Freshman McDonald vying for starting quarterback job

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005 | 8:32 a.m.

UNLV football fans won't have to wait until next year for their quarterback controversy.

The Rebels' anemic offensive performance Saturday in a 42-7 loss to Air Force has prompted head coach Mike Sanford to allow true freshman Mike McDonald to battle incumbent Jarrod Jackson for the starting quarterback job.

"The quarterback job is open," Sanford said Monday. "Mike McDonald and Jarrod Jackson are competing to be the quarterback this week."

UNLV (2-5, 1-3 in conference) will host Utah (3-4, 1-3) in a Mountain West Conference game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Jackson inherited the starting job three weeks ago after Shane Steichen underwent surgery for a broken finger on his left (nonpassing) hand.

In Saturday's loss at Air Force, Jackson completed 18-of-25 pass attempts for 215 yards. But the Rebels managed only two yards rushing and scored their lone touchdown on a trick play.

"I think that the issue now is (Jackson) has to play better," Sanford said. "He's got to be more decisive, and he's got to play better."

Sanford increasingly has scaled back what he hoped would be a wide-open offense in favor of a more conservative approach since Jackson has been the starting quarterback.

"I think we've ended up being more vanilla (on offense) ... because of a combination of personnel and mistakes," Sanford said.

"One of the things you've got to look at when you put together a game plan -- and when you evaluate when you've made mistakes on offense -- is, is what you're doing too complicated? Do the players understand what you're doing? Do you need to scale back some? We've definitely done that."

McDonald, a 6-1, 205-pound freshman from Burbank (Calif.) High School, warmed up during the second half at Air Force but never made it into the game.

Sanford said he would wait until Friday or as late as Saturday to decide who would start against Utah.

FAMILIAR FACES

Sanford isn't getting overly caught up in Saturday's game against Utah, where he served as offensive coordinator for the past two seasons before landing the UNLV job.

"I think there's obviously some emotion ... involved for me," Sanford said. "But at the same time, my biggest concern right now is our team playing hard and our team playing smart ... and bouncing back from a very difficult loss at Air Force.

"This is all about our players; this isn't about me."

Utah, which went 12-0 last season and finished ranked fifth in the nation after defeating Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl, is 3-4 under first-year head coach Kyle Whittingham and tied with UNLV for last in the conference at 1-3.

ALSO NOTED:

* Utah holds a commanding 9-1 lead in the series with UNLV, including a 63-28 victory over the Rebels last season in Salt Lake City. The Rebels' lone victory over the Utes came in the teams' first meeting in 1979.

* After opening the season with a 3-1 mark, the Utes have lost three consecutive games -- including a 28-19 decision Saturday at home to San Diego State.

* Saturday's game will be televised live in Las Vegas on KTNV Channel 13.