Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV Football:

Blog: Defense solid for stretches of UNLV’s 28-7 loss at Michigan

UNLVGame3

David A. Cleveland / Special to the Sun

UNLV QB Blake Decker, 5, avoids being sacked by Michigan DT Matthew Godin, 99, during their game at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, September 19, 2015.

Updated Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 | 12:03 p.m.

UNLV at Michigan

UNLV coach Tony Sanchez watches his team warm up before their game at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, September 19, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Michigan 28, UNLV 7

Game over

The final score isn't that bad, so the defensive performance plus the scoreboard offer reasons to feel that today went OK for UNLV.

The offensive stats tell a different story, but that was always going to be a struggle and in a game only extreme loyalists ever expected the Rebels to win I imagine most choose to focus on the positives heading into a winnable stretch of games. Senior quarterback Blake Decker went 8-of-16 for 96 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown, while sophomore Kurt Palandech finished 6-of-10 for 47 yards.

Meanwhile, the Rebels' defense, particularly guys like Blake Richmond, Mike Hughes and Peni Vea, had another strong showing. They made multiple short yardage stops, they tipped balls, they hounded receivers and overall they looked like a unit that can help win games if the offense doesn't keep burying them.

Next week's opponent, Idaho State, lost 52-0 at Boise State last night although that game was close near halftime. Either way it should be a much different experience for UNLV, which goes from the largest crowd to ever watch the program (108,683) to what they hope is the start of their real season.

Check lasvegassun.com later tonight for a full report from Ann Arbor.

The Rebel Room

Less Than a Full Deck(er)

Las Vegas Sun sports editor Ray Brewer and writers Case Keefer and Taylor Bern discuss UNLV's situation at quarterback after Blake Decker went down in the Rebels' loss to UCLA.

The skies are clearing a bit and tailgating is full in effect with thousands around The Big House. As expected it’s no joke around here. There’s a stage, many trailers with every conceivable added feature plus maize and blue paint jobs and each set up looks better than the last.

That atmosphere is a big reason for even doing this game, although there are also $1 million other reasons. If Michigan matches last week’s attendance it will be the largest crowd to ever see a UNLV football game, making it an experience worth remembering for the players even if the outcome mirrors the point spread — Michigan minus-35 as of Saturday morning.

The game kicks off at 9:01 a.m. Las Vegas time and will air on Big Ten Network.

Although there’s still one more nonconference game next week against Idaho State, today marks the end of a segment of UNLV’s season, one that had the theme of survival. The coaches don’t necessarily think this way, but from the outside looking at the schedule the key has been to get through today relatively healthy and capable of moving on to more winnable games.

How well UNLV has done at staying healthy depends on the status of senior quarterback Blake Decker, who was limited in practice this week after exiting in the first quarter against UCLA with a groin injury. Sophomore Kurt Palandech has been listed as the starter all week and he’ll probably get the start, so the question becomes what UNLV does after that.

Health has been good throughout the rest of the roster, and having Decker back for next week and the rest of the season would seem to be more important than rushing him back in a tough spot today.

But we’ll see. UNLV’s defensive numbers are ugly but that unit has played really solid first halves the past two weeks, so if they manage to do it again and Decker is close to 100 percent it would probably be hard for coach Tony Sanchez to keep his best quarterback on the bench.

And from a fan’s perspective there are some who would prefer UNLV throw everything it has into this game rather than saving itself for the weak Mountain West. I think the Rebels will do that — fake punt? onside kick? something’s going to happen — and it’s a question of whether that will include Decker.

Bern’s prediction: I wouldn’t be surprised to see Decker come on in relief and, if the game is close at halftime, for possibly more than that. Personally I’d pull Dalton Sneed’s redshirt because I think UNLV will need a quarterback later in the season too but short of that I’d just roll with Palandech, take my lumps and move on to the more important part of the season. Michigan 50, UNLV 13

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

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