Cannon fodder

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Oct. 3, 2003 | 10:17 a.m.

You can see them decorating a wall on your left side as you walk through the large scrarlet and gold gates and into the courtyard entrance to the practice fields at UNLV's Bill "Wildcat" Morris Rebel Park.

Three large stone plaques with the scores of the past three Fremont Cannon battles between UNLV and Nevada-Reno. Under each score is the name of every Rebel senior who took part in the victory.

They normally don't get much attention during the season. They're getting a whole lot of attention this week, however, as UNLV (3-1) tries to make it four in a row against in-state rival Nevada-Reno (3-1) on Saturday night at Mackay Stadium.

"I've got to get my name on one of those stones," UNLV starting center Dominic Furio said. "That means a tremendous amount to me. You only get one chance to do it your senior year."

UNLV coach John Robinson decided to start the tradition four years ago. And it's proven to be a big inspiration for his players.

"We're a school that's looking for traditions and things to identify with," Robinson said. "This is one way to record those wins."

"I do look at those plaques," senior wide receiver Michael Johnson said. "I look at those names and remember some of the guys I've played with and some of the fond memories we had together. And I want to have a plaque up there with a winning score for my senior year, too."

If UNLV, which enters the game as a 5 1/2-point favorite, can win on Saturday night, it will match the school's longest victory streak in the series. The Rebels also won four in a row from 1974 to 1977. And for senior players such as Johnson, Furio, Dietrich Canterberry, Andrew Faga, Derek Olsen, Dillon Pieffer, Royce Boone and Sean Mackey, they'll be able to leave UNLV as only the second class to never lose to Nevada-Reno in their four playing years at UNLV.

"It is a little extra incentive, but you can't use that too much," Furio said. "You just have to go in planning to play them like every other team we play and then go out and try and beat them. You can't become too obssessed with all the other stuff."

"Being a senior this year, I can't go out with a (loss)," Johnson, who has caught a pass in 24 consecutive games, said. "We've been winning this game for the other seniors since I've been here. I guess it's time for the younger cats to step up and do it for me this year."

If they do, Johnson will be able to come back to Rebel Park one day and see a plaque with his name on it.

"I've got to get my name on one of those plaques," he said. "That would be really special."