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Nice article!

btw..6th paragraph down.. you say "Davis..in his freshman campaign".. I think you meant Boyd...

nice write up 7, need Saturday to get here now!

Good stuff.

Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

Nice write-up, 7.

(09-03-2015 11:31 AM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

That's odd. He was (is?) listed on the roster on the official website. Thanks for the info!

(09-03-2015 12:05 PM)7 Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 11:31 AM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

That's odd. He was (is?) listed on the roster on the official website. Thanks for the info!

Looks like he's not there now. Might've fixed it recently. FYI: here's a link to an article which includes the 2-3 deep roster:

http://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2015/aug/3...h-chart-2/

(09-03-2015 11:31 AM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

RebelRed - is your OLINE really that small? Starting tackles 270 & 260. Is Sanchez in a complete rebuild mode?

(09-03-2015 02:14 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 11:31 AM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

RebelRed - is your OLINE really that small? Starting tackles 270 & 260. Is Sanchez in a complete rebuild mode?

I wouldn't say we are small, though we certainly can get bigger. One tackle is 6'7" 270, and the other is 6'5" 260. Could use more weight, but they don't look tiny out there. They might have put on a bit since the roster, too. But you're right, no one on the line checks in over 300. Where's the BEEF?!

I wouldn't say we are rebuilding. That would require that we are trying to return to an acceptable level. Nah. UNLV is trying to get there for the first time. The cupboard is not totally bare, but we're going to have to continue to upgrade the talent to get to the level we want to be.

I'll say though: this was a 7-win program two years ago. Last year, there were only 2 wins, but we left some wins on the field. Frankly, the NIU game could have easily gone either way. One drive was stopped by a TERRIBLE false start call (on the quarterback) that turned an offsides and a first down to a 3rd and 7 or so and a stalled drive where we were driving to take the lead after our furious comeback. Another drive ended on first and goal on a tip interception that was not a great pass, but 9 times out of 10 ends up as an incomplete instead of an INT by your safety. There were other games like that throughout the season where it could have gone the other way.

In other words, I think that last year's team was actually more like a 4-5-win team than a 2-win team. So there are some pieces in place, and I don't think that this team is only capable of 2 wins, as most are predicting.

Frankly the coaching staff alone gives me confidence that some of the close losses can turn to wins. We'll see though. That's why they play the games.

(09-03-2015 03:17 PM)rebelred87 Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 02:14 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 11:31 AM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Good article. One fairly important note for you. UNLV RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence IS NOT back for this season. He has graduated and signed with a CFL team. We do return Keith Whitely and George Naufahu, but Naufahu does not look like he will be a contributor at running back. The team is going with a 3-man rotation with Whitely getting the starting carries and a duo of Texan true-freshman running backs also carrying the load: Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell. Reports are that Thomas is a smaller but lightning fast back, while Campbell is more of a bruiser.

RebelRed - is your OLINE really that small? Starting tackles 270 & 260. Is Sanchez in a complete rebuild mode?

I wouldn't say we are small, though we certainly can get bigger. One tackle is 6'7" 270, and the other is 6'5" 260. Could use more weight, but they don't look tiny out there. They might have put on a bit since the roster, too. But you're right, no one on the line checks in over 300. Where's the BEEF?!

I wouldn't say we are rebuilding. That would require that we are trying to return to an acceptable level. Nah. UNLV is trying to get there for the first time. The cupboard is not totally bare, but we're going to have to continue to upgrade the talent to get to the level we want to be.

I'll say though: this was a 7-win program two years ago. Last year, there were only 2 wins, but we left some wins on the field. Frankly, the NIU game could have easily gone either way. One drive was stopped by a TERRIBLE false start call (on the quarterback) that turned an offsides and a first down to a 3rd and 7 or so and a stalled drive where we were driving to take the lead after our furious comeback. Another drive ended on first and goal on a tip interception that was not a great pass, but 9 times out of 10 ends up as an incomplete instead of an INT by your safety. There were other games like that throughout the season where it could have gone the other way.

In other words, I think that last year's team was actually more like a 4-5-win team than a 2-win team. So there are some pieces in place, and I don't think that this team is only capable of 2 wins, as most are predicting.

Frankly the coaching staff alone gives me confidence that some of the close losses can turn to wins. We'll see though. That's why they play the games.

Good stuff Rebel, thank you. Hard to hate UNLV, we have historically done well against your school, but I am out West, and in Vegas a lot with family attending UNLV. What do you think the score will be just curious. My brother in-law thinks it will be a 10 point game, could be if it was back in Vegas, but at home I think the Huskies win by 18+ at a minimum. Good luck, here's to no injuries on both sides of the ball. BTW, this is the first year in 10 we have not come to Lake Mead to wakeboard and surf, no water, its getting scary out here in the West....

Over a week ago in the predictions thread I predicted a Rebel loss: 27-38.

I still feel good about that prediction. Obviously I hope for much better, but we'll see.

Another prediction I'll make: UNLV scores one touchdown while not on offense. Not sure if it will be a pick-6, fumble return, punt/fg block, or a punt/kickoff return, but I just have a feeling that we'll get a non-traditional touchdown this game.

(09-03-2015 03:57 PM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Over a week ago in the predictions thread I predicted a Rebel loss: 27-38.

I still feel good about that prediction. Obviously I hope for much better, but we'll see.

Another prediction I'll make: UNLV scores one touchdown while not on offense. Not sure if it will be a pick-6, fumble return, punt/fg block, or a punt/kickoff return, but I just have a feeling that we'll get a non-traditional touchdown this game.

Fair enough, good luck... I think our D will be a step or two ahead of last year...I think keeping the Huskies to 27 will be a win it itself.

(09-03-2015 04:03 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 03:57 PM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Over a week ago in the predictions thread I predicted a Rebel loss: 27-38.

I still feel good about that prediction. Obviously I hope for much better, but we'll see.

Another prediction I'll make: UNLV scores one touchdown while not on offense. Not sure if it will be a pick-6, fumble return, punt/fg block, or a punt/kickoff return, but I just have a feeling that we'll get a non-traditional touchdown this game.

Fair enough, good luck... I think our D will be a step or two ahead of last year...I think keeping the Huskies to 27 will be a win it itself.

That prediction has the huskies scoring 38.

(09-03-2015 04:10 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 04:03 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 03:57 PM)rebelred87 Wrote:  Over a week ago in the predictions thread I predicted a Rebel loss: 27-38.

I still feel good about that prediction. Obviously I hope for much better, but we'll see.

Another prediction I'll make: UNLV scores one touchdown while not on offense. Not sure if it will be a pick-6, fumble return, punt/fg block, or a punt/kickoff return, but I just have a feeling that we'll get a non-traditional touchdown this game.

Fair enough, good luck... I think our D will be a step or two ahead of last year...I think keeping the Huskies to 27 will be a win it itself.

That prediction has the huskies scoring 38.

My bad... Mortgage banker, all I have to be is close. I think NIU scores 45