Rebels face real threat in RB Ned

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Oct. 12, 2001 | 9:59 a.m.

UNLV faces one of the nation's hottest running backs in San Diego State's Larry Ned on Saturday afternoon at Sam Boyd Stadium. And if the Rebels are to slow down the talented 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior, they'll have to do it without their top defensive lineman.

Senior defensive end Anton Palepoi aggravated a sprained knee in practice during a non-contact drill on Wednesday afternoon and has been advised not to play this weekend.

Palepoi sprained his medial collaterial ligament (MCL) in his right knee when his foot got stuck on Mackay Stadium's new FieldTurf while he was getting cut blocked early in the third quarter of UNLV's 27-12 Fremont Cannon victory over Nevada-Reno. Palepoi later returned to the game and even garnered a sack. The 6-4, 275-pounder currently ranks second in the Mountain West Conference with 3 1/2 sacks.

Palepoi sat out the Rebels' practice on Tuesday night and attempted to give it a try on Wednesday afternoon while wearing a knee brace. But trainer Kyle Wilson said Palepoi reinjured the knee while taking part in a non-contact drill.

"He met with one of our team doctors (Dr. Gerald Higgins) after practice that night and it was determined he would probably be best if he sat out this week's game to let it heal properly," Wilson said. "Right now there is some discomfort and swelling in there."

Wilson, who characterized Palepoi's injury as a "mild knee sprain", said it could take "a couple of days to a couple of weeks" for Palepoi to recover. The Lombardi Award candidate did not practice again on Thursday.

Fortunately, the Rebels (1-4, 0-1) have some depth at the defensive end spot in seniors Steve Newton, Adrian Watson and Scott Parkhurst, a former JC All-American who alternated with Palepoi last year.

The entire UNLV defense will need to step up in Palepoi's absence against Ned, the nation's third-leading rusher with a 152.4 yards per game average after a Mountain West Conference record 285-yard output last week against Eastern Illinois.

"He's the best back we've probably played so far," Rebel defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson said. "He gets a lot of his yards after the first hit, so it will be important to gang up on him."

It also will be important for UNLV's sputtering offense, which appeared to finally come to life in the second half at Reno, to put together some time-consuming drives to help keep Ned off the field.

UNLV head coach John Robinson predicted that junior quarterback Jason Thomas, who helped spark the second-half comeback with several key runs, could return to his 2000 form this weekend.

"I think Jason Thomas turned the corner in Reno," Robinson said. "I expect his best game."

"This was my best week of practice this season," Thomas said. "I feel like I've come alive again."

Both the Rebels and Aztecs (2-3, 1-1) can ill afford another MWC loss if they hope to make a legitimate run at the conference title.

"We're both in a similiar situation," Thomas said. "That's one of the big things about this game."