Rebels special teams nothing special

Returning punts, kicks, and covering them hurt in setback to Boise State

BOISE, Idaho — Five takeaways from the UNLV football team’s 42-25 loss to No. 22 Boise State on Friday night:

1. SPECIAL TEAMS ESPECIALLY BAD

The Rebels have struggled to return punts and kicks and to cover them this season. The Broncos had 60 yards of punt returns all season before Cedrick Wilson’s 73-yard punt return in the first quarter set up Jeremy McNichols’ 6-yard touchdown on the next play. Wilson also had a season-high 44-yard kickoff return at the end of the first half that led to a missed 28-yard field goal try. Incredibly, UNLV has minus-1 yard on 12 punt returns this season, which ranks next to last in the nation. The Rebels, who gave up a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown to Wyoming, is 94th in punt return defense (9.86). UNLV is 84th in kick returns, averaging 19.95 yards, and 118th in kick return defense (24.95). Evan Pantels also had a 27-yard punt partially blocked in the third quarter and Alex Mattison scored on a 3-yard run three plays later to put Boise State ahead 28-10.

2. NO FANCY PASSING The loss of Devonte Boyd — the fourth Rebels starting receiver to suffer a season-ending injury this year — left UNLV without a viable wideout. The Rebels fielded four freshmen receivers against the Broncos with a combined career total of 22 catches for 277 yards and four scores — or about what Boyd produced in his last two games (16 catches, 263 yards). Kurt Palandech was 9 of 19 for 68 yards before completing a 45-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Price with 1:41 left. UNLV receivers combined for three catches for 20 yards, with backup quarterback Dalton Sneed leading the way with a 10-yard reception.

3. IT KEEPS YOU RUNNING

The Rebels’ vaunted rushing attack, which was ranked 14th in the nation (252.7 yards per game), was held to 189 yards less than a week after punishing Wyoming for 401 yards on the ground, the sixth-highest total in school history. With running back Lexington Thomas out for the second straight game with a sprained ankle, Palandech led the way with 64 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Xzaviar Campbell added 60 yards and Charles Williams 50 for UNLV, which was held to 4.3 yards per carry. The good news for the Rebels is that UNR is last in the country in rushing defense (299.3).

4. TROY HAWTHORNE FORCES ISSUE

The senior safety forced two of Boise State’s four fumbles and recovered the only one it lost to set up an early field goal by Pantels for a 3-0 lead. Hawthorne is tied for fourth in the country in forced fumbles this season, with five, and is tied for third in fumbles recovered with two. He’s second on the team in tackles (92), third in tackles for loss (4½) and has one of UNLV’s five interceptions.

5. FIGHT TO THE FINISH

The Rebels could’ve easily packed it in after their Oct. 29 loss at San Jose State left them at 3-6 with three games left in the regular season. But UNLV (4-7, 3-4 Mountain West) stayed committed under second-year coach Tony Sanchez and responded with its best effort of the season in its incredible 6966 triple-overtime win over Wyoming. Likewise, the injury-depleted Rebels could have folded against the heavily-favored Broncos (10-1, 6-1) after falling behind 21-3 and 35-10. But they refused to relent and instead finished strong, with Palandech firing a 45-yard touchdown strike to Price with 1:41 left and running for the 2-point conversion for the final 17-point margin.

UNLV easily covered the 29-point spread on Boise State’s trademark blue turf after losing by 28 to the Broncos last season in Las Vegas. The Rebels can finish the season strong with a win over UNR, which would give UNLV five wins for only the second time in the last seven seasons and enable it to keep the coveted Fremont Cannon in back-to-back years for the first time since 2004.