Mondays with Mike: Questions linger following UNR loss

By Ryan Greene

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 | 2:30 a.m.

Editor's note: Each Monday, UNLV football coach Mike Sanford meets with the media to discuss last weekend's action and next weekend's matchup. So each week the Sun will bring you notes and quotes discussing both.

While UNLV football coach Mike Sanford says this week he is in a vacuum, thinking solely about the Rebels' Saturday night collision with BYU at Sam Boyd Stadium, the hot topic at his Monday meeting with the media still focused on his struggling defense and Saturday's beyond-humbling 63-28 loss to rival UNR.

It dropped the Rebels to 2-3 and put more question marks on a season that at one point harbored heavy postseason hopes. Sanford wasn't offering up too many specifics as to why his defense allowed 773 total yards of offense to the Wolf Pack, allowing a shootout to turn into a lopsided laugher.

"We have spent time yesterday and this morning analyzing what we did in this last game and why things went the way they did," he said. "I'm not going to give you the game plan, I'm not going to give any details, but we know what our problems were, we know what we have to do to fix them and we expect to bounce back."

The most in-depth he got regarding the run defense, which allowed 559 yards and let three different players jaunt for at least 170 yards, regarded gap assignments. He hinted that on the line, part of the reason for UNR finding so much space around the edges — especially on fake handoff runs by Colin Kaepernick — had to do with guys up front extending themselves too much to not only take care of their gap in the offensive line, but also help others.

"There were some things that happened in that game that was each individual guy not doing his job," he said. "The game of football is the most inter-dependent game there is. Each guy has to do his job and he can't do somebody else's job for him."

Sanford also added that he will not be making any changes on his coaching staff leading up to this weekend's game.

Instead, the fifth-year coach said he is sticking his nose further into what goes on with his defensive unit. Following the 2008 season, he said not getting more involved during a crucial five-game mid-season slide was one of his biggest regrets from the 5-7 campaign.

"I'll put it this way: I'm very, very involved," he said, not going into too much detail. "I'm not the defensive coordinator, I'm not calling the defenses, but I am very involved.

"And I'm very involved since Saturday."

As for this Saturday

This weekend will feature an equally dangerous challenge from the multi-dimensional BYU offense.

Everyone knows about senior quarterback Max Hall, but junior tailback Harvey Unga, now back and healthy after missing the season-opening upset of then-No. 3 Oklahoma, has 345 yards and five touchdown runs on just 56 carries this season.

"Two years ago we had them tied at half or maybe it was 14-13, but then they ran the ball in the second half," Sanford said, referring to UNLV's 24-14 loss in 2007, a game in which they trailed at the half, 7-6. "You can't just defend the pass against these guys. We've got to be able to defend the run and Max Hall."

Hall is an interesting case on his own.

The most decorated quarterback currently in the Mountain West, he was brilliant in the 14-13 upset over the Sooners, leading a key fourth-quarter drive that put BYU up for good.

He has completed 68 percent of his passes this year and has 11 touchdown passes to his credit.

But then there's also his 10 interceptions.

Last year — especially in a crucial loss to TCU — he showed that he's prone to make mistakes with heavy pressure in his face.

However, UNLV is tied for 90th out of 120 FBS teams with only seven quarterback sacks through five games.

Home away from home?

One of the great unknowns surrounding this weekend's game is what kind of crowd will show up at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Known as a fickle fan base, the UNLV faithful came out in respectable numbers in big home games against Oregon State and Hawaii earlier this season. However, both opposing teams' fans traveled well, creating a nearly neutral atmosphere.

BYU is known for traveling as well as just about anyone.

"I'm not concerned about that. I've gotta control the things that I can control," Sanford said. "That's out of my control."

Injury updates

Sanford was mum on what his strategy will be this weekend in terms of quarterback play, at least to start the game.

Junior Omar Clayton was held out of Saturday's loss at UNR with a shoulder injury not believed to be serious. In his place, sophomore Mike Clausen was 26-of-50 for 276 yards and a touchdown toss.

"Omar practiced yesterday, will practice this week," Sanford said. "I can't say yet whether he's completely healthy and whether he will start. My guess is that he will play. I don't know what we're going to do about starting. We probably have to make that decision later in the week."

As for senior receiver Rodelin Anthony, who has been out since the Hawaii game with a concussion, he will be a go this week after missing two games. In the season's first three contests, he totaled eight catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior linebacker Starr Fuimaono, who leads the team in tackles with 38, has been diagnosed with a sprained ankle, which took him out of action during Saturday's first half. His status for Saturday is unknown.

Also coming to light is a shoulder injury to highly-touted juco transfer defensive end B.J. Bell, who has yet to see significant time this season. The staff is going to see how the injury plays out and may decide to redshirt him.