Rebel defense must find way to slow down Utah’s running game

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Sept. 24, 1999 | 10:11 a.m.

UNLV linebacker Tyler Brickell says it's no secret what the University of Utah's game plan will be for Saturday night's Mountain West Conference opener with the Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"They pretty much try and run it down your throat," Brickell said.

Now the question is: Do the Rebels (2-1) have the defenders to stop them?

Not if you go by statistics.

UNLV ranks 104th out of 114 Division I teams in rush defense this week, yielding an average of 238 yards per game on the ground. Iowa State tailback Darren Davis accounted for 208 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries alone in last week's 24-0 blanking of the Rebels.

Now UNLV will try to contain Ute running back Mike Anderson, the Mountain West Conference's preseason offensive player of the year and the top rusher in the MWC with an average of 102.5 yards per game.

"He's a tough running back," Brickell said. "He likes to run downhill between the tackles. They like to run a lot of play-action plays off him and they use a lot of screens. I think they had 16 screen passes in their first two games."

"Utah is a good football team," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "(Anderson) is a good back. We recognize that it's going to be a physical match playing a team as strong as they are."

Ron McBride's Utes (2-0) are off to an impressive start, having scored an easier-than-expected 27-7 win at Washington State to open the season followed by a 38-18 victory over in-state rival Utah State last week.

Junior quarterback Darnell Arceneaux, a former prep teammate of UNLV middle linebacker James Sunia at Honolulu's St. Louis High School, is 8-0 as a starter in his injury-plagued career. Curiously, the 6-1, 194-pounder enters this weekend's game tied with UNLV quarterback Jason Vaughan for seventh in pass efficiency in the Mountain West with a 123.1 rating.

"If you try and blitz him, he's one of those shifty quarterbacks who can shake you," Sunia said. "He's a good runner."

Defensively, Utah is led by senior defensive end John Frank (6-5, 277) and a pair of talented junior linebackers, Wes Tufaga (6-0, 242) and Kautai Olevao (6-2, 245). The Utes allow an average of just 12.5 points per game, tops in the MWC.

The Rebels believe they will be better focused for the Utes. Many complained they were too caught up in the hoopla of Robinson's home debut last week.

"I think all the hoopla is gone now," junior tackle John Greer said. "We've just got to focus on what we need to do."

* OFFENSIVE LINE MOVES: Look for redshirt freshman offensive tackle Marquez Ologbosele to see more time in the lineup in coming weeks for the Rebels.

The 6-7, 295-pounder from Castlemont High School in Oakland, Calif., will rotate with starters John Greer and Brandon Bair the rest of the season according to Robinson.

Robinson said that junior college transfer Greg Hulett, originally brought in to play center and guard, has also been moved to tackle to provide depth.