Robinson will stick with JT

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Oct. 14, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

What: UNLV at BYU

When: Saturday, 4 p.m.

Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

TV: KLAS, Channel 8

Radio: KBAD920-AM

Line: BYU by 11.

UNLV coach John Robinson said he may play two quarterbacks in Saturday afternoon's game at BYU. Or he may play just one.

But Robinson said one thing is certain: Jason Thomas will start against the Cougars.

Thomas, who was booed loudly again by Rebel followers during Saturday's 25-16 loss to New Mexico, was replaced by backup Kurt Nantkes with 40 seconds to go in the third quarter and UNLV trailing 21-10.

Neither quarterback would want to include the game on their highlight video.

Thomas completed 12 of 30 passes for 188 yards and no touchdowns. He threw a costly interception to Lobo linebacker Charles Moss who lateralled the ball to cornerback Desmar Black. Black ran 25 yards for a touchdown. Thomas, however, did do a good job of avoiding the strong New Mexico pass rush and also scored on a one-yard run.

Nantkes completed 5 of 14 passes for 44 yards and one touchdown but threw two interceptions and was sacked for a safety at the back of the end zone.

"We haven't made any decision on whether we'll play both," Robinson said Sunday. "But I do want to get them both ready to play this week. There's no question, though, that Jason Thomas is the starter."

Robinson, who has been a college coach since 1960, said he has never heard a quarterback booed as loudly as Thomas was on Saturday.

"I think the pressure is building on Jason Thomas," Robinson said. "I've never seen a quarterback booed like that in any game I've ever witnessed or coached. It was pretty vicious.

"He's our quarterback. We may may share the job with Kurt ... we may try and play both of them."

Robinson felt Thomas may play better this week since he would not have to deal with the Sam Boyd boo-birds.

"I'm sure if I was Jason Thomas I'd be happy to go on the road," Robinson said. "It's not nice at home anymore. He made some errors against New Mexico but, boy, neither quarterback had much of a chance. There was somebody coming at them every second."

Indeed, Robinson's biggest chore this week may be coming up with a game plan that can disguise his team's glaring shortcomings on the offensive line.

With starting right tackle Keith Kincaid (knee) out at least one more week and backup Zack Gorham (knee) on crutches after getting hurt on the third play of the game, the Rebels had to scramble and move backup center and left tackle Eddie Freas to right tackle.

"Our offensive line pretty much had a collapse in the game," Robinson said. "We had a couple of injuries there and we didn't respond. We weren't running the ball. They put tremendous pressure on both our run and pass offense."

At least Robinson only has to decide whether to play two quarterbacks in Provo. Cougar coach Gary Crowton used four in his team's 52-9 loss at Air Force -- starter Brett Engemann, backup Lance Pendleton, sophomore Todd Mortensen and redshirt freshman Matt Berry.

The Cougars (3-3), who had to rally from a 34-7 halftime deficit to defeat lowly Utah State, 35-34, a week earlier, seemed shell-shocked after the one-sided defeat to the Falcons.

"That was the worst game I've ever been a part of -- junior high, high school or college," Engemann told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I don't know what happened, to be honest. I'm frustrated, just like everybody else."

With the game kicking off at 5 p.m. MST, temperatures figure to dip into the mid 40s by the end of the game.