New Mexico game a painful reminder

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004 | 9:49 a.m.

UNLV quarterback Kurt Nantkes has one simple personal goal heading into Saturday's homecoming game against New Mexico.

"I'd like to finish the game," said Nantkes, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior from Aurora, Colo. "I'd like to finish what I started."

It was midway through the second quarter of last year's contest against the Lobos in Albuquerque when Nantkes was knocked out of the game with what would be diagnosed as a dislocated pubic bone thanks to a jarring hit by all-Mountain West Conference defensive end Zach Rupp.

Nantkes was off to the best start of a game in his UNLV career before the injury, having completed 12 of 18 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels were leading, 24-14, when he departed and then held on for a 37-35 upset of the Lobos.

"I think that was one of the better games in my career," Nantkes said. "This time I want to finish it. I know it's going to be a tough game because they're a tough club. They're a good athletic team. They run the same defensive scheme as BYU, but I think they have better athletes. They look good on film."

That means Nantkes can expect lots of blitzes from Rocky Long's trademark 3-3-5 defense. The Lobos are tied for second in the Mountain West Conference with 10th-ranked Utah with 15 sacks this season and have allowed just six touchdown receptions in six games.

UNLV coach John Robinson said the key for Nantkes against the Lobos will be keeping mistakes and turnovers to a minimum.

"When you play anybody who blitzes as much as (New Mexico does) the first thing the quarterback has to do is not lose the game," Robinson said. "When you check the stats for a quarterback after playing against a blitzing team, it's not how many yards did he t hrow for but how many turnovers did he have."

In last week's 24-20 win at BYU, for example, Nantkes completed just 9 of 27 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown. But the one mistake he made -- a third-quarter interception by Cougars linebacker Cameron Jensen -- was a big one. Jensen returned the interception 26 yards for a touchdown that put BYU up 20-14.

"I hate that philosophy (of trying not to lose) as a quarterback," Nantkes said. "I'd rather be out there trying to win the game but not make the mistakes doing it. I think it's more of us trying not to make mistakes than not trying to lose the game."

But considering Nantkes ranks just sixth in the MWC in pass efficiency -- he'd be seventh but Air Force freshman quarterback Shaun Carney doesn't have enough pass attempts to qualify this week -- it would be surprising if the Rebels came out firing on Saturday. Nantkes has thrown more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (4) and already has had two interceptions run back for touchdowns.

New Mexico has two of the best cornerbacks in the conference in junior Gabriel Fulbright, a second-team all-MWC pick last year who is arguably the best cover corner in the league, and senior Brandon Payne, who leads the nation in passes broken up (13) and passes defensed (17) and has a conference-leading four interceptions.

"Their secondary has even better athletes this year than they had last year," Nantkes said. "We know were in for a big challenge this week."