Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Pressure on QB Chang helped Rebels’ secondary

Editor's note: The key matchup of each UNLV football game will be previewed in the Las Vegas Sun this season and followed up with after the game by an examination of how it turned out.

Sack dances, like end zone celebrations and just about everything else that looks like fun in college football, is now against the rules. That may explain why UNLV defensive lineman Brian Nicholson didn't pump his fists or beat his chest upon sacking Hawaii's record-setting quarterback Timmy Chang Friday night.

Or maybe it was because he was just too pooped to party.

Chang, who is on pace to break Ty Detmer's NCAA career passing yardage record, attempted 61 passes against the Rebels. On his 45th attempt, Nicholson finally caught up to Chang, tossing him for a 13-yard loss inside of two minutes to play in the third quarter.

UNLV coach John Robinson was right: The Rebels weren't going to sack Chang nine times as they did Wisconsin's Jim Sorgi in a stunning 23-5 upset in Madison the previous week.

But as planned, they didn't blitz the slippery Chang nearly as much as they did Sorgi, who is about as mobile as a stationary bicycle with a flat tire. The UNLV defensive line applied just enough pressure that Chang had to make good reads and good throws to keep Hawaii moving.

In the fourth quarter, when he didn't do either, the Rebels were quick to capitalize, intercepting three of his passes to preserve a 33-22 victory.

"Yeah, maybe it won't get publicized but I turned around and was able to sack him," said Nicholson, who didn't start but was called on early as Dietrich Canterberry, the Rebels' best defensive lineman, sat out with a sprained knee.

"We knew we had to play hard and play fast," said Nicholson, who also received credit for breaking up one of Chang's passes.

But Chang was as elusive as the Rebels were fast. He and Nicholson wound up even, as Chang was able to sidestep Nicholson and blitzing linebacker Ryan Claridge, buying some time that enabled him to find Britton Komine for a 38-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

That was one of the few times that Chang, who completed 37 of 61 passes for 363 yards, was able to scramble around and improvise.

"Hawaii's quarterback, I give him credit" said Rebels defensive end Chris Eagen, who admitted to having trouble hitting the moving target that was Chang.

"He was very, very elusive," added Eagen, chuckling at his inability to get a hand on Chang. "There were times when he'd just stop and turn in the other direction and as a defensive lineman, I just couldn't turn with him like that."

Eagen said the game plan was to contain Chang in the pocket, but that proved to be like keeping a fly within eyesight.

"We had that game plan but there were times when he still got outside," Eagen said. "Like I said, he was very elusive."

But at least the Rebels were able to get to Chang late, which is better than never.

"We really had to have mirrors and patience, because they can be so scary," Robinson said of going against Chang and Hawaii's spread offense.

"Your not going to sack this guy, because they sit back in there and protect him and they grab you. I was screaming for holding, but I was going to have a heart attack screaming about it before I was going to get a call."

But Robinson said Chang is the real deal, and the Hawaii offense is tailor-made for him.

"Timmy, I love that kid," said Robinson, who could be seen trading pleasantries with Chang when the play brought him near the UNLV sideline. "He's a great player."

That's true, although Chang said he didn't feel like one after comitting three of Hawaii's six turnovers Friday.

"I think we turned the ball over too much. I know I had three myself. When you play a good team like UNLV and things like that happen, it doesn't go the way you want it to go," he said, adding that the Warriors might have become too one-dimensional.

"A lot of teams do look for us just to pass and they leave only three or four in the box," Chang said. "Having a good running game and taking pressure off the receivers would be nice."

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