Take Five: A closer look at UNLV vs. Idaho

By Ryan Greene

Friday, Sept. 17, 2010 | 2:15 a.m.

It's been the assumption of observers since long before the 2010 UNLV football season began that the third game on the schedule — this Saturday's 7:30 p.m. contest at Idaho — could very well indicate just what this year is viewed as.

Few thought the Rebels would take down either Wisconsin or Utah in the first two weeks, but UNLV showed significant growth in the intangible areas so far under first-year coach Bobby Hauck.

Now, those minor improvements have to translate into wins.

Should UNLV (0-2 overall, 0-1 Mountain West) take down Idaho (1-1) this weekend, it gives the Rebels a legitimate jumping-off point into the next portion of its schedule, with MWC cellar dweller New Mexico coming to Sam Boyd Stadium next weekend. There is a opportunity at hand to build a good amount of momentum before rival Nevada-Reno comes to Sam Boyd Stadium on Oct. 2.

If the Rebels stumble to 0-3, local interest could take a major hit with 10 games still left to be played.

This is, however, UNLV's most winnable game to date on the docket. Here's a closer look at the match-up between the Rebels and Vandals.

1) Running relief?

UNLV took its lumps in the first two weeks of the season against Wisconsin and Utah, and against an Idaho defense that has surrendered 508 rushing yards in two games so far this season, the Rebels might find a way to better establish their run game.

Of course, 360 of those came last weekend in a 38-17 road loss to Nebraska, and there's no shame in that for Idaho. But a week earlier, North Dakota, in a 45-0 Idaho win at the Kibbie Dome, was able to average a solid 4.5 yards per carry.

Through two games, Idaho's run defense ranks 114th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision programs (UNLV is ranked 100th). That could be looked at as a sign of relief for Hauck, who is trying to establish a more balanced offensive attack with his team after the Rebels ran the shotgun spread in recent years under Mike Sanford.

So far, UNLV's leading rusher is starting quarterback Omar Clayton, who has 87 net yards on 19 attempts. Among the four running backs rotating in the lineup, only one has a per-carry average of more than 3.6 yards. That distinction belongs to speedy freshman Tim Cornett (7.6), whose average is helped greatly by a 27-yard run in the closing portion of a 41-21 loss to Wisconsin.

In other words, the group is looking for a pick-me-up. C.J. Cox has just 56 yards on 21 carries, Bradley Randle has 32 yards on nine totes and Channing Trotter, who was the team's leading rusher a year ago, has only nine yards on six attempts.

The toughest piece of Idaho's defense that the Rebels will have to deal with, both in passing and running situations, is fifth-year senior safety Shiloh Keo. The 2009 first team All-WAC performer already has done a bit of everything in 2010, with 13 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions to his credit.

2) Enderle in need of a bounce-back

Though a 38-17 loss at Nebraska is looked at by some as respectable, considering how strong the Huskers are this season, Vandals senior quarterback Nathan Enderle would probably rather do nothing more than just forget about it.

His performance (16-of-31, 141 yards, 1 TD, 5 INT), was nowhere near being indicative of just how dangerous he is.

In leading the Vandals to a 8-5 record and a Humanitarian Bowl victory a year ago, the 6-foot-5 North Platte, Neb., native threw for 2,906 yards, 22 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

He's seasoned, too, with 7,222 yards and 55 touchdown passes to his credit in 34 career games.

Neither of UNLV's first two opponents have tried to do too much on the Rebels in the passing department, but Wisconsin and Utah combined to complete 28 of 40 passing attempts, which equates to a stellar 70 percent completion rate.

The Rebels also have yet to record a sack this season. If that trend continues, Enderle could be in a nice spot to rebound comfortably from one of the more horrific starts of his career.

3) Coaching connections and storylines

No staff UNLV has gone up against so far this season will have known Bobby Hauck better than Idaho's.

Steve Axman, who is the Vandals' offensive coordinator, hired Hauck in 1993 as an assistant coach, giving Hauck his first full-time college coaching gig. Axman, oddly enough, would later be hired as an assistant to Hauck at Montana in 2006 before later moving on to join Robb Akey in Moscow, Idaho.

Another former Hauck assistant can be found on Idaho's staff, too, in receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Luther Carr, who coached Montana's running backs and receivers from 2003-06.

The most intriguing storyline, though, involves Akey.

After going 3-21 in his first two seasons at Idaho and 1-15 in Western Athletic Conference play, he pulled off quite the turnaround a year ago by going 8-5 and winning the bowl game. He appears to have a strong team again in 2010.

However, he had an interest in the vacant UNLV job following the 2009 season, and if he's harboring any grudges against the school for going in another direction, this would be an opportunity to hand out some revenge of sorts.

4) Local looking for a boost

A potential thorn in UNLV's side is Idaho junior receiver Preston Davis — a Shadow Ridge High product who missed the Nebraska game due to injury and recorded just two catches for 24 yards in the season opener.

However, Davis carries with him big-play potential. It's been almost two full years since he's caught more than four passes in a game, but he closed last season with a four-catch, 119-yard performance against Bowling Green in the epic 43-42 victory in the Humanitarian Bowl. He also caught the game-winning two-point conversion pass from Enderle with no time remaining.

When healthy, he's been a favorite target for Enderle and will certainly get plenty of looks against his hometown school.

5) Equal importance

This game means just as much to both teams in the sense that it has the potential to be a springboard of sorts.

For UNLV, after two one-sided losses, the Rebels have a golden opportunity to even out their win-loss record with a win at Idaho, then a home date against arguably one of the 10 worst teams in the FBS — New Mexico. If that scenario played out, it would give a big boost to local interest in the team and create a ton of momentum moving forward in a town that always craves a winner.

On the other side, Idaho returns from a beating at Nebraska with a favorable stretch staring the Vandals in the face. After Saturday, they will hit the road for three in a row, but will have good chances to win all of them against Colorado State, Western Michigan and Louisiana Tech, followed by a home game against WAC weakling New Mexico State.

For UNLV, it isn't just the most important game of the season because it's the next one on the schedule, but because a win could end up going a long way.