UNLV-UNM notebook: Randle’s message ignites D-line

By Ryan Greene

Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008 | 2:10 a.m.

The UNLV defense's big men up front, since Day One, have been well aware of the impressive list of Pro Bowlers first-year line coach Andre Patterson taught during his 10 seasons as an NFL assistant.

But an even more personal touch from one of his former pupils prior to Saturday's 27-20 victory over New Mexico served as added inspiration.

Patterson was sent an e-mail during the week from former NFL great John Randle, who recorded 137.5 sacks in a 14-year pro career spent with the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks.

The message was meant to be relayed to the UNLV defensive line, which has struggled for much of the season to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Patterson coached Randle as a Vikes assistant in 1998 and '99.

"All season, we haven't rushed the passer that well, and he sent us an e-mail kind of challenging us to rush the passer this week, and that's just what we did -- we never gave up," said sophomore tackle Malo Taumua. "He said it's all stage fright and you've got to just want it. Everyone wants a piece of it, but do you want a piece of it?"

Taumua, who just like Randle sports No. 93, responded to the message better than anyone, finding his way into the Lobos' backfield on nearly every play en route to four tackles -- two of which were for losses.

He was hardly the only one to step up to the challenge, though. George Fa'avae also created plenty of havoc behind the line of scrimmage, registering five tackles, while Martin Tevaseu came up with a timely sack of Brad Gruner on third-and-12 early in the fourth quarter to set up Deante Purvis' blocked punt that Rodelin Anthony recovered and ran in for the game-clinching score.

Under pressure for much of the night, Gruner was just 11-of-25 for 128 yards and an interception.

Injury updates

The Rebels lost both receiver Phillip Payne and defensive back Lorenzo Bursey Jr. in the first half to injury, and neither returned to action. Payne suffered his second head injury in three weeks after being upended in mid-air after landing awkwardly from going for a grab between two defenders.

Linebacker Ronnie Paulo also left the game after aggravating a knee injury suffered earlier in the season.

Sophomore quarterback Mike Clausen played the entire game, but emerged from the locker room afterward with ice wrapped around his left wrist. But all appears to be fine, as it was just a slight sprain.

Anthony steps up

With Payne out, junior Rodelin Anthony made sure not a beat was missed. Almost to perfection.

Anthony finished the night with three catches for 55 yards and his second touchdown grab in as many weeks. Prior to Saturday, he had just seven catches for 83 yards on the season, but stepped up when he was needed to.

The first occasion was on a fade pass from Clausen just before the half -- Payne's specialty. Anthony, who is UNLV's tallest wideout at 6-foot-5, went up high for the grab one-on-one with a New Mexico defender and made the snag, even with a pass interference flag being thrown against the Lobos.

His longest pickup on the night came via a 28-yard toss by Clausen over the middle on a third-and-9 play in the third quarter. That helped extend the drive on which UNLV took its first lead of the game.

Bell offers some encouragement

Last year's Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, former Rebels and current Cleveland Browns linebacker Beau Bell, spent the night at Sam Boyd Stadium, with the Browns having played on Thursday night. He arrived in town Saturday morning after attending a funeral Friday in California.

He roamed the sidelines before the game and spotted Clausen, who was warming up for his first career start behind center. He also chatted up former teammate and pal Frank Summers and left Sam Boyd Stadium at the end of the night engaged in conversation with UNLV junior linebacker Jason Beauchamp.

He told the UNLV quarterback to just have fun in an effort to ease the tension. Whether Bell's words did the trick or not, Clausen rarely looked nervous or scared in going 17-of-34 for 203 yards and two scores.

As for Bell, it was his first time seeing UNLV in person this season. He said it's been hard to catch most of the games from his new home in Cleveland, due to the difficulty of getting a signal for The Mtn. network, which has carried seven of the Rebels' 10 games this season.

"I try to get it on DirecTV, but I'm facing the wrong way on the satellite," he joked.

Bell, who the Browns selected in the fourth round of April's NFL Draft, has one solo tackle on special teams in three games played this season. He said he loves coming back to Sam Boyd, and Saturday won't be the last time.

"It's a family over here," he added. "I feel like anytime I come back, I can just come back over here and see somebody I know. No matter how bad or how good the football program's doing, I'm always going to be able to root for 'em."

Also on-hand was former Rebel receiver and long-time NFL wideout Keenan McCardell.

Purvis continues to emerge

Mike Sanford has yet to unleash freshman Deante Purvis on defense, but the freshman cornerback continues to make major contributions on special teams. Saturday night was his best showing yet.

Purvis blocked the punt in the fourth quarter, which UNLV turned into a score to go up 27-17. He even made the tackle on the ensuing kickoff.

As the icing on top, he returned three kickoffs for 103 yards -- including a long of 55 -- and a punt for 37 yards.

"Deante Purvis is a 10.7 100-meters guy, and he runs hard," Sanford said. "And some guys just have a knack for running kickoffs back."

Also on hand

Representatives from the Las Vegas Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl were on hand for Saturday night's game.

The Rebels' best shot for a bowl bid, should they finish 6-6, might be the game in Albuquerque played Dec. 20.

For that to happen, not only do the Rebels need to win out, but will probably also need Utah to win out, landing them in the BCS, and Colorado State to drop one of its final two games. The Rams host New Mexico next week, then wrap up their season at Wyoming.

Next up

UNLV now has to deal with a short week for the first -- and only -- time this season, as Wyoming rolls into town for a 6 p.m. kickoff Thursday night at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The Cowboys kept their bowl eligibility hopes alive Saturday with a surprising 13-7 win at Tennessee.

Joe Glenn's club held the Volunteers to just 219 yards of total offense and forced two interceptions in a game that was a true defensive struggle.

Devin Moore, the Mountain West's leading rusher, totaled 98 yards on 32 carries, while Chris Stutzriem was a modest 8-of-16 for 95 yards and a touchdown toss.

This and that

The Rebels four wins give them their largest total since going 6-6 in 2003 ... Ben Jaekle's 52-yard first quarter field goal was UNLV's first in 19 quarters and was tied as the sixth-longest in school history. Jaekle went one-for-three on the night, making him five-of-10 on the year ... Casey Flair pushed his consecutive games with a catch streak to 45 -- still second in the nation behind Rice's Jarett Dillard -- with his two grabs Saturday night ... Ryan Wolfe moved into second place on UNLV's all-time receptions list, now with 191. He's just four behind Flair, who took over the all-time lead against BYU two weeks ago. Wolfe's 100 yards receiving gave him the school record for 100-yard receiving efforts. It was the ninth of his career ... Deante Purvis' 55-yard kick return was the longest by a Rebel since Dominique Dorsey ran one back for 59 yards in 2004 ... Jason Beauchamp's team-high 16 tackles marked the sixth straight game in which he's notched double figures in stops. He leads the Mountain West this season with 117 tackles ...