Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Rebels get fresh start in MWC

NEXT UP

What: New Mexico at UNLV

When: Saturday, 4 p.m.

Where: Sam Boyd Stadium

TV: None

Radio: KBAD 920-AM

Line: UNLV by 7 1/2. Total is 48.

Tickets: Order online at unlvtickets.com or call 739-FANS.

For the UNLV Rebels, there's nothing quite like getting a second chance.

After struggling through non-conference play with a less than spectacular 2-3 record, the Rebels find themselves 0-0 again as they start Mountain West Conference action against New Mexico (2-4, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"We've got a clean slate again," quarterback Jason Thomas said. "That's nice to know, especially after the way we went out and started early in the season. Now we control our own destiny again which is one of the things you want."

"It's exciting to me," added senior tailback Joe Haro. "I think it's a wide open conference this year. Other than Air Force (5-0) doing pretty well so far, everybody has a couple of losses. It's wide open and I think we can make some noise."

First up is a New Mexico squad that lost its Mountain West opener at Air Force last month, 38-31, in overtime.

Rocky Long's squad whipped the Rebels 27-17 last year in Albuquerque in a game Thomas sat out with the flu. The Lobos have had an extra week to prepare after getting shutout by Texas Tech, 49-0, snapping a streak of 111 games that New Mexico had scored in.

Starting quarterback Casey Kelly left that game with a broken ulna bone in his left (non-throwing) forearm which was expected to sideline him up to six weeks. However, the Albuquerque Tribune reported this week that the injury is healing much faster than expected and there is a chance Kelly could play with the aid of a soft cast against the Rebels. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated today by team doctors.

If Kelly is unable to play, the Lobos will turn to third string quarterback Justin Millea, who has played safety the past two seasons. Millea got the nod on Wednesday afternoon when scheduled starter Kole McKamey, an 18-year-old true freshman, was suspended for a game after being cited for underage drinking last weekend in his hometown of Artesia, N.M.

Whoever starts at quarterback will likely be handing the ball off most of the time to highly touted redshirt freshman running back DonTrell Moore or powerful redshirt freshman fullback Adrian Byrd.

Meanwhile, the Rebel offense has been busy trying to prepare for Long's complex, blitz-from-all-angles defense that is allowing 28.2 points per game.

"Their defense gives you a lot of headaches," senior guard Tony Terrell said. "Those guys come after the ball hard. Sometimes you don't know where they are coming from, so you just have to get off the ball and hope you pick up the right person. They're the toughest defense to prepare for. No doubt."

archive