Rebels snap 3-game skid, recent trend with Homecoming win against Hawaii

By Taylor Bern

Published Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 | 9:24 p.m.

Updated Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015 | 12:08 a.m.

Eight of the past 11 Rebels teams, and many more before that, never got to this point. Three victories isn’t a sign of greatness, but at UNLV it does show improvement. After a couple of chances to reach that mark slipped away, the Rebels are happy to get there with time left to add a few more wins.

“That number three has been kind of an elusive benchmark,” said coach Tony Sanchez, who took over in December after UNLV’s eighth two-win season since 2003. “… Three’s not the goal, by any means, but we’re getting better. We’re improving.”

On Saturday's Homecoming at Sam Boyd Stadium, UNLV pulled away for a 41-21 victory against Hawaii. The Rebels snapped a three-game losing streak and now have four straight home victories against the Rainbow Warriors, who put up a fight despite dealing with coach Norm Chow’s firing last weekend.

“I gave them everything I got this week — put it all in there, put all the effort into it,” Hawaii interim coach Chris Naeole said. “We didn’t make enough plays today.”

The first half was largely forgettable, although an 85-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Criswell helped inject some life into the Rebels a little before halftime. UNLV came in with a game plan to hammer the run (it worked) and in the passing game senior quarterback Blake Decker wanted to beat Hawaii’s cover 3 defense up the seams, which worked often.

“(Criswell) had his guy by two or three steps and it’s my job to get it to him,” Decker said.

Decker was effective (15-of-24, 258 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) and UNLV’s defense eventually came up with the stops it needed, but the Rebels’ strength all game was the running game. Hawaii’s Paul Harris piled up 190 yards and a touchdown while averaging nearly 10 yards per carry, and the Rebels countered with a pair of running backs, junior Keith Whitely and freshman Lexington Thomas, doing damage all game.

Whitely averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 124 yards, Thomas averaged 7.1 for 120 and both scored touchdowns in the fourth quarter that helped ice the game.

“I felt like I was past due,” Thomas said about his first score since the lopsided Idaho State victory.

The Houston-area pipeline has been very good for UNLV’s backfield. Whitely and Thomas both list Houston as their hometown, and freshman Xzaviar Campbell, who scored the first touchdown of the game, is from nearby Bellaire, Texas.

All of them follow in the footsteps of Tim Cornett, a Galena Park, Texas, native and UNLV’s all-time leading rusher. Thanks largely to receivers coach Cedric Cormier, the only staff holdover from Bobby Hauck, and running backs coach Jamie Christian, who spent the past three seasons at the University of Houston, the Rebels are in position to keep that pipeline open for years to come.

UNLV hopes another Texan would like to join its backfield soon as junior college quarterback Richard Lagow, a Plano native who’s playing for Cisco (Texas) Junior College, was at the game for an official visit. Lagow is listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, and he’s one of a few options the Rebels are looking at for next season.

This season still has three games, though, and while it’s unlikely to happen because it requires them to win out, the Rebels are still playing for a bowl bid. That was one of their preseason goals, and until it’s over, Sanchez will believe it’s attainable.

“We know what’s at the end if we continue to do it, but (there's) no point in talking about that final number,” he said.

Instead, Sanchez wanted to talk about the players. Junior Tau Lotulelei, a Hawaii native, led the team with 12 tackles in a big of a revenge spot for last year’s loss, freshman defensive back Tim Hough made his third interception of the season, and sophomore Devonte Boyd finished with six catches and a touchdown in his sixth career 100-yard receiving game.

The Rebels were feeling great after winning the Fremont Cannon, and since they had lost two games in which they led in the fourth quarter, then couldn’t hang with Boise State. The loss at Fresno State, especially, feels like an opportunity wasted, but the focus on campus has been on the opportunities still available.

This was one of them, and as a nearly 10-point favorite against a Division I-A for the first time since 2010, the Rebels took care of business. They have done better than eight recent teams before them, including last year’s version, and it’s not over yet.

“Honestly, I’m just happy for our guys,” Sanchez said. “They’ve worked so darn hard. Tonight is a night for these guys to go home and feel real good about their work and their effort.”

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.