It comes to pass for UNLV

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Oct. 18, 2002 | 10:06 a.m.

NEXT UP

What: UNLV at BYU

When: Saturday, 4 p.m.

Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

TV: KLAS, Channel 8

Radio: KBAD 920-AM

Line: BYU by 11.

UNLV's secondary played well in victories over Nevada-Reno and Kansas this season. And it also played poorly in losses to Oregon State and Wisconsin.

But for the Rebels (2-4, 0-1) to have any chance at keeping their slim bowl hopes alive, the secondary is going to have to come up big the next three weeks.

Starting with Saturday afternoon's game at BYU, the Rebels play the top three passing attacks in the Mountain West Conference on consecutive Saturdays.

Defending MWC champion BYU (3-3, 0-1), despite a revolving door at quarterback, still ranks 14th in the nation in passing offense with an average of 287.7 yards per game.

The Rebels travel to San Diego State (1-5, 1-0), which is the nation's No. 5 passing squad (353.8 yards per game) next week.

Then its home to host Wyoming, which is averaging a solid 224.3 yards through the air and ranks third in the Mountain West Conference in that category.

"All three are going to be putting it up," UNLV coach John Robinson said.

The Rebels rank second in the MWC and 62nd nationally in pass defense allowing an average of 212.8 yards per game.

"We've played some similiar passing teams, like Reno," senior cornerback Jamal Wynn said. "BYU likes to run a lot of spread offense which is good for the defensive backs because it gives us more opportunities to make plays."

"(BYU) is similiar to Reno in some ways, but BYU runs the ball better than Reno does," Rebels defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson said. "They do more things, too. There's not much option with Reno."

The Cougars are led by one of the conference's top wide receivers in senior Reno Mahe, who has 28 receptions for 378 yards (13.5 avg.) and one touchdown. Mahe had seven catches for 65 yards in BYU's 35-31 come-from-behind victory over the Rebels last year at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"He's really quick," Wynn said. "They always try and get him the ball. He's their go-to guy. And he can make things happen."

UNLV might have a slight advantage on defense against the Cougars. Redshirt freshman Matt Berry, who came off the bench to complete 6-of-8 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in BYU's 52-9 loss at Air Force last week, will be making his first college start against the Rebels.

"Six-of-eight is not bad in your first game," Bradeson said.

But BYU players seemed surprised that Crowton benched junior starter Bret Engemann in favor of the unproven Berry this week. Engemann has put up respectable numbers this year, completing 109-of-199 passes (54.8 percent) for 1,221 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

"I don't know," Mahe said this week when asked why Engemann lost his starting job. "I guess the offense just wasn't clicking so the coaches thought they had to make a quarterback change. ... I'm excited for him (Berry), but I'd hate to be in his position because there's a lot of expectations."

"I think there's an intense pressure on any quarterback at BYU," Berry told the Provo Daily Herald. "Especially in this kind of unique situation, I think there'll be some more."

It's up to Wynn and company to turn up the heat even higher on Saturday.