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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, September 15, 2007

Rebels want to control tempo

 •  Work never done for UH Warriors

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

UNLV Rebels

2007 Record: 1-1

Coach: Mike Sanford, 3rd year, 5-20

UH Warriors

2007 Record: 2-0

Coach: June Jones, 9th year, 66-40

Series: UH leads, 11-6 overall; series tied 4-4 in games played in Las Vegas.

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UH GAME ANALYSIS

When: 3:30 p.m. today

Where: Las Vegas, Nev.

Radio: 1420 AM

TV: Pay-per-view, Ch. 255, live; delay at 9:30 p.m. on 005 (K5)

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LAS VEGAS — Nevada-Las Vegas coach Mike Sanford came up with a strategy to counter Hawai'i's high-powered, four-wide passing offense.

Sanford emphasized that UNLV's offense needs to milk the clock with extended grind-it-out possessions and "we've got to have some advantages in special teams."

Then, realizing his plans did not involve any defensive tactics, Sanford said: "I kind of gave you the whole thing, but it really does tie in with stopping their offense."

Indeed, Sanford has learned what others are starting to believe: the best way to slow the Warriors — and their star quarterback Colt Brennan — is to limit their possessions.

Last week, Louisiana Tech built a 14-0 lead when the Warriors had possession for 2 minutes, 7 seconds in the game's first 11 minutes.

"Our offense needs to keep the ball and make first downs and keep their offense off the field," Sanford said.

It won't be easy against UH's defense, which is the leading cause of Battered Quarterback Syndrome. The Warriors hit Louisiana Tech quarterback Zac Champion 16 times in a 45-44 overtime victory. In the end, Champion was too weary to complete the decisive two-point conversion pass.

Here's a look at tonight's game at Sam Boyd Stadium:

HAWAI'I OFFENSE

POS.—PLAYER HT. WT. CL.

LWO—84 Jason Rivers 6-2 189 Sr.

LSB—7 Davone Bess 5-10 195 Jr.

LT—62 Keith AhSoon 6-1 315 Jr.

LG—65 Hercules Satele 6-2 293 Sr.

C—55 John Estes 6-2 292 So.

RG—73 Larry Sauafea 6-2 294 Sr.

RT—78 Keoni Steinhoff 6-3 282 Jr.

RSB—1 Ryan Grice-Mullins 5-11 180 Jr.

RWO—2 C.J. Hawthorne 5-11 168 Sr.

QB—15 Colt Brennan 6-3 201 Sr.

RB—4 Leon Wright-Jackson 6-1 211 So.

RB—21 Kealoha Pilares 5-11 190 Fr.

RB—48 David Farmer 6-1 224 Jr.

Outlook: Football, by design, is a game-long pursuit of mismatches. It is why Louisiana Tech dropped back four defensive backs and attacked with a seven-man front. In football math, that's seven potential pass-rushers against six blockers, if the running back stays home. The Warriors' early problems were in identifying Tech's points of attack. The Warriors want to block the six defenders closest to Brennan. While the Warriors fiddled with their blocking schemes, Brennan went on hot-read alert. Because it is impossible to defend each of the four receivers with single coverage, somebody always will be open, usually on a slant or quick-cut pattern. In reviewing video of the game, the UH coaches were pleased with Brennan's ability to quickly release passes.

Brennan, in particular, has made a connection with Rivers. "We're on the same page," Rivers said. All but one of Rivers' 14 receptions last week came on inside screens or slants. Those are courageous routes, requiring Rivers to run into the teeth of a defense.

"I don't really care," Rivers said of the possibility of being popped. "I can take a hit. Besides, Colt helps us a lot with his ball placement. He doesn't throw it too far ahead. He gives you time to to brace yourself for a hit."

Grice-Mullins, who was named UH's Offensive Player of the Game last week, is cutting as well as he had before suffering an ankle injury during the third game of last season. "I don't worry about that anymore," Grice-Mullins said. "That was a freak accident. You can't do anything to avoid them. I'm fine now. I trained very hard for this season."

HAWAI'I DEFENSE

LE—54 Amani Purcell 6-4 277 Sr.

LE—94 David Veikune 6-3 252 Jr.

LT—96 Fale Laeli 6-1 292 Jr.

RT—67 Michael Lafaele 6-1 302 Sr.

RE—12 Karl Noa 6-4 251 Sr.

LLB—43 Brad Kalilimoku 5-10 221 Sr.

MLB—17 Solomon Elimimian 6-0 218 Jr.

RLB—44 Adam Leonard 6-0 236 Jr.

LCB—23 Gerard Lewis 5-9 175 Sr.

S—35 Keao Monteilh 5-11 193 Jr.

S—31 Jacob Patek 6-0 204 Sr.

RCB—3 Myron Newberry 5-9 174 Sr.

Outlook: The Warriors appear to have settled on a three-player rotation each at corner and defensive tackle. Ryan Mouton will share time with Newberry and Lewis. None is taller than 5 feet 9.

"It's not the size of the dog, it's the fight in him," said Mouton, who was a 5-1, 110-pound starting cornerback in high school.

Mouton was big in comparison to Lewis, who was 5 feet and 100 pounds as a high school freshman. "My first memory of football was in the seventh grade, when the coaches told me I was too small to play," Lewis said. "I still went out for the team. That's how it's been my whole life. I'm always competing."

Laeli, Lafaele and Keala Watson are rotating at the two tackle positions. In obvious passing situations, Veikune, a natural defensive end who benched a team-high 455 pounds, can play tackle. Lafaele, who is a brown belt in karate, joined UH as a freshman center. Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said Laeli is quick enough to play linebacker.

HAWAI'I SPECIALISTS

K—86 Dan Kelly 6-3 212 Jr.

P/H—49 Tim Grasso 5-11 221 Jr.

S—57 Jake Ingram 6-4 234 Jr.

KR—84 Jason Rivers 6-2 189 Sr.

KR—27 Ryan Mouton 5-10 182 Jr.

PR—7 Davone Bess 5-10 195 Jr.

Outlook: Before road or home games, the first players on the field are Kelly, Bess and Brennan. Kelly said he checks the field for divots, and tries to gauge the wind's impact on his kicks. His pre-game routine helped him convert last week's game-tying 49-yard field, when he correctly predicted the crosswind would cause the ball to hook between the uprights.

Bess has vowed to be more aggressive in fielding punts. Despite being the starting punt returner, he had no returns in the first two games, either making fair catches or allowing the punt to bounce.

UNLV OFFENSE

WR—80 Casey Flair 6-1 190 Jr.

IWR—88 Ryan Wolfe 6-1 205 So.

LT—79 Richie Plunkett 6-6 290 Jr.

LG—55 Tim Goins 6-4 295 Sr.

C—59 Joe Hawley 6-3 280 So.

RG—74 Mike McKiski 6-6 310 Sr.

RT—78 Johan Asiata 6-4 325 Jr.

TE—87 Chris Butler 6-3 245 Sr.

TE—84 Rodelin Anthony 6-5 220 So.

WR—1 Aaron Straiten 6-3 195 Sr.

QB—16 Travis Dixon 6-1 190 Fr.

HB—4 Frank Summers 5-10 240 Jr.

HB—20 David Peeples 5-9 205 Jr.

Outlook: It is only fitting that a Sin City team would run an offense known as the "Las Vegas Spread."

Sanford implemented the offensive scheme that helped Urban Meyer earn great success at Bowling Green and Utah, and a national championship and lucrative contract at Florida. Sanford was on Meyer's staff at Bowling Green and Utah.

The spread is a hybrid that employs run-option plays in a four-wide formation with the quarterback in a shotgun. The key is Dixon, an experienced freshman who will throw off sprintouts when he is not keeping the ball on draws or speed-option runs to the perimeter. Dixon is starting in place of Rocky Hinds, who might miss the rest of the season after aggravating a knee injury.

During summer workouts, Dixon recalled, "I was trying to be focused and ready in the chance I would be the starter." Most impressive is the way Dixon eased into a leadership role. Then again, Dixon is not an ordinary freshman. He led his high school team to consecutive Arizona state championships. He grayshirted in 2005, joining the Rebels in January 2006. He redshirted last season. Dixon has participated in two full spring practices and two training camps. "It was a good decision for me," Dixon said of accepting the gray-shirt offer. "It put me in a good position now. It was the right thing to do in the long run."

In one scheme, Flair, Wolfe, Straiten (who can run 40 yards in 4.35 seconds) and Anthony are the receivers. Butler is strictly a blocking tight end. Frank "The Tank" Summers is the Rebels' version of Reagan Mauia.

Asiata is a graduate of National Guard Youth Challenge Academy in Kapolei. He did not play high school football.

UNLV DEFENSE

DE—9 Jeremy Geathers 6-2 245 Jr.

DT—93 Malo Taumua 6-0 295 Fr.

DT—92 Jacob Hales 6-5 290 Jr.

DE—98 Elton Shackleford 6-2 270 Sr.

LB—2 Beau Bell 6-3 245 Sr.

LB—44 Bradley Niles 6-0 245 Sr.

LB—14 Starr Fuimaono 5-11 210 So.

CB—5 Mil'Von James 6-0 210 Sr.

S—8 Daryl Forte 5-10 185 So.

S—23 Tony Cade 6-2 205 Sr.

CB—18 Quinton Pointer 5-9 180 Fr.

Outlook: The label reads 4-3, but UNLV actually attacks out of the 4-2-5 alignment, with Fuimaono playing the "Rebel" position of linebacker/safety. Geathers is the pass-rushing threat; Bell, who mostly plays on the outside, is the playmaker. Bell led the Rebels in tackles last year despite missing the final five games with an ankle injury. James, who started his career at UCLA, and Cade should get the starts ahead of cornerback Geoffery Howard and freshman sensation Shane Horton.

While the Rebels narrowly lost to Wisconsin last week, defensive coordinator Vic Shealy said the Warriors present a more complicated challenge. "In practices, we can't replicate the speed of the Hawai'i receivers," Shealy said. "It's hard to emulate how fast Colt Brennan brings the ball out, or his decision-making process."

UNLV SPECIAL TEAMS

K—10 Sergio Aguayo 6-1 200 Sr.

P—49 Brian Pacheco 5-9 190 Sr.

Outlook: How tough is left-footed Aguayo? He suffered tears to the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus in his left knee. After missing two games last season, he kicked the rest of the season — despite the injuries. He underwent surgery during the offseason.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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