High Five: Breaking down everything Scarlet and Gray for the 2022 season

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022 | 2 a.m.

UNLV enters the college football season with a decent chance to secure its first .500-or-better record in three seasons under coach Marcus Arroyo and reach a bowl game for the first time since 2013. Here are some of the questions the Scarlet and Gray need answered, players they hope will emerge and games they must win to achieve those goals.

5 quarterback questions

1. Is Doug Brumfield the man? He certainly looked like it last year when he took over the starting job in the second half of last season’s opener, but injuries felled Brumfield after just three games. At 6-foot-6, Brumfield possesses the strongest arm on the roster and is the most capable runner. After briefly exploring the transfer portal in the spring, the sophomore has looked spectacular in training camp. Brumfield has been listed at No. 1 on the depth chart through the offseason, and now it looks like he’ll get first crack at quarterbacking this team.

2. Can Harrison Bailey win the job? Bailey was the favorite to start after transferring in from Tennessee during the offseason, but so far, he hasn’t been able to unseat Brumfield. It’s not for a lack of effort, however; Arroyo has commended Bailey’s study habits and work ethic since joining the program. Bailey has vowed not to let up even if he’s not named the starter for Week 1.

3. What about Cameron Friel? Normally, when a quarterback wins the conference Freshman of the Year award, the runway is cleared for him the following season, and expectations are through the roof. But Friel seems to have taken a back seat in the quarterback group despite his better-than-solid showing down the stretch last year. It’s a testament to the fact that, for once, UNLV seems to be in good shape at the sport’s most important position. For now, Friel is depth—and that’s a positive development.

4. Who has the best chance of staying healthy? This might end up being the deciding factor in which quarterback eventually earns the full-time gig. Brumfield has a slender build and got brutalized in his limited playing time last year; Friel also got banged up and had to limp to and from the huddle on several occasions. Bailey is an unknown when it comes to durability. Considering UNLV’s uncertain offensive line, whichever passer can take a licking and keep on ticking might be the best option.

5. Last-minute decision? Arroyo isn’t the type of coach to go around announcing things, and he has traditionally kept his quarterback decisions to himself for as long as possible. So unless there’s a sudden shift in philosophy, don’t expect to know who UNLV’s starting quarterback will be until he runs onto the field for the opening series August 27 against Idaho State.

5 Nonquarterback players to watch

1. Ricky White, wide receiver. The sophomore transfer from Michigan State has been uncoverable in training camp, racking up big gains no matter which quarterback has been throwing to him. But there’s a little extra chemistry with Bailey—the two were high school teammates at Marietta High just outside of Atlanta.

2. Kyle Williams, wide receiver. White isn’t the only downfield threat on the roster. The speedy Williams looks poised to emerge as a gamebreaker after a so-so sophomore campaign. It’s been a long time since UNLV has fielded a fearsome passing attack, but this could be the year behind Williams and White.

3. Aidan Robbins, running back. A transfer from Louisville, Robbins has the unenviable task of succeeding UNLV’s all-time leading rusher, Charles Williams. UNLV won’t run the ball as much as it did year, when Williams was the focal point of the offense, but Robbins has an intriguing power/speed combination.

4. Adam Plant, defensive end. The Bishop Gorman High product is the leader up front on defense, coming off a junior season where he had 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Defense won’t be the calling card for the Scarlet and Gray, but the 6-foot-5, 260-pound senior gives the team some muscle not to get trampled.

5. Nohl Williams, cornerback. Someone has got to take control in the secondary, and Williams has the best chance. He’s going into this third year as a starter, and had one interception to go with three pass deflections last year.

5 games that will make or break the season

1. vs. Idaho State (August 27). It’s the only unlosable game on the schedule.

2. vs. North Texas (September 17). The October 22 date at Notre Dame is the highlight of the nonconference schedule, but this is the more winnable game to give UNLV its best chance to finish above .500 outside of the Mountain West Conference.

3. at San Diego State (November 5). UNLV somehow always seems to play San Diego State tough, including springing its share of upsets, and it needs to steal this road contest—or one like it—to claw its way to bowl eligibility.

4. at Hawaii (November 19). UNLV closes the season with back-to-back winnable games, so if it has four victories by the time it heads to the islands, bowl hopes will be alive and kicking.

5. vs. UNR (November 26). On paper, UNLV has a better team than its archrival for the first time in years and currently sits as a 2.5-point favorite in the Fremont Cannon game, in which a bowl berth could be on the line.

5 key decisions

1. Choosing the right QB. UNLV botched this decision last year by going with Justin Rogers in Week 1, and it cost the team dearly when Brumfield couldn’t quite rally the squad all the way back in double overtime against Eastern Washington. Arroyo is considered a quarterback guru and, by all accounts, he’s got good options this year, so he needs to get it right.

2. Coming up big in close games. UNLV was terrible in tight contests last year, going 2-6 in games that were within one score in the fourth quarter. A leaky defense, inconsistent quarterbacking and questionable coaching decisions were all factors.

3. Establishing home-field advantage. Allegiant Stadium has proven to be a house of horrors for UNLV. Since the stadium was erected, the squad has gone just 1-8 in its new home, including a 1-5 mark in 2021.

4. Rebuilding the defense. UNLV allowed an outrageous 32.6 points per game last year. That number has to come down significantly under new coordinator Keith Hayward and a handful of transfers.

5. Demonstrating depth. UNLV’s roster is already being tested. Linebacker Brennon Scott was lost for the season during spring practice (knee), and cornerback Ricky Johnson got hurt on the first day of camp (arm).

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.