Colorado State’s McDougal could prove hard to handle

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Nov. 26, 1999 | 10:59 a.m.

Call Saturday afternoon's Colorado State-UNLV game a battle of an irresistable force meeting a moveable object.

In other words, Rams running back Kevin McDougal, the Mountain West Conference's top rusher, against UNLV's young and injury-depleted defense, which ranks a dismal 110th out of 114 NCAA Division I teams in stopping the run.

The hard-nosed McDougal is averaging 116.8 yards per game on the ground to lead the MWC and is coming off a spectacular 200-yard, one-touchdown effort in the Rams' 41-21 win over Air Force last week.

"I think he's a very good back," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "I think he could be like a Mike Alstott in the NFL. He runs their offense very well."

McDougal, who is listed at 6-0, 205 pounds but plays a whole lot bigger and stronger, will be going against a Rebel defense that is allowing 239.5 yards per game on the ground and has yielded 692 yards rushing in its last two games alone.

"He definitely presents a very big challenge for our defense," Rebel defensive coordinator Jeff McInerney said. "He's a tough back who runs downhill on you."

McInerney must try to stop the MWC's top back with a defense that likely will be missing three of its top linemen -- freshman defensive end Ahmad Briggs (bruised knee), junior Saeed Abdul-Malik (bruised knee) and true freshman tackle Kawika Sagapolu (neck).

"We can build on this for next season if we can find a way to slow (McDougal) down," McInerney said.

McInerney said he has no complaints about his players' attitude this week.

"This team hasn't quit," he said. "They showed that by making that goal-line stand (at the end of last week's 37-7 loss to San Diego State). But the one thing we need to improve upon is creating turnovers. We've only had two since the New Mexico game. We need to create more than that. I'd like to get about four."

The chances of that happening Saturday are probably remote. The Rams in seven years under Sonny Lubick are an amazing plus-53 in turnover margin.

Colorado State (7-3, 4-2) could earn a share of the Mountain West Conference title with a victory. If the conference ends in a four-way tie with the Rams, BYU, Utah and Wyoming --- which must defeat San Diego State on Saturday --- Colorado State would win the conference tiebreaker. However, the Liberty Bowl, which gets first choice of MWC teams, and the Las Vegas Bowl, which gets second pick, are free to select any bowl-eligible team regardless of the tie-breaker.

Meanwhile, UNLV (3-7, 1-5) could equal its victory total for the past three seasons combined with a win. The Rebels have lost a school-record 11 straight home games dating to 1997. And it will be the final game for 16 seniors.

* RECRUITS VISIT: Eight recruits, including six from junior college, are expected to take official recruiting trips to UNLV this weekend and attend Saturday's game.

Linebackers Kennard Ellis (6-3, 235) and Jerrod Beckett (6-3, 245) of Southwest Mississippi Community College, the same school that produced Rebel running back Jeremi Rudolph, will visit this weekend.

Ellis, who originally signed with Florida out of high school, is being pursued by a number of SEC schools including Ole Miss, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. Beckett is also considering Memphis, Alabama-Birmingham and Marshall.

Three players from Compton (Calif.) College -- linebacker Deshon Weaver, safety Alton Stafford and linebacker Quinton Boatwright -- also are taking recruiting trips. Weaver is a former prep teammate of UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas at Compton Dominguez High School.

Also scheduled to visit are cornerback Demetrius Williams of Los Angeles Harbor College and linemen Fai Satele and Tyler Scott of Carson (Calif.) High School.