Rebels follow similar script

For one game, the Idaho Vandals and UNLV Rebels couldn’t have been more alike.

Both dug double-digit holes in the first quarter, though Idaho dug faster, falling behind 14-0 in the first 69 seconds. Both showed flashes on offense and defense. Both had positives in the kicking game, but each missed a PAT.

Both teams, picked to finish last in their respective conferences, rallied to push heavily favored opponents on the road before losing.

“It was a heartbreaking loss for us,” said UNLV first-year coach Mike Sanford, whose Rebels fell behind 17-0 in the first quarter and lost 24-22 to New Mexico. “We struggled at the beginning in every phase. We came back in the second half and … we put ourselves in position to win the game, but we had a variety of mistakes.”

Sound familiar? Idaho, which visits UNLV at 7 p.m. Saturday, twice closed within five points before losing 38-26 to Washington State.

Sanford, like Idaho’s Nick Holt, inherited a struggling program. The Rebels haven’t had a winning record in the Mountain West Conference since 2000. UNLV has been better than .500 in conference only once since 1994, when the Rebels were in the Big West.

But the Rebels appear much improved from last year’s 2-9 outfit. They held New Mexico’s DonTrell Moore to 39 yards on 16 carries. In 2004, Moore ran for 167 yards against WSU and 141 against the Rebels.

“I’m very impressed with what coach Sanford has done in an extremely short period of time,” New Mexico coach Rocky Long said.

UNLV operates out of a 3-3-5 or 4-2-5, meaning there’s usually a fifth defensive back in the game. Safety Joe Miklos, the team’s leading tackler in 2004, is UNLV’s only preseason All-MWC pick. Beau Bell, who saw time as a true freshman last season, is the only returning linebacker who has made a tackle in a UNLV uniform. Cornerback John Guice was a J.C. All-American last season.

As well as the defense played for three quarters, Sanford was hired for his offensive mind.

The former Utah offensive coordinator helped Urban Meyer design the potent Utes’ offense that is sprouting at several other schools this season, including UNLV and Nevada.

It’s informally known as the shotgun spread.

“There are some similarities to what we did at Utah,” Sanford said. “The main two is that we’re shotgun and we’re a spread offense. The thing that makes it unique is the fact that we combine a normal shotgun run game with option football and passing. A lot of people say that you can’t execute all three, but that is something we’re trying to get done.”

UNLV gained 363 yards, including a career-high 227 yards passing by quarterback Shane Steichen. Donell Wheaton was the primary target with nine receptions. The Rebels will use the tight end, contrary to the Utah system, and they have high hopes for tight end Greg Estandia, who had just two catches against New Mexico.

Starting tailback Erick Jackson, a backup for three seasons, ran for 61 yards and one touchdown. He’s backed up by Ohio State transfer JaJa Riley.

“They’re possibly more explosive than we were last year,” Holt said. “They have some nice athletes. If you let them, they can get out and do some damage.”

One crazy quarter

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas – unless it goes directly into the NCAA record book. Idaho visited UNLV in 1994 and dominated the Rebels – for three quarters. In the fourth quarter, UNLV sent reporters into re-write mode and researchers scouring the NCAA record books.

In the final period alone, UNLV’s Jason Davis was 28 of 41 for 347 yards, all NCAA records.

UNLV ran an NCAA-record 41 offensive plays in the fourth period. Randy Gatewood caught 23 passes, another NCAA mark. Davis (381) and Jared Brown (254) each passed for more than 250 yards, only the third time that’s happened in NCAA history.

When the last of the 1,321 combined yards was gained, Idaho had seen most of a 45-10 erode before taking a 48-38 victory.

The Vandals rushed for 423 yards, led by Sherriden May and current offensive coordinator Joel Thomas.

“I remember having a lot of young guys in, backups, and (UNLV) getting a bunch of big plays and that receiver having a heck of a second half,” said Idaho coach Nick Holt, who was the Vandals defensive coordinator in 1994.

UNLV went on to win seven games, including a 52-24 rout of Central Michigan in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Vandals finished 9-3, losing in the I-AA opening round to McNeese State in John L. Smith’s final game as Idaho’s coach.

Notes

Comcast, in cooperation with Adelphia Cable, will televise four Idaho games on ACE-TV, channel 12 in Spokane and channel 18 in Coeur d’Alene. The games are: Saturday at UNLV, 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 vs. Hawaii, 2 p.m.; Oct. 29 at New Mexico State, 7 p.m.; and Nov. 12 vs. Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m. … Idaho coach Nick Holt again declined to name a starting quarterback Tuesday but might have tipped his hand on Sunday when he said, “We don’t need to make a decision today, but you saw it.” Steven Wichman replaced Michael Harrington against WSU and threw for 143 yards and one TD. … Holt began his collegiate coaching career at UNLV as a graduate assistant in 1987 and was promoted to linebackers coach by then Rebels head coach Wayne Nunnely. … Holt had mixed opinions of Idaho’s running game, which produced just 86 yards against WSU. Rolly Lumbala was solid picking up blitzes, but Jayson Bird was a “little hesitant” and needs to “cut it loose,” Holt said. Antwaun Sherman, who fumbled on a kick return, also had several missed assignments in 10 snaps at running back. “Too many times we were tackled by one guy and our yards after contact weren’t as good as we expect,” Holt said.