University of Nevada Athletics

Nevada Football Season Outlook

Since Chris Ault debuted his Pistol offense in 2005, the Wolf Pack has had to work to stay ahead of the curve. The wildly effective scheme has taken Nevada to four straight bowl games and reaffirmed Ault’s status as one of the great offensive minds in football. But with each season comes new wrinkles in the scheme and this year is not expected to be any different. Last year’s addition of the quarterback read option turned unleashed Colin Kaepernick and helped him become of the most dynamic players in the country. This year, Ault wants to see expanded opportunities in passing game.
“There are plenty of things that we have worked on in the offseason and those include more vertical packages and some expansion of our formations,” Ault said. “We’re in year five of the Pistol and we like what we’ve built up in this offense.”
After one of the great offensive seasons in school history last year – a handful of school records were set, including most rushing yards in a season – the Wolf Pack is eyeing a fifth straight bowl game and a run at a conference championship. With 15 starters returning and three 1,000-yard rushers in the backfield – Kaepernick, Vai Taua and Luke Lippincott – the Wolf Pack seemingly has the tools on offense to reach its goals. But improvement on the defensive side of the ball is going to be necessary to make this team complete.
The Wolf Pack had great statistical success in the defensive front last year, ranking sixth in the nation against the run and 36 tackles for loss from starting defensive ends Kevin Basped and Dontay Moch, including 21.5 sacks. But the secondary was far too susceptible to the pass and a schedule loaded with pass-happy teams didn’t help. The Pack went back to basics in spring drills and focused on being aggressive within a vanilla scheme. Results were encouraging and with an influx of young talent on that side of the ball, there are reasons for optimism that the Wolf Pack is ready to put everything together.

QUARTERBACK
It is becoming abundantly clear that despite the long tradition of talented quarterbacks at the University of Nevada, this school has never seen as dynamic a player as Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick, the 2007 WAC Freshman of the Year and the 2008 WAC Offensive Player of the Year, is back for his junior season and he will be facing a new set of expectations and challenges. No longer a rising star, Kaepernick is now a marked man after a sophomore season in which he threw for 2,849 yards and 22 touchdowns (with just seven interceptions) and ran for 1,130 yards and 15 scores. He finished the year ranked No. 11 in the nation in total offense and, astonishingly, was ranked in the top 50 in both passing yards (No. 31) and rushing yards (No. 46) – the only quarterback in the country to accomplish the feat.
But Kaepernick has plenty of room to grow. Ault would like to see improved numbers in the passing efficiency rating (132.09 in 2008, 44th in the nation) and especially in completion percentage, as Kaepernick connected on 54.3 percent of attempts last season.
“He needs to be a more efficient quarterback and he knows that,” Ault said. “The thing about Colin is that you only have to tell him once. His work ethic in the offseason has been monumental.”
The other expectation of Kaepernick this season is not as tangible as far as the statistics go.
“We are absolutely looking for him to take that final step in terms of leadership. And I’m pleased with what we have seen in the offseason. He is taking command of this thing and running with it,” Ault said.
With Kaepernick held out of spring drills while finishing his rehab of an ankle injury suffered in the Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl against Maryland, the emphasis in the offseason was the finalize the depth chart behind Kaepernick. Entering fall camp, second-string duties will likely fall on sophomore Tyler Lantrip with fellow sophomore Luke Collis as the other backup.
“I like what I saw out of both of those guys,” Ault said of spring practice. “They were both able to get a lot of reps and each one of them got better because of that experience.”
Ault is also very high on the two newcomers coming in this fall. He said it’s possible that one of the true freshmen – Mason Magleby or David Fales – could travel with the team this fall.

RUNNING BACK
Perhaps no position will be more interesting to watch during preseason camp than the backfield of the Wolf Pack’s Pistol offense. With the Pack primarily employing a one-back offense and a depth chart that goes a full six names – and more – deep, it is a bit of a challenge.
“But it is a good challenge to have because we feel we have some special players back there,” Ault said. “We’ve built up that position and all of those guys have their place.”
Entering camp, the situation goes something like this:
Junior Vai Taua enters camp as the starter after leading the conference and earning first-team All-WAC honors with 1,521 yards and 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing) in 2008. Taua was a bit of an unknown entering camp last summer but emerged with each and every opportunity to seize the league’s rushing crown – the third different Pack player in the past four years to do that.
Senior Luke Lippincott is back after receiving a sixth year from the NCAA due to medical hardship. Lippincott was the WAC rushing champion in 2007 and was on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award last year before suffering a torn ACL injury in the second game of the season against Texas Tech. Lippincott missed the rest of the year and spring drills and was awarded the extra season in March. Lippincott has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his career at Nevada.
Senior Brandon Fragger enters camp third on the depth chart but his versatility, when healthy, makes him a bit of a wild card. Fragger is more than capable running the ball but is also a dependable receiver and has also show signs as a kick and punt returner as well.
“Vai is Vai and I think he proved last year that you know what you get with him,” Ault said. “He’s a good hard-nosed runner and he’s shiftier than people think. We know that Brandon can do a little of different things and we like that element about him.
“And Luke, well, Luke is just a winner. He does whatever you ask him to do and he does it well.”
Junior Courtney Randall showed last season that he can answer the call as well. Randall was third on the team in rushing with 327 yards and four touchdowns and he averaged 5.0 yards per carry. He established himself as a dependable short-yardage back and could be the answer in those situations this year.
The two relative unknowns of the group are sophomore Lampford Mark and redshirt freshman Mike Ball.
Mark debuted last season in a reserve role and showed strong signs of being ready to elevate himself on the depth chart. Ball was a highly touted prospect from Las Vegas and was having a strong preseason camp last year before a leg injury forced the redshirt season. The group will also be joined by another talented youngster in Stefphon Jefferson, the lone running back in the Pack’s recruiting class earlier this year.

RECEIVERS
On paper, the Wolf Pack’s receiving corps is an inexperienced group as it lost the likes of Marko Mitchell (NFL), Mike McCoy (graduation) and Art King (medical) from last year’s team – that’s 74 percent of the receptions made by wide receivers in 2008.
While this team may lack experience – junior Chris Wellington is the only receiver returning with more than one career catch and with a career start – that doesn’t mean the group lacks talent.
Wellington had a bit of a breakout season last year as he hauled in 42 passes for 632 yards and six touchdowns. Now he’ll be counted on mature to another level and be reliable playmaker in the Pistol offense.
“Chris had some good moments last year and he’s had a good offseason,” Ault said. “There’s no question that we need him to take that next step now. He needs to be a guy that we can count on to make things happen.”
Beyond Wellington, only sophomore Tray Session (one catch for six yards) had a reception last season. But that group of inexperience also has a wealth of potential.
“There is conglomerate of guys who have a lot of talent and they have to separate,” Ault said.
And that’s what makes the Pack’s receiving corps another position to watch this fall.
If a “conglomerate” can have a leader, it’s redshirt freshman Brandon Wimberly, who was the offensive scout team player of the year last year. Wimberly enrolled in spring of 2008 and two sets of spring drills and all of the 2008 season as a redshirt under his belt.
“He’s ready to go and we’re ready to get him involved immediately in the passing game,” Ault said.
Session is back for his sophomore year and after two full seasons in the program, is poised to produce this season. He is penciled in as the starter at one of the outside spots, but is expected to be pushed in preseason camp. And senior Dwayne Sanders is also in the mix, after bouncing around between the receiving corps, the backfield and special teams over the past couple of years.
It’s the newcomers who make things interesting. Juco transfer Maurice Patterson was impressive throughout spring practice, as was grayshirt L.J. Washington, who enrolled in the spring and has four years of playing time plus a redshirt season available. Each moved into the depth chart after spring drills, as did junior Malcolm Shepherd, a juco transfer who was expected to contribute last year before a broken foot forced him to redshirt.
And the group is joined this year by a pair of talented true freshman in Aaron Bradley and Darvin McCauley, though Bradley might grayshirt and delay enrollment until the spring. Also, sophomore Shane Anderson saw playing time, mostly on special teams, early last year before an injury shortened his season.
At the tight end position, junior Virgil Green appears poised to have a breakout season after catching 14 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Green’s athleticism gives the Pack plenty of options.
A pair of seniors, Talaiasi Puloka Jr. and Kevin Bohr also return. Both have been starters in the past with Bohr nine games last year before seeing his season come to an end with a knee injury.
That trio will be pushed for playing time by youngsters Josh Morrow and Zach Sudfeld, both sophomores.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Last year’s “Union” was one of the finest in school history. With book-end tackles Mike Gallett and Alonzo Durham and four-year starter Dominic Green leading the way at center, the Wolf Pack’s offensive line paved the way for a record-breaking rushing attack. And that production came despite injuries to guards Greg Hall and John Bender during the course of the season. This year’s group returns a good nucleus of experience but also has a couple of holes to fill.
“In that group, there is some nice experience back, especially when you talk about a guy like Zo (Durham), whose been through the battles and getting ready for his senior year,” Ault said. “But after that group of experienced players, there is that next group that has a lot of inexperience but is very, very athletic.
Durham will anchor one side of the line from his tackle position and presumably the other side will be held down by junior Mike Gallett, who started all 13 games last season. Sophomore Steve Haley, who saw some playing time last year, had an impressive offseason, however, and will push for a starting role during preseason camp.
Replacing Green at center will be senior Kenneth Ackerman, one of the more experienced and versatile players in the group. Ackerman has made starts at center and at guard in his career and has progressed each season in the program. He’ll likely be backed up by sophomore Jeff Meads, who moved into the second spot on the depth chart after spring practice.
Bender, a junior who has all the intangibles to become an all-conference player during his career, returns and will enter camp as the starter at one of the guard spots. Bender has started half of each of the last two seasons but has battled injuries and played hurt.
Besides Bender, however, there is not a wealth of experience at guard and that will lead to some interesting competition for starting positions and playing time this year.
Redshirt freshman Chris Barker has impressed during his one year in the program and he is expected to fight for a starting job this fall. Redshirt freshman Steve Werner is another talented young player who will push for playing time.
And the Pack is looking for immediate impacts from its two juco signees in junior Jose Acuna and junior Amini Silatolu.
“When we sign junior college players, we expect them to compete for jobs from the get-go,” Ault said.
The Pack has some newcomers to the group who will also push for playing time, most notably sophomore Scott Frisbie, who moved over from the defensive side of the ball in the offseason.
Aaron Huck and Jeff Nady are also in the group of redshirt freshman and the Union will also have new members in true freshmen Jack Reynoso, Joel Bitonio and Stephen Jeffers. Reynoso signed with the Pack more than a year ago but delayed enrollment until this spring.

DEFENSIVE LINE
It’s easy to look at the personnel on Nevada’s defensive line and point to junior defensive ends Kevin Basped and Dontay Moch as the strength of the front. After all, the pillars of the pass rush put up gaudy numbers in 2008, combining for 36 tackles for a loss, including 21.5 sacks as sophomores.
But that would be overlooking a pair of defensive tackles who might be among the most underrated players in the league. Seniors Nate Agaiava and Chris Slack played a pivotal part in the Wolf Pack ranked sixth in the nation against the run in 2008, yielding just 88.62 rushing yards per game.
“The success of that front is in the ability to stop the run,” Ault said. “I’ve really been pleased with the work Nate has done and Slack is one of the most improved players on that side of the ball”
Nevada needs Agaiava and Slack – as well as second-stringers Mike Andrews, Mark Avery and Zack Madonick – to step up. And on the field performance isn’t the only facet as the Wolf Pack must replace Mundrae Clifton, a team captain and leader, from last year’s front.
And the more the interior of the line performs, the more likely it is that Basped and Moch can create havoc off the edge.
In just two seasons, Basped has recorded 100 tackles with 30 of them for loss, including 14.0 sacks. Moch isn’t far behind with 63 stops, including 21 for a loss and 15 sacks. With each coming off breakout seasons, the more likely it is that each will face double-teams throughout the season. But the numbers game works out in Nevada’s favor if the front works as unit – you can’t double-team both of them.
And depth behind Basped and Moch is stout as well. Senior Daniel Agaiava along with junior Ryan Coulson and sophomore Brett Roy are the backups entering fall camp and all three are expected to contribute heavily during the course of the season.
Newcomers to the front this year are a pair of high school teammates from Georgia in Wesley Hollingshed and John Kelly as well as Oregon transfer Tonio Celotto, who will sit out this year under NCAA transfers rules but will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

LINEBACKERS
The Pack lost some great experience from last year’s team in the graduation of Joshua Mauga and Jerome Johnson, both of whom figure to have professional football in their future. But the good news for linebackers coach Ken Wilson is that for the first time in recent years, it appears as though there is plenty of depth at all three positions to work with.
Entering camp, the strongside (SAM) backer spot is loaded with three players, each bringing something different to the table. Projected starter James-Michael Johnson one of the top freshmen in the WAC last year in recording 48 tackles including 12.5 for a loss with one sack. Johnson seems poised to establish himself as one of the top linebackers in the league this season.
Spelling him will be junior Kevin Grimes and sophomore Joe Easter. Grimes, who is moving up from the safety spot he’s occupied for the past couple of years, might be slightly undersized but his performance in spring drills proved that it won’t stop him from making plays. Easter, who played most on special teams last year as a true freshman, is a raw athlete who is starting to mature in the Pack’s 4-3 scheme.
In the middle (MIKE), senior Mike Bethea returns after a strong, yet injury-shortened season as year ago. In his first year in the program last year, Bethea, a juco transfer, excelled early before suffering a foot injury against Utah State that cost him the rest of the regular season. He enters camp as the projected starter with junior Jared Silva-Purcell  and Andre Davis pushing for the starting job as well. One of the newcomers in the middle is sophomore Davis, a transfer from Western Washington. The school dropped its football program which means Davis is eligible immediately without sitting out as a transfer. Silva-Purcell, who was hurt most of his freshman year, showed glimpses last year, including a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown against Utah State. Juco transfer Seann Reed is also coming off an impressive spring and will push for playing time.
On the weakside (WOLF), another sophomore enters camp as the starter in Brandon Marshall, who started nine of 13 games a year ago as a redshirt freshman. Marshall notched 33 tackles last season, including 8.5 for a loss and a pair of sacks to go along with his first career interception.
“James-Michael and Brandon, those two guys got a wealth of experience last year for freshmen,” Ault said. “Now we need each one of them to take the next step.”
Marshall could get a hard push from junior Adam Liranzo, who had 23 stops with 4.5 for a loss in his first season at linebacker after converting from safety. Sophomore Deantae Green saw some playing time last year, mostly on special teams, but will compete for more time this season.
Three other players will be looking for playing time across the linebacking corps this year. Freshman Albert Rosette enrolled in the spring of 2008 and redshirted last season. Reed, a juco transfer, walked on and redshirted last year as well. But most intriguing player might be sophomore Kaelin Burnett, the younger brother of Dallas Cowboy Kevin Burnett. Burnett transferred last year from Delta State and sat out under NCAA rules. Ready to make impact this spring, he suffered a shoulder injury and missed the bulk of spring drills and might not be 100 percent healthy entering camp.
A testament to the depth, especially the youngsters in the program, is this – the Pack did not sign a prep linebacker this season and the only linebacker new to the program is Davis.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Entering camp, three seniors top the depth chart at the four spots in the secondary and the Pack will need that veteran presence to bring along a load of young talent.
The experience starts at the free safety position, where three-year starter Jonathon Amaya returns after playing and starting at every spot in the secondary over the past three seasons. Amaya tied for the team lead in tackles last year with 68 and led the squad with four interceptions.
“I am expecting him to be one of the best in the conference this season,” Ault said. “And we need him to be that type of player for us.”
Amaya will be backed up by Cameron Bayne, another senior who has done nothing except get better each and every season in the program. Bayne began as a walk-on and worked his way up to special teams and is now pushing for a starting position and more playing time.
The strong safety spot will be a good battle to watch with senior Mo Harvey entering camp on top of the depth chart. But a host of candidates are competing for time and Ault is hoping that the competition makes everyone better. Redshirt freshmen Khalid Wooten and Marlon Johnson and redshirt sophomore Mose Denton are three of a host of young players looking to make an impact and true freshman Duke Williams, a local product from Hug High School, and Compton (Calif.) High School product Chris Metcalf could see playing time immediately.
“We know what Jon Amaya gives us,” Ault said. “We are looking for consistency and we are looking to be more active in our defense. So you look at guys like Harvey and Bayne and the redshirt freshman and they are there together. We need them to separate.”
As for Williams, Ault says simply, “He’s promising.”
The third senior returning is Antoine Thompson, who should lock down one of the starting spots at cornerback. On the other side is Isaiah Frey, a sophomore who played in every game last year as a true freshman. Entering camp, those two are listed as the starters, but there are plenty of candidates looking impress and claim more playing time. Junior Doyle Miller started a handful of games last year and will compete for a starting job again this year. Redshirt freshmen Thaddeus Brown and Ahmad Wood seeking the first playing time of their careers while heralded juco transfer Cory Smith should make an immediate impact.
“We have some guys back there but now we need that competition,” Ault said. “We have to be better this season – it’s not an option – we have to be better. We’re looking for production players, not role players.”

SPECIAL TEAMS
For the first time in a couple years, a key part of preseason camp will be solidifying exactly what Nevada has in terms of a place-kicker. Gone is four-year starter Brett Jaekle, whose name is at or near the top of all the kicking categories in the Wolf Pack record book. The Pack’s signee, juco transfer Ricky Drake joins the team this fall and will be analyzed immediately.
“That is going to be a big part of fall camp,” Ault said. “We have to find out some answers. What is his range? And just as important, what can he handle on kickoffs?”
And Drake will get pushed as well by sophomore Nick Rhodes, who has been in the program for two years. But Drake was targeted in recruiting because he also has punting experience, although the coaches hope that using him as a punter isn’t necessary.
Junior Brad Langley returns after one of the best seasons ever by a Nevada punter with a 44.0 average that earned him a spot on the Ray Guy Award watch list as a midseason addition. But Langley suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon injury prior to the Boise State game – what Ault called “one of the flukiest things I have ever seen.” Langley, was walking on to the field when the tendon tore. But Langley appears to be 100 percent entering camp. Sophomore Jake Hurst, is another possibility at punter.
The depth chart coming out of spring ball had a number of names on it as options as kick returners and punt returners. Among those names were Brandon Fragger, Mike Ball, Brandon Wimberly, Thaddeus Brown, Vai Taua and Khalid Wooten. But Ault insists that entering camp, there is no such thing as a depth chart for the returners.
“Last year in special teams, we were adequate at best,” Ault said. “And one of the top, top priorities is to find some return people and we have a plethora of guys who we will take a look at. It’s not just about speed, it’s about courage. And that goes for special teams as a whole. We need to get better and we will spend a lot of time on it. And most of it is attitude and coaching.”

SCHEDULE
Nevada will find out exactly where it is early in the season as the Wolf Pack’s first three games are all against bowl teams from last year.
The slate starts with a historic trip to South Bend, Ind., to face Notre Dame for the first time in program history. After a bye week, the Pack will play 11 straight games, starting again on the road at Colorado State before Missouri and UNLV come to town to close out the non-conference schedule.
The conference schedule opens at home against Louisiana Tech and then continues on the road at Utah State. The Pack will then return home to Mackay Stadium to face Idaho and Hawai’i before another road game, this one at San Jose State. After hosting Fresno State in the home finale, Nevada hits the road to face New Mexico State and Boise State to conclude the regular season.
While that all seems straight forward enough, the fact of the matter is that four of the 12 games will be played on either a Friday or a Sunday and 11 games in a row without a bye would make any coach double take.
“The schedule absolutely has its challenges,” Ault said. “And it’s not just the opponents but the order in which we play them. Then you look at 11 straight games and playing on Fridays and Sundays and we know we have to be mentally and physically ready. We will have to improvise and adjust.”