With start of MWC play, Rebels’ offense looking to get back on track

Jeremy Rincon

Sometimes the best cure for a struggling offense is a bad defense.

Not that the UNLV offense is struggling, exactly — the Rebels just happened to run into a buzzsaw on Saturday at Ohio State. UNLV had averaged 41.5 points and 557 yards of offense per game through the first two weeks of the season before hitting a brick wall in the 54-21 loss at OSU (264 yards of total offense). But thanks in large part to the schedule, the Rebels should have no difficulty getting back on track.

With San Jose State coming to Sam Boyd Stadium this weekend to kick off Mountain West play, another high-scoring performance is in the cards for UNLV. The Spartans rank 126th nationally (out of 130 teams) in total defense, allowing more than 560 yards per game, so this matchup should present a perfect get-well opportunity for UNLV.

At Tuesday’s press conference, head coach Tony Sanchez seemed happy to have Ohio State behind him and San Jose State’s vulnerable defense next on the schedule.

“It’s not going back to the drawing board, it’s coming back to balance,” Sanchez said. “You’re playing one of those teams where you feel like you can move the ball on consistently.”

Balance, in this usage, is a relative term. The Rebels want to be a run-heavy team, but Sanchez went with a pass-first game plan against Ohio State out of respect for the Buckeyes’ fearsome front. San Jose State’s defense hasn’t earned an ounce of respect this season, so expect UNLV to get back to basics on Saturday.

Opponents have averaged 6.0 yards per play against San Jose State, and the Spartans have allowed 5.2 yards per rush (No. 103 in the nation) and 299.8 rushing yards per game (No. 127). It’s the type of porous defense that should have Rebels running back Lexington Thomas salivating.

Thomas has been UNLV’s biggest playmaker this season, with 425 rushing yards and seven touchdowns through three games. The junior is averaging 8.5 yards per carry, so Sanchez will likely lean on Thomas and the offensive line to grind down the San Jose State defense.

“Obviously, when you get Lexington Thomas into space he’s going to make some big plays,” Sanchez said. “The biggest thing, as the season goes on, where you really want to see consistency is the ability to run the football. Defenses tire down, defenses get worn down, people get banged and bruised. We have a big offensive line and a stable running game, and that allows you to win late in seasons.”

A return to a ground-based game plan would also take some pressure off freshman quarterback Armani Rogers, who completed 11-of-19 passes for 88 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions against Ohio State. Rogers is still settling into his role as an offensive catalyst, and the San Jose State defense will undoubtedly give him a chance to make the kind of big plays that were absent against OSU.

Three starts into his college career, Rogers is already feeling more comfortable.

“Just being able to recognize defenses, understanding the concepts that we’re running, getting in and out of the huddle faster, time management, just the more experience you get at quarterback, the more confidence you get,” he said.

UNLV needs its offense to get back to firing at full capacity. The Rebels’ defense has struggled mightily through three weeks (113th in yards per play allowed, 118th in yards per game allowed), so they will need to count on the running game and Rogers’ playmaking ability in order to win games.

Starting this week, Sanchez believes in that formula.

“I like where we are offensively,” Sanchez said. “I think we’re going to have the ability throughout the course of the year to score a lot of points.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.