Know Thy 2008 SDSU Opponent: UNLV

UNLV has always been thiiiiis close from getting over that proverbial hump. They seem to have a lot of factors working in their favor, but the program can’t get its feet off of its ground, at least lately. This will probably be former Utah offensive coordinator Mike Sanford’s last shot at making something happen, so will UNLV shock everyone and make more strides toward that coveted 6-6 mark?

THE OFFENSE: The QB issue has been the biggest problem facing Mike Sanford during his tenure at Las Vegas. Rocky Hinds and Shane Steichen were always hurt it seemed and neither Omar Clayton nor Travis Dixon were able to separate themselves from, well, themselves. It’s a three-man race with Omar Clayton, Travis Dixon, and possibly Mike Clausen duking it out. It’s interesting, because if the UNLV staff was thinking long-term, Clausen would be the guy, but the problem is he has no experience. Mike Sanford is thinking about surviving the season, so he’s more likely to go with the more experienced options. But, he’ll probably do a committee thing to see what sticks. Frank Summers is a bruiser at RB and had a nice, first season with the Rebels. He’s probably the star of the team and the guy can make some catches out of the backfield as well. David Peeples should be the top reserve with lightning-fast abilities, but he, like many others at UNLV, has had issues with his health. Ryan Wolfe is another star on the offense being one of the best receivers in all of the Mountain West. He broke out as a freshman in this offense and a had a pretty solid sophomore campaign. Casey Flair isn’t a bad number two option by any means either and he’s a pretty intellectual receiver as far as knowing where to be and running routes are concerned. Rodelin Anthony is a huge dude for a receiver and looks more like a TE. He’ll cause some matchup problems. It’s pretty ironic that with all of the hotshot recruits at this position that have been brought in, the guys who have been least expected to produce emerged as the superstars of the passing game. Matt Murphy and Joe Hawley are some younger guys who will have big careers along the offensive line at UNLV. They should be the best of the four returning starters.

THE DEFENSE: You know, the defense didn’t do all that poorly considering the lack of help from the offense. It ranked 62nd in total defense and 71st in scoring D. So, not terrible, but not good enough to get the job done. Dennis Therrell will come in for what looks like a one year stint at defensive coordinator (unless Sanford wins 5 or 6 games) and will try some more aggressive defensive playcalling. Heivaha Mafi comes in from junior college and hope is he can have an immediate impact along the defensive line at DE. Thor Pili (who wouldn’t want a defensive end named Thor?) needs a big year because the Rebels didn’t get enough pressure in the backfield last season and there weren’t a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Jacob Hales is the star of the defensive line as a DT. LB Starr Fuimaono was always a nice compliment for Beau Bell, but now he’ll have to be the leader of the linebackers. Jimmy Miller will be the starting MLB, a big recruit that spurned some major programs before transferring to UNLV. He’s going to have a huge year. UNLV has a sound secondary with Daryl Forte leading the way at safety. One guy that could be a major factor on this defense may be Geoffrey Howard at CB. The pass defense was really solid last season and 2008 shouldn’t be all that much different.

THE SCHEDULE:

Aug. 30 Utah State
Sept. 6 at Utah
Sept. 13 at Arizona State
Sept. 20 Iowa State
Sept. 27 Nevada
Oct. 4 at Colorado State
Oct. 18 Air Force
Oct. 25 at BYU
Nov. 1 TCU
Nov. 8 New Mexico
Nov. 13 Wyoming
Nov. 22 at San Diego State

The schedule isn’t the worst I’ve seen. Getting Utah State and Nevada in their annual battle for the Fremont Cannon aren’t all that bad. Iowa State is a winnable game at Sam Boyd Stadium if you take into account the fight they put up against Wisconsin at home.

Don’t Even Think About It: @ BYU, @ Arizona State
Ehhhhh…..Maybe….: @ Utah, TCU, New Mexico
Good/Probable Shot At It: Utah State, Iowa State, Nevada, @ Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming, @ San Diego State

THE OULTOOK: UNLV will improve, but Mike Sanford won’t be around long enough to enjoy the seeds he sown. If the Rebels don’t have a huge turnaround, he won’t be back, and we’re probably looking at a team that will win 4 games. The best news is that the offense should finally take off this season. The QB situation will still be in a state of flux, but the offensive line will be good, the WRs are some of the best in the conference, and RB isn’t an issue. The defense will be surprisingly solid, but there won’t be enough evidence for the administration to hold on to Sanford. This team has the potential to knock off a team like Nevada, Iowa State, Air Force, or somebody like that, but there won’t be enough of those to put together a bowl season. 4-8. Whoever takes over in 2009 will be in a good situation though.

BOWL GAME?: Nope.

By Eric Hyde of Saturday Sound Offs.com

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