New Mexico Lobos (2-5, 0-3 MW) at UNLV Rebels (2-6, 1-3 MW) — Mountain West Action
When/Where: 3:30 p.m., Saturday — Sam Boyd Stadium
On The Air: Root Sports; 770-AM KKOB/Lobo Radio Network
GoLobos.com: Game Story, LoboTV, Complete Stats, Quotes
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Lobo SaQwan Edwards had a message for his defensive backfield coach this week. “SaQwan made the comment that he feels the secondary has gotten better,” said DB Coach Charles McMillian.
“It’s important that they know they are getting better. That’s a positive.”
This isn’t a bad time for the Lobo secondary to be feeling a little strut in their step. That unit goes against UNLV gunslinger Blake Decker, whose mission come Saturday on the turf of Sam Boyd Stadium is to make the Lobos not feel so good about their secondary.
“He is a thrower,” said Lobo Coach Bob Davie.
Decker also is a scrambler, but not necessarily one of those scramblers who picks up yards out of a panicky flight from a collapsing pocket. Decker often will sting a defense by design.
“He is a great scrambler,” said McMillian. “If his first read is not there, he is taking off running. He’s gone. You might need to put a spy on him, but he also throws a good ball.
“He’s a good quarterback. I like him. He is in the right system for him. We need to corral him and keep him in the pocket.”
If Decker stays in the pocket, that means he will throw it – or go down. UNLV averages 247.1 passing yards a contest which is good for the No. 4 spot in the Mountain West. The Rebels might be producing more passing yards, but they have a problem similar to New Mexico: their defense is on the field too much allowing other teams to march and burn the clock.
The Rebels are last in the MW in total defense yielding 525.4 yards per game. That’s a bump below New Mexico’s defense which bends at a 488.4-yard rate. The Lobos are No. 1 in the Mountain averaging 304.4 rushing yards a game and UNLV is last in that category with a 122.1-yard average.
Coach Davie said he knows the Rebels will throw it, but since the Lobo defense is last in the 12-team conference in rush defense (284.4 yards per game), he expects the Rebels to test that route of ball movement.
That means an additional challenge for McMillian’s secondary, which also is responsible for run support — if the ball is not in the air.
“Regardless of whether a team throws the ball or runs the ball, we should always be focused on our tasks,” said McMillian. “You have to be prepared to win the ball game, period.”
Decker isn’t listed among the elite quarterbacks in the Mountain West, but he is efficient and he is multiple. He averages 266.9 yards per game with 1,899 yards coming by air and 236 coming by land. He is coming off a 267-yard passing game vs. Utah State.
“UNLV has two freshmen receivers in 83 and 84 who I respect tremendously,” said McMillian. “And they have the big guy, number 81, who will play this week. It’s a challenge to play against great receivers, but we aren’t going to go out there and be afraid of anyone.”
The “big guy” is 6-foot-3, senior Devante Davis, who went into the season considered to be one of the top NFL prospects in the league. He has missed four games with an injured wrist. If healthy, he gives Decker another dangerous target.
You have to figure that UNLV will get its passing yards on Saturday, but what can the Rebels add on the ground?
Keith Whitely is UNLV’s main threat on the ground with a respectable 4.7 yards per carry on only 86 totes. His carries have been limited for a variety of reasons: UNLV prefers to pass, UNLV often is playing catch-up ball, and the other team’s offense is on the field too much.
Whitely, sneaking out of the backfield, also is a bail-out target for Decker. Whitely has 17 receptions on short stuff and screens.
The Rebels often line up with three receivers and occasionally the tight end will be off the line giving UNLV a four-out look. The backfield is usually a one-back look, but the tight end also will fall into a slot on occasion. The different looks give UNLV different options, but also add “reading” pressures to a defense.
“You never know what type of changes a team might put in,” said McMillian. “We’re getting to the football better, but we are still a young secondary that is learning.”
The Lobo secondary is in a different position than most backfields simply because of what that unit sees in spring ball, in fall ball, in regular-season practice. The Lobo defenders see a fine-tuned option. The New Mexico pistol works on passing the ball, but the Lobo defense really doesn’t see a fine-tuned passing game until those Lobos stand across from a passing opponent.
Which is what happens on Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Richard Stevens is a former national award-winning Sports Columnist and Associate Sports Editor at The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net.