Rebels looking to contain Hawaii’s QB

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

HONOLULU -- If UNLV (6-5) is to earn its first bowl invitation since 1994, the Rebels will more than likely have to find a way to contain Hawaii freshman quarterback Timmy Chang on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

The 6-1, 190-pound Chang, who was named the WAC's freshman of the year on Tuesday, has been red hot of late, passing for 361 yards and two touchdowns in last weekend's closer-than-the-score-would-indicate 34-18 loss to Wisconsin.

For the season, Chang, who has played in just nine games, has completed 219-of-419 passes for 2,688 yards, 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He is also averaging 293.8 yards per game in total offense, sixth best in the nation.

"It's a big-time challenge for our secondary," UNLV defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson said.

Especially considering that the Warriors (3-8), who utilize the Run-N-Shoot offense, rarely run the ball.

UNLV's secondary struggled in last week's 31-24 victory at San Diego State as Aztec quarterback Lon Sheriff passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had one very big interception, which senior cornerback Amar Brisco ran back 72 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute of the game.

Still, the Rebels rank just 64th nationally in pass defense.

"And (Hawaii) is rolling, too," Bradeson said. "The last four games they're over 400 yards in offense and one of them they were over 500 yards. They've been able to move the ball on everybody."

And a major reason for that is Chang, a strong-armed and mobile true freshman from perennial Hawaii prep powerhouse St. Louis High of Honolulu.

"He's a nice, solid quarterback," UNLV cornerback Kevin Thomas said. "He's got one of those Dan Marino-like quick releases."

"It looks like he makes his reads and then puts the ball right there," Brisco said. "We'll have to try and disguise some things and give him some different looks."

Thomas, a first-team all-Mountain West Conference pick, said he's looking forward to the challenge of trying to stop the Warriors' vaunted passing attack on Saturday night.

"It's just an opportunity for us to make some plays," he said. "Personally, I haven't made a lot of plays lately, so I'm kind of due for one."

"It's going to be sweet when we beat them and knock them out of their bowl game," Fuga told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on Wednesday. "We want to dominate those guys. They're still our friends, but to have bragging rights, we've got to beat them. Those guys look at us as traitors."

Correa, a former high school teammate of Rebel linebacker James Sunia, agreed with Fuga.

"Personally, it's beating the guys I went to school with and keeping them out of a bowl," Correa said. "I talk with a lot of Hawaii guys still there, just once in a while. I heard some rumors that they are coming after us. But that goes both ways."

Two of the games would be played in Honolulu and one in Las Vegas.