Learning from the past, trying not to duplicate it

By Jason Beauchamp

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 | 1:51 p.m.

We talked so much on Sunday about the Utah game that now we're to a brand new week.

But going back to last week, really, we're going to try to take positives from that game, because there were some positives. That first half, we started fast and made a statement. But we need to understand that we're a blue collar team and nothing comes easy. It's all about who wants it. That's what it came down to. Utah understood that 'This could really happen.' That UNLV could come in there and play. That kind of snapped them into gear, being at home and everything.

So they had their backs against the wall and they reacted. The difference was we didn't react. We didn't complete it. When it's time for the taking - like my coach says 'When it's time to put your foot on the throat' - when it's time to say 'This is ours,' you've got to do it. You either do or you don't. And we didn't.

The first and second halves were totally different. I can say that, of course, Starr Fuimaono and Ronnie Paulo being out did affect that, but there really are no excuses. We really let it affect us more than anything, because that game was in the hands, it was there for the taking, and we just didn't take in the end.

But there's room to grow.

That's the good thing. We understand what we did wrong, we understand what happened in Salt Lake City, we understand how to finish a game and what not to do. That actually taught us what not to do. We were a totally different team in the second half, and that can't happen in the future.

On to Arizona State...

This week will be a big challenge for both the offense and the defense. As everyone knows, Arizona State is a top-ranked team, and many people see that as an opportunity. We're looking at it as an opportunity really just to dream big.

This is a game where, as a small child, you dream about it. When you're in middle school, high school, you say one day you want to play a team like that or be a part of something like that. This is one of those games. I think if everyone realizes that and understands that, this week could be an interesting week for us. It could show the nation what UNLV is really capable of.

With Starr Fuimaono, it's not looking like he'll be back for awhile, so we're really swapping around and changing around a little bit. The good thing about the position I'm in is I'll be playing more linebacker again, and I've played there before. I didn't exactly play what Starr played, but it was very similar. Before I started playing D-end, I was playing his position a little bit and weak side. I don't think it'll be that big of a change in what I'll be doing. The veteran players, who have to switch around, I don't think it'll be that big a deal.

The twos and the threes are getting a big shot this week. For these guys, this is huge. Like Nate Carter, he'll be playing a lot this week. It'll be one of his first games, and it's against Arizona State, which is amazing. But it's a great opportunity. He should feel honored, really. I know that he'll take advantage of that, and I know that we have some younger players on our offense backing up guys like Frank Summers, just a lot of guys you really haven't seen who are going to dream big and want to be part of this Arizona State game.

Watching Arizona State, I feel that on both sides of the ball, they're really just saying 'Hey, we have great athletic ability, and we're playing on that. We're not going to scheme, not run around anything. We have superior athletes, this is how we're going to run on defense and on offense.'

They'll be running zones and stretches and split zones, and when they pass the ball, they take shots. It's not slants and comeback routes. They're taking shots for the end zone every time. They're really aggressive, and I think that they key this week, I feel personally, is really just being technically sound and understanding the scheme and understanding your specific job. I think that's going to play a huge role this week. That's the only way to stop a team. If you're going to just go out there and run with them, you're going to get beat. That's their game - speed and athleticism. The only way to run with them is to not put pressure and send the whole house. Many teams have just tried to overpower them, which I think just isn't going to happen.

I feel the same way about their defense. They have fast, quick linebackers who fill gaps pretty fast, and they pretty much just say 'We have better athletes, this is how we're going to do it, we're going to attack.'

Thanks again...

We love all the support and this UNLV team is a very close team within the community. We'll continue to appreciate the support and hopefully you'll come on this journey with us. It's not just making a name for us, but it's making a name for the town as far as football goes. This is a national game, and we need all the support we can get. Hopefully everyone jumps on board and we can get this thing started off right. The year is still young. There's plenty of football to play, and we'd love the support. It already makes a huge difference with the support we get.

Signing off, this is your defensive-end-converted-back-to-linebacker, Jason Beauchamp, number 33.