Utah’s array of talent biggest test for Rebels

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Oct. 22, 2004 | 10:20 a.m.

UNLV senior outside linebacker Reggie Butler probably summed up Saturday's game at 9th-ranked Utah best.

"Our defense has a daunting task," Butler said.

That just might be an understatement.

The Rebels (2-5, 1-2) find themselves 24-point underdogs heading north to face Urban Meyer's high-scoring Utes (6-0, 2-0). Utah has won 10-games in a row and leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring (39.2 points per game) and total offense, averaging just a shade less than 500 yards (498.2) per game.

Oh, and the Utes defense, which is allowing just 15.2 points per game, isn't too shabby either.

"I think they're the best team we've played since I've been at UNLV," Rebels head coach John Robinson said. "They're building a whole team that's just about as good as anybody in the country."

Robinson was just getting warmed up.

"They have an outstanding offense," he said. "They remind me a little of USC last year. They seem to score a lot of points quickly and the game is over after about 25 minutes.

"It's going to be a helluva challenge for us."

Butler, who had a team-high 11 tackles in last week's 24-20 loss to New Mexico, said: "They're a great team. I compare their offense easily to the Tennessee team we played (and lost to, 42-17). We're going to go in and give it our best shot."

Junior safety Joe Miklos added: "They've got a lot of weapons on their offense. People always ask about (quarterback) Alex Smith and stuff like that. But he's not the only guy you have to account for. There are other guys who can beat you."

Smith, though, has made his way onto some Heisman Trophy lists as the engineer of Meyer's spread offense. He is completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 1,460 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions while also rushing for 262 yards and seven more touchdowns.

To put that in perspective, Smith in six games has accounted for two more touchdowns (19) than UNLV's entire team has scored (17) in seven games.

Butler compares trying defend Smith and the Utah spread offense to Air Force's option attack.

"It's a lot like playing Air Force because it's very responsibility-oriented," Butler said. "Defenders have to take care of their (assignments) and then you have a good shot. But, just like Air Force, if one of you break down, they can hit you for 80 yards on one play."

Rebels defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson agreed: "They're like an option team but they also throw the hell out of the ball. They run the ball with the dive, then they option off the dive. Then they have their shovel pass which is a triple-option play. ... You don't run into many teams that are option and throw it really, really well.

"It's a unique offense. ... Do you stop the run or do you stop the pass? Where do you try and put you emphasis?"

A good question to be sure. And a daunting one for UNLV's defense.