University of Nevada Athletics

The Nevada football team opened fall camp on Monday with Media Day and the first practice of the season.

A total of 105 players reported to camp over the weekend with newcomers reporting on Saturday and returning players arriving by Sunday. Under NCAA rules, Nevada will have two practices without pads and will then practice Wednesday and Thursday in half-pads before full contact in full pads begins on Friday.

"This is a very strong football team and we have a very strong incoming class so we are very pleased," head coach Chris Ault said. "We need to identify the skills we need to develop. We need to create depth since this is the most challenging schedule in history. This schedule will be challenging mentally and physically so it is critical for us to develop depth on both sides of the ball.”

Nevada, which begins the season Sept.1 at Nebraska, was picked to finish third in the Western Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll this year and the Wolf Pack was picked fourth by the media. The team is coming off an 8-5 season in 2006 in which Nevada finished tied for third in the WAC and advanced to its second straight bowl game. The Wolf Pack lost to Miami, 21-20, in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Nevada returns 14 starters and 44 lettermen from that team.

A big key during camp will be to replace quarterback Jeff Rowe, a fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. The two candidates vying for the starting job are sophomore Nick Graziano and redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick.

"Nick Graziano and Colin Kaepernick will compete for the starting spot and they have both tested out extremely well," Ault said. "Graziano has the most experience. Kaepernick is 6-6, 215 pounds and can run as well as any quarterback in the West and he has a gun. We have to develop them both and our team’s passing game has to improve."

The Wolf Pack returns eight starters on the defensive side and Ault is looking for more improvement from a unit that was the second-best defense in the Western Athletic Conference last year.

“We return eight starters on defense and we have 12-13 guys who have gotten a lot of starts and playing time," Ault said. "Our defense is our most experienced side of the ball and we’ll be able to pick up where we left off last year. I think offensively we will be exciting. Defensively we have to hang our hat on our defense. Last year we were good but gave up way to many plays.”

Nevada Player Quotes from Media Day

Quarterback Nick Graziano on facing Nebraska in five weeks:

“It’s not too much time [from the first day of fall camp to the first game] I want the game to come quicker rather than later.”

 

Graziano on Ault’s plan to throw the ball more:

“It should be exciting whatever wins games.”

 

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick on the first day of camp:
“It’s good to be back in the flow getting ready for the season.  During the summer we spent a lot of time in the weight room working hard.”

 

Kaepernick on competing with Graziano for the starting quarterback spot:
“I’m just worrying about myself and getting myself ready.  I will be ready for whatever happens.  Last fall and spring really helped me understand the pistol and it helped me with my execution.”

 

Kaepernick on team expectations and personal goals:

“My expectations are to win.  With all the hard work you put in you expect to do well.  Personally, I want to do well and have good stats but it is more important that the team does well we’ve put ourselves on the map.”

 

Defensive back Jonathon Amaya on the first day of fall camp:

“We’ve been doing a lot of preparations so we feel good.  I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Wide receiver Kyle Sammons on his expectations for the year:
“I want to do my job and hopefully I can be a good receiver and be a playmaker.”

 

Sammons on Graziano and Kaepernick:

“Graziano is older and knows the system and knows what to look for with defenses.  They are both vocal and have strong arms.”

 

Running back Luke Lippincott on the first day of fall camp:
“It’s a slower day in terms of practice. We’ll go over plays with the new guys.”

 

Lippincott on his goals for the season:

“I feel I play a key role on this team with seniority and leading the offense.  I want to be a leader, a captain and have a 1,000 yard season.”

 

Lippincott  on Graziano and Kaepernick:

 “Graziano can throw farther but Kaepernick is taller.  They can both come in and play which creates great competition.”

 

Linebacker Joshua Mauga on the first day of fall camp:

“It’s kind of rough you see how good of shape you’re in.”

 

Mauga on his personal expectations for the season:
“To be a better leader on and off the field and get over 100 tackles.  I want to work hard and be a leader and show the young guys what it takes to be champions.”