Nevada's Cordova racks up sacks
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
As a lifelong fan of the San Diego Chargers, University of Nevada football player Jorge Cordova always looks forward to facing the University of Hawai'i and its head coach.
"Whenever I see him across from me on the sideline, I'm like, 'Geez, I can't believe it's June Jones over there,' " Cordova said of the former Chargers head coach. "He was the coach of my favorite team growing up."
In turn, the Warriors, who play Nevada Saturday in Reno, are in awe of Cordova, a defensive end who leads the Western Athletic Conference in sacks (11.5 in 10 games) and fumbles forced (4).
"That guy is a great pass-rusher," said Mike Cavanaugh, who coaches UH's offensive linemen.
"Everyone tells me he's a great player," said freshman left tackle Jeremy Inferrera, who will be matched against Cordova most of the game. "I know they're right."
Cordova's emergence as the Wolf Pack's best defensive lineman is a testament to his selflessness and naivete. As a senior at Maurrieta (Calif.) High in 1999, Cordova was recruited by UCLA, Utah, Colorado, Washington and Fresno State. His final choices were Nevada and Fresno State.
"One of my downfalls was I played the game for fun ... but I never paid attention to college football," he said. "I didn't know who was in what conference. It might have made a difference if I did know all of that."
After his redshirt season in 1999, the entire Nevada coaching staff was fired. Then, before the start of the 2002 season, Cordova was asked to move from linebacker to defensive end. He agreed to the move, even though it likely would downgrade his stock as a pro prospect. At 6 feet 2 and 250 pounds, Cordova is undersized as a defensive lineman.
"The team needed me to move, so I did," he said.
Even against agile tight ends and imposing offensive tackles, Cordova was able to snake his way for a WAC-high nine sacks last season.
Cordova relies on first-step quickness and a work ethic dating to his Pop Warner days. When he first played football, at age 12, he needed to lose 12 pounds to make the 130-pound weight limit in full pads. He chewed gum to induce spitting and wore a trash bag as a poncho. "It helped me sweat," he recalled. "It was a struggle to make that weight every week, but I did it. I don't mind working hard."
This season, Cordova has been able to create chaos by aligning at both ends, although he prefers to attack from the quarterback's back side. With Cordova drawing double blocks, defensive tackle Derek Kennard is freed to power through the inside gaps. Kennard has 10 sacks.
In an upset of Washington last month, Cordova made five sacks and forced a fumble.
The performance allowed Cordova to break out his new sack dance, in which he motions his hand as if he were rolling dice.
"It's good to bring it out a few times," Cordova said. "I don't bring it out too much, but every so often it comes out. We've got two games left. Maybe I can bring it out again."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
