(Note: For the full spring prospectus, please click the PDF link above)
Nevada coach Chris Ault has seen a lot during his Hall of Fame coaching career. But this offseason came with a surprise to the Wolf Pack coach, who enters his 23rd season (all at Nevada) this fall. During strength and conditioning testing prior to spring drills, every single member of the Wolf Pack football team recorded a passing time in the grueling “Nevada Run.” The run is more of an obstacle course designed to test a player’s agility, stamina and conditioning.
“That’s the first time in my career that we’ve had every single player make the time,” Ault said. “Suffice it to say, I am pleased with the gains we have made in our strength and conditioning.”
The Wolf Pack returns 14 starters from last year’s team that went 8-5 overall and 5-3 (third place) in the Western Athletic Conference before competing in its second straight bowl game, a 21-20 loss to Miami in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho. A total of 44 lettermen return this season, giving Ault and his coaching staff a solid nucleus to work with as it prepares for the 2007 campaign.
“Overall, it has been a very good offseason and we are looking forward to the opportunity to working with this team during the spring session,” Ault said. “We have a lot to get accomplished.”
Ault welcomes in two new members of the coaching staff. Charlie Camp comes to Nevada from San Jose State and the University of Arizona graduate will be working with the Pack’s inside linebackers. The other arrival is more of a homecoming as former Pack assistant Jim House comes back to Nevada for what will be his 13th year and first since 2001. He will coach the defensive line.
There has been some shuffling of assignments within the coaching staff. Ken Wilson will be the defensive coordinator and will move from inside linebackers to safeties. Barry Sacks will remain the outside linebackers coach and will be the special teams coordinator for the Pack.
The following is a position by position breakdown of the Wolf Pack as it prepares for spring practice:
OFFENSE
Quarterback: For the first time in a couple seasons, the starting job at quarterback is very much up for grabs.
Only one player returns with any kind of collegiate experience and he is Nick Graziano. The sophomore played in every game last season on special teams and also took a handful of snaps in the Pistol offense. He threw 17 passes, completing nine for 92 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.
But the job won’t just be handed to Graziano as he’ll be pushed for time this spring by a pair of talented freshmen who redshirted last season Colin Kaepernick and Tyler Lantrip.
“I think we are going to see some good competition there at quarterback,” Ault said. “I expect those guys to push each other for time. They are all very talented and I am excited to see how each one develops.”
Running back: Position coach Jim Mastro has plenty of depth to work with as two of the top three rushers from last year’s team return this season. The top returnee is junior Luke Lippincott, who started a handful of games in 2006 and was the second-leading rusher with 456 yards on the year. Lippincott and Brandon Fragger, who played as a true freshman last year before going down with an injury, each put up a solid 4.9 yards per carry last season.
“We have a lot of good experience in the backfield,” Ault said. “All of those backs tested very well in the offseason and I expect to see some strong competition there this spring and fall.”
Among those also in the mix are two players who saw some time last year in sophomores Mike Kanellis and Dwayne Sanders. Three redshirts from last year Courtney Randall, Vai Taua and Kevin Grimes are also competing for time.
Receivers: Nevada lost only one player from its receiving corps in three-year starter Caleb Spencer, who led the team again last year. But the five other wideouts who caught passes last year all return and they’ll get competition from a host of newcomers and redshirts.
Juniors Marko Mitchell and Mike McCoy both return and between them, they caught 63 passes and 13 touchdowns last season. Also back is junior Jack Darlington, who battled injury last season and played in less than half the team’s games.
Nevada also has the services of two players who missed last year due to injury in seniors Kyle Sammons and Alex Rosenblum. Juniors Andy McIntosh and Rocco Bene and sophomore Art King are among those vying for more playing time this season.
Chris Wellington redshirted last season as a freshman but is expected to contribute this year and Nevada will also have two players in camp this spring who grayshirted in Josh Morrow and Marshane Haynes.
“Overall, I think our receiving corps has more speed than it has had in recent years,” Ault said. “This is a good, experienced group and if we have the speed that I think we have, then we should see some good things out of this group.
At tight end, Nevada returns senior Adam Bishop, who missed past of last season with an injury. He’ll be pushed by a host of newcomers, including juco transfer Brent Keaster and redshirt freshman Brian Fusco. Another redshirt freshman, Virgil Green, is out this spring with a knee injury.
Offensive Line: After an All-WAC season at tackle, Dominic Green is moving back inside to center, where he started eight games in 2005 as a freshman. Now a junior, the versatile Green heads up a deep but inexperienced front.
Nevada does return two other starters in tackle senior Charles Manu and junior guard Greg Hall, though Manu is out this spring while he recovers from ankle surgery.
Though only three starters return, Nevada has plenty to work with in terms of depth. Among those returning with some game experience are seniors Kyle Robertson and Fred White, junior Brad Eskew, and sophomore Alonzo Durham.
The Pack has a solid redshirt class in tackles John Bender and Mike Gallett and guards Rob Sullivan and Mike DeMars. Joining the group this season are juco transfers Shawn Miller and Clayton Johnson and highly-touted grayshirt John Romero.
DEFFENSE
LINE: Matt Hines, a 2006 co-captain, returns for his senior season at nose guard and he is coming off an All-WAC season in 2006. He’ll be joined up front by senior end Erics Clark, who emerged last year, his first while serving in a starting role.
Developing depth will be the key with sophomore Mundrae Clifton and senior Jay Dixon among those returning with experience. Dixon recorded 3.0 sacks last year while Clifton had a strong season before missing the second half of the year with an illness.
“He’s had a terrific offseason, and we are expecting good things out of him,” Ault said of Clifton.
Also figuring in the mix will be brothers Nate and Daniel Agaiava, a pair of sophomores.
Linebacker: With three starters and a host of letterwinners returning, this figures to be a strength of the team.
Nevada returns three starters, led by seniors Ezra Butler and Jeremy Engstrom at the outside linebacker spots. Butler was a first-team All-WAC selection a year ago after putting up the best season of his career 71 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks, to go along with an interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Engstrom, who moved from the inside to the outside at this time a year ago, rebounded from a subpar 2005 to put up a 41-tackle season in 2006.
Inside, Nevada returns junior Joshua Mauga, who was third on the team with 56 tackles last season. He also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. With three starting likely secure, the fourth will be a battle between juniors Kevin Porter and Jerome Johnson at the other inside linebacker position.
“We have a lot of talent at the linebacker positions and we are trying to build a lot of depth there, too,” Ault said.
SECONDARY: A priority for the Pack in recent recruiting classes has been to build depth in the secondary. This year, it looks like Nevada might finally have the kind of depth its been looking for. And that depth comes at the right time as the team lost multi-year starters Joe Garcia and Nick Hawthrone to graduation.
Back are starters Paul Pratt (senior cornerback) and Jonathon Amaya (sophomore free safety). Also returning are corners De’Angelo Wilson (junior) and Devon Walker (senior) and safeties Justin Jackson (senior) and Uche Anyanwu (junior), who all saw good playing time last year. Nevada also gets the services of sophomore Mike Samples and junior Sergio Villasenor, who redshirted last season. Villasenor will be held out of contact drills in spring as he recovers from surgery.
And a host of young players redshirt freshmen Kenny Viser, Adam Liranzo, Mark Berry and junior Luke Rippee are poised to provide competition and depth this spring.
“I really like the potential we have there in the secondary,” Ault said. “We have a lot of good, young talent.”
SPECIALISTS: For the first time in recent memory, Nevada does not have to worry about replacing any of its key special teamers.
Back are kicker Brett Jaekle, punter Zacary Whited, kick returner Dwayne Sanders and punt returner De’Angelo Wilson.
“That is aa nice luxury, to have that nucleus of guys return for us,” Ault said. “We just have to fill in some holes, like at long snapper.”
