2022 Season Opener
Nevada (0-0) at New Mexico State (0-0)
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022
Las Cruces, N.M. - Aggie Memorial Stadium

TV: ESPN2 (PxP: Roy Philpott; Analysts: Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra)
Radio: ESPN 94.5 FM (PxP: John Ramey, Analyst: Mike Edwards)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada (0-0) opens the Ken Wilson Era this Saturday night, visiting Las Cruces to take on New Mexico at 7 p.m. PT (8 p.m. local). Saturday's contest will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Andre Ware (analyst) on the call, and Paul Carcaterra on the sidelines.

The Wolf Pack Radio Network will call the game as well on ESPN 94.5 FM with John Ramey (play-by-play) and Mike Edwards (analyst) in the booth, with the 60-minute pregame show to begin at 6 p.m. PT.

SERIES HISTORY 
Nevada leads the overall series with New Mexico State, 13-2, and has won the past six meetings. The Wolf Pack is a perfect 7-0 against the Aggies in Las Cruces, including a 48-34 victory in the most recent meeting between the teams, back on Oct. 29, 2011.

Nevada head coach Ken Wilson was on that Wolf Pack staff that defeated the Aggies in 2011, serving as associate head coach and overseeing the defensive ends.

THE WILSON ERA BEGINS
The 2022 campaign will mark the first of the Ken Wilson Era for Nevada Football. Wilson, with over two decades experience on the Nevada coaching staff and in administration, was named Nevada Football's 27th head coach on Dec. 10, 2021.

He's no stranger to Reno, either. Wilson spent 19 years on the Wolf Pack staff (1989-98, 2004-12), which included five seasons as associate head coach (2008-12) and four as defensive coordinator (1996-98, 2007). He also coached the defensive line, linebackers, and safeties, during his time at Nevada. During his coaching tenures, the Wolf Pack reached a bowl game 11 times, including each of his last eight seasons, and captured two Western Athletic Conference titles (2005, 2010), five Big West Conference championships (1992, 1994-97), and two Big Sky Conference titles (1990-91).

As the nation's youngest Division I (now FBS) defensive coordinator (at the time), he directed Nevada's 1996 defense to the top of the conference in every defensive category and was part of the Las Vegas Bowl victory over Ball State.

Most recently, Wilson served as co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach from 2019-21 at Oregon. Over his coaching career, Wilson has been a part of 18 teams that have advanced to a bowl game, including 15 of the last 16 years.

NEW BLOOD
The coaching staff isn't the only new blood into the Pack program in 2022, as Nevada's roster features 25 first-year transfers. A number of the new transfers will see significant playing time starting this Saturday at New Mexico State, and the breakdown of their previous programs is as follows: 17 from FBS schools (11 Power Five, 6 Group of Five), 1 Division II, and 7 junior college.

Including returning Nevada players who transfered in previously (prior to the 2021 season), Nevada's 2022 roster consists of 19 transfers from FBS programs (11 Power Five, 8 Group of Five).

DUAL BATTERING RAMS TO LEAD THE WAY
Nevada's offense will be led, head-on, by the fifth-year running back combo of Toa Taua and Devonte Lee.

Taua is a three-time Mountain West honoree (Freshman of the Year 2018, All-Mountain West Honorable Mention 2019, All-Mountain West Second Team 2020) who led the Wolf Pack with 732 rushing yards on 150 attempts with six touchdowns in 2021. Appearing in all 13 games, Taua eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice, highlighted by a 124-yard, two-touchdown effort over just 12 carries Oct. 2 at Boise State.

Entering his fifth season with the Pack, Taua has rushed for 3,086 yards and 22 touchdowns over his career. He's also been a threat through the air, catching 122 passes for 897 yards and three more scores.

Lee also enters his fifth year at Nevada in 2022. Last season, Lee appeared in all 13 games, rushing for 331 yards and five touchdowns on 85 attempts, while also catching 19 passes for 98 yards and another score. He was the Pack's leading rusher at the Quick Lane Bowl against Western Michigan, going for 85 yards with a touchdown.

Over his career, Lee has rushed for 1,253 yards and 21 touchdowns, and caught 44 passes for 232 yards and a score.

FAMILIAR FACES READY TO STEP UP
On the defensive side of things, Nevada's depth chart shows a number of returners stepping into starting spots and hungry to make an impact.
Fifth-year defensive tackle Dom Peterson (40 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks in 2021) is set to anchor the Wolf Pack front. A two-time All-Mountain West selection, Peterson was named a candidate for the Bednarik Trophy as well as a third-team preseason All-American by Pro Football Network earlier this summer.

Naki Mateialona and Maurice Wilmer step into starting roles in the linebacker spots, while at nickel, Tyson Williams, the team's leading returning tackler in 2022 (46 tackles, five passes defended, three interceptions) is set to start.

The secondary, made up of projected starters Jaden Dedman and Isaiah Essissima at cornerback, along with safeties Aedan Seiuli and Bentlee Sanders, is made up of all returners from a season ago.

ALL NEWS SETS OF HANDS
Nevada's receiving corps in 2022 will be made up nearly entirely of new faces, with junior returner Jamaal Bell (14 receptions, 119 yards, one touchdown) heading up a speedy group of newcomers.

Redshirt freshman Tyrese Mack is the only other receiver/tight end on the two-deep who has spent a season on the Nevada roster (redshirting 2021). The rest of the receivers corps on the two-deep consists of three Power Five transfers (B.J. Casteel - Arizona, Spencer Curtis - Oregon, Dalevon Campbell - Illinois) and a true freshman in Victor Snow. At tight end, Oregon transfer Cooper Shults is projected to start, with juco transfer Jacob Munro (Orange Coast College) also on the two-deep.

TAUA, PETERSON, TALTON CHASING NEVADA RECORDS
A handful of Nevada players are working their way up some program career top-10 lists as the 2022 campaign gets underway. Running back Toa Taua, defensive tackle Dom Peterson, and kicker Brandon Talton are all in the mix to climb further up some all-time Wolf Pack rankings.

Taua enters the new season ranked in Nevada's top 10 in career rushing yards, currently sitting eighth at 3,086 yards. His 638 career rushing attempts are sixth all-time, at Nevada, entering 2022. His 22 rushing touchdowns are five away from cracking Nevada's all-time top 10.

Over his Nevada career, Peterson has made 151 total tackles, including 42.5 tackles for loss and 22.0 sacks, which rank tied for third and fifth, respectively, in program history.

Talton, meanwhile, has a shot to become Nevada's all-time leader in field goals made. His career total of 58, entering 2022, is just 14 away from tying the all-time Nevada mark of 72 held by Marty Zendejas (1984-87).