Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
More than 30 is new 30 for UNLV offense
If there is one area in which UNLV quickly improved when coach Tony Sanchez took over after the 2014 football season, it was the ability to score.
The Rebels immediately averaged a touchdown more per game, then cracked the 30-point average barrier the following season for the first time since 1980. Last season was a bit of a step back
at 28.8 points per game, but still was among the top scoring seasons in recent history.
Now the Rebels could — perhaps need to given the questions that remain about their defense — go well
past a 30-point average this season, which begins Sept. 1 at Southern California.
They return a quarterback who was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, a running game led by a back who could become the school’s all-time leading rusher, a group of receivers that has shown promise in training camp and a line that is experienced and deep.
“We’ve been right at that 30 mark since we’ve been here,” Sanchez said. “We’ve been explosive consistently, but we also have moments of being stale. I think if we can get rid of some of those lapses, there’s no reason we can’t push into the mid and highs (30s) and low 40s.”
As for some of those “stale” moments last season, UNLV managed just 284 yards in a 41-10 loss to San Diego State, committed two costly turnovers in a 31-21 loss to Brigham Young and scored only a field goal in the second half of a 23-16 defeat at UNR.
The Rebels were second in the Mountain West with 427.1 yards per game but sixth in scoring average.
“Sometimes we can be more aggressive in play calling,” Sanchez said. “We’ve got to do a better job of putting our foot on the pedal, but part of that’s youthfulness. You look at our twodeep right now, we have 18 underclassmen on offense, and all of them have played. So we’re an experienced group but still a young group.”
The Rebels have relied on the offense for most of their victories under Sanchez, and they hope the defense will improve enough under first-year coordinator Tim Skipper to relieve some of that pressure.
But there is no reason UNLV shouldn’t again be one of the Mountain West’s top offenses.
Sophomore quarterback Armani Rogers returns after passing for 1,471 yards and rushing for 780, the latter a freshman record for a Rebel at any position. If he elevates his 52.4 completion percentage, UNLV would be even tougher to stop.
Senior running back Lexington Thomas rushed for 1,336 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He is 1,250 yards from becoming UNLV’s career leader. Thomas, though, could have a tough time getting there given the depth at the position, but getting worn down shouldn’t be an issue.
“Whenever anybody in the game gets tired, we’ve got another fresh one that can come in the game and do the same thing the previous one was doing,” Thomas said.
UNLV need to replace leading receiver Devonte Boyd (34 catches for 612 yards), but the next three at the position return. Plus, sophomore Drew Tejchman and freshman Tyleek Collins have made big plays in training camp.
Then there is the line, which returns four starters and is among the conference’s best.
“I feel like 30 points per game is a good goal for us,” Rogers said.