Your questions, my answers

Jason Beauchamp

Friday, Sept. 19, 2008 | 2:17 p.m.

As Saturday's highly-anticipated UNLV-Iowa State tilt approaches, our blogger inside the program - junior linebacker Jason Beauchamp - answers some reader questions.

Q:With all the injuries to the linebackers, are you going to be at 100 percent for this weekend's game? (From Vernon)

JB:Yes. I haven't had any injuries. A couple of nicks and bruises, but nothing I haven't played with before.

So far, really, what the injuries have been doing is made us find ways to overcome it. Our second- and third-string guys had to step up, but what really has helped that situation was just really flipping guys around to play different positions. If you watch, I've played more at defensive end earlier in the season, now I'm playing more linebacker. Ronnie Paulo's playing multiple positions. He usually plays middle linebacker, but every once in awhile he gets a breather or he'll be an extra backer. We're just learning to be versatile, really.

Q:How in the world did all of the other linebackers and defensive ends improve so much from the Utah game to the Arizona State game? (From Vernon)

JB: I wouldn't say necessarily improving, but I would say understanding how important this season is, understanding how much we've invested, and that Utah game was really an eye-opener. It made us feel that we've invested and put in way too much time to have a season that is not exciting and not different from any other year we've been here. It had to be a big year. We've waited, this is the fourth year, and we've waited a long time. The Utah loss shook lots of people and it made a lot of us just wake up because even that Utah game we could have won. We were very capable of winning that game, we just let it slip through our hands.

Q: When you look back on the ASU game 10, 20 years from now, what's the one memory that will stick out? (From Howard)

JB: I would have to say to me, the biggest thing that I'll remember about that game was the support that we had. Like my grandpa, he's getting older and has to be in a wheelchair, and the support. We had a lot of family and friends and students that came out to that game. That game was for our team and for all the supporters. It took a lot of courage to go out there and wear UNLV stuff when we're playing Arizona State and they're favored by 24 points and everyone's hootin' and hollerin' at anyone in UNLV stuff. That's what will really stand out to me.

Q: You had to be impressed with our boy from Gorman, Beau Orth, last weekend, right? Where do you think he fits into your guys' rotation the rest of the way? (From A.J.)

JB: Now that we understand he can play, he's going to get a lot more opportunities at what we call 'dimebacker'. When we're in passing situations, like third-and-longs, when I move down to defensive end, and we need a guy to cover, he'll probably be going in all the time in those situations. Just because of that last game, he'll be getting a lot more playing time.

Q: With the way ASU appeared to be looking ahead to Georgia, how do you guys use that as a lesson and avoid looking ahead to Reno next weekend? (From Chris)

JB: We try to play in a funnel. To tell you the truth, this is how we work and this is how it's always worked at UNLV: I didn't even know we had Reno after this, because we play week to week, day to day. I'm not even worried about the next day, I'm worried about today. As a football player, the only way to live is day -to-day, the way the scheduling is. All we're trying to do is get better. It's not necessarily about the next team we're playing. It's about improving yourself and improving the team so that we can better compete in the more difficult games coming up. We've never been like that, and hopefully we'll never get like that. We've come from a humble background and we're never going to get like that because we're the team people have always overlooked. It's not going to turn around where all of a sudden we become cocky guys, thinking that because we beat Arizona State, we're something special.

Q: We've already seen Phillip Payne emerge as a potential star this year. Who's another freshman or newcomer we haven't heard of yet who could make a similar impact maybe this season? (From Kevin)

JB: As mentioned earlier, Beau Orth. Another guy is Nate Carter, because with regular personnel right now, we'll be playing a lot of 4-3. Nate Carter will be starting at the Will position, and he's done a good job taking on that starting spot. This will be a big week for him, so I'm going to say Nate Carter.

Q: How much revenge do some of the veterans like yourself want this weekend after what happened at Iowa State in 2006? (From Tim)

JB: That night is unforgettable, and we want it bad. Really, that was just a slap in the face, and now what makes it sweet revenge is that what lost us that game, I really believe, was being in their house. Being a Mountain West team in their house. They had support, and now it's in our house. The tables have turned.

Thank you for submitting all of your questions, and remember to check out Jason's blog - Judgement Days - at www.lasvegassun.com/rebels each week for the most inside of inside looks at the UNLV football program.