Tough times, hopefully better times and emerging as a leader

Each week, UNLV junior linebacker Jason Beauchamp drops by to add an installment to his blog at lasvegassun.com/rebels - Judgement Days. This week, Jason reflects on the heartbreaker that was against UNR. He was named the Mountain West Conference's Defensive Player of the Week after recording 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in the game, and now looks ahead to the Rebels' suddenly huge game at Colorado State with a bye week to follow.

Looking back on the UNR game ...

We've got to give them credit where credit's due. They put together a good scheme, and their coaches, they put in a lot of effort and time really looking at our personnel. They took shots at our younger players. We have a true freshman playing at weak side linebacker, we have a (junior college transfer) player playing at strong safety, and they really did their homework, so we've got to give them credit where credit's due.

It was really on us. We didn't make enough changes to their offense as far as I thought. The same on our offense. They made us one-sided as far as running the ball. We'd been successful the past couple games because we had the running game and the passing game working as one, and that makes all the difference, and this past weekend they made us one-sided. I think rushing, Frank (Summers), he's almost averaged 100 yards every game, and they held him to like 30 (Editor's Note: Summers had 20 yards on nine carries). That hurt us there.

Their offense, their quarterback was checking out and killing calls left and right, every time he saw that they had numbers (on the weak side). And also, when they brought me out of the box - I'm new to playing the Sam linebacker position, and I'm playing a lot of the pass responsibility - that was an opportunity where they ran that option.

I think some of the teams we play are going to come back to (the option), but when they come back to it, we'll be ready, because we've watched a lot of film, and those guys, the younger guys, are growing. They know how to play the option now. I guess it's just a huge learning experience, at it will actually help us as far as the Colorado State game.

On to CSU ...

Moving on to Colorado State, they run that traditional offense with a fullback in front of the running back. They run a lot of powers and leads, and they build their entire offense off the run game. You stop the run, you stop Colorado State - That's how I feel. Their quarterback (Billy Farris), he's a consistent quarterback. I think that Colorado State, they're like us - If they have a really good game and they put everything together, they can shock a lot of people. So we can't take them lightly.

In the past, not too many people know, but we haven't won too many games against Colorado State, they have really played up for us in the past. Going into the bye week, it's a huge game. It makes it that much bigger of a game, because going into the bye week, we really need to win as far as our record goes. it looks a lot better as far as getting bowl eligible, going into the bye week being 4-2 rather than 3-3. Really, that helps the momentum as far as the bye week practices, keeping guys' spirits up and keeping guys hoping and believing that there's more to the season than just winning the (Fremont) Cannon. And there's letting the community know that there's more to this UNLV team than the voyage to beat Reno.

We have way bigger goals than that that are way more important as far as for the program. So we hope to continue to get support, and win some of these games so we can take it to the next level. I don't even know the last time UNLV was in a bowl game (Editor's Note: It was following the 2000 season), and it's right there in our hands. We still have a huge opportunity ahead of us. No one should get their heads down. When something happens, you've got to take the next step.

A great example was we've been down before, like at Utah. We came back the next week and pretty much shocked the nation, playing Arizona State and winning. So why can't it be the same thing?

What I learned from last week's game ... and so far this season

Being a leader is not all about when your team is playing well.

I believe a real leader steps up when things aren't looking good all the time. When everything's all right and everything's good. A leader brings you up when you're down, and that's what I was trying to do in this last game against Reno as far as just making plays and trying to get guys hyped, keeping the spirits up on defense.

I never stopped playing, and I played all 60 minutes of that game. I left it all on the field. A lot of it was just being comfortable, too, and playing the position. I've been playing the (strong side linebacker) position longer now, and I think I'm putting my signature on that position. I think I understand the dos and don'ts, putting my own flair into that position. If I'm able to make a play, I'm gonna take it now, because I'm feeling comfortable. I think that was a huge difference.

Now being older, I understand what I'm capable of, what I can and can't do and also just as far as within the scheme, how I can make it my own without breaking the rules and by doing what my coach wants. I think it's all just being an older player and being a leader. That's what the game came to for myself, and that's the reason I played the way I played. And all I can hope is that I continue playing with that mentality, that feeling. I don't want to lose it.

This is Jason Beauchamp, keeping hope alive.