but missed all of 2011 due to academics. He’s back and ready to prove himself, and could bring a dynamic aspect that the offense has been lacking, while moonlighting as a dangerous returner.
  3. DE James Boyd - now that he seems settled on a position, Boyd could provide the same spark in the pass rush that Dunlap brought. He stood out in the final spring game despite practicing mostly at QB up until then.
  4. MLB Tani Maka - the Rebels struggled to stop the run last season with the solid Carter in the middle, mainly because he had to contend with OLs blocking him. Maka has good size and range and could handle the job, but it might not matter if the interior line can’t keep him clean.
  5. LT Brett Boyko - linemen don’t usually get credited as impact players, but Boyko’s an exception. Not only will he be a key in the run game and pass protection, but the 6-7 310 lb freshman all-American (2nd team) is on a collision course with the NFL if he keeps improving on last season.

Prediction

I have absolutely no doubt that the Rebels will be a better team in 2012 than last season, but their record may not show it. HC Bobby Hauck was a highly successful coach with FCS team Montana, and could have the same impact here if given time. However, the Mountain West is a tough mid-major, even without TCU and the other recent losses, and UNLV aren’t quite at the stage where they can contend on a weekly basis. They could pull off 3 or 4 wins, but anything more will be a surprise.

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