is ineligible for bowl game versus nevada. word is that even the backup is ineligible.
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Time to take Nevada..... Actually no I don't know anything about either team.Comment -
Nevada is live dog that uses the pistol offense. Similar to the shotgun, although the QB is about 2-3 yrds away form center and the running back is behind him. Looks somewhat like the I formation. They were able to hang with Boise and Hawaii.Comment -
I have watched Nevada this year. I follow the WAC a little bit. I think the story regarding their defense is the most important thing to know about this game.
Early in the season they had one of the worst defenses in the country, especially against the run. In October, after their loss to Fresno State -- a game in which Fresno got 8.8 yards per carry against Nevada -- Nevada's coach, Chris Ault, redesigned their defense to better fit the personnel they have. Essentially, they went from a 3-4 defense relying upon speed to a 4-3 defense relying more on strength and setting up more one-on-one matchups in the box. Also, Nevada apparently made good tackling a mantra. The defensive line and linebackers (especially Jerome Johnson, filling in for injured Joshua Mauga) really stepped up. The changes worked. Despite some of the negative chatter about Ault, he knows football, and he wins more than his share. In the next game, Boise State ran well against Nevada, perhaps because the changes needed time to work, and perhaps because Boise State is an awesome football team. After that game, though, Nevada has stopped the run. Here is the key stat: in their first 6 games, the Pack allowed 5.8 yards per carry; in their last 6 games, they allowed 2.4 yards per carry.
This evolution of Nevada's defense, I think, will be the thing most overlooked by people looking at this game. You will read posts about how bad Nevada's defense is, and how bad they are against the run. Take that all with a grain of salt.
Especially if the Lobos are without their workhorse in the backfield, they might find themselves without the running game they are used to, and this might make all the difference. If Nevada can get a few more defensive stops than New Mexico, they will be tough to beat. Their pistol offense is potent both on the ground and through the air.
Nevada barely lost in a heartbreaker to Miami in their bowl game last year. They want to make up for that. And, also, Ault and the team want badly to make a statement, as there has been some criticism this year.
I feel that this is a team that is primed to get a win this weekend as an underdog.Last edited by regularguy; 12-19-07, 07:00 PM.Comment