The Scarlet Standard

Dan Mullen previews UNLV’s road matchup with Air Force after the Rebels’ 13-7 win over North Dakota State.Mullen discusses why UNLV leaned heavily on the run in the second half against NDSU, defending Air Force’s option offense, Andre Porter’s development, Austin Boyd’s recovery and the continued growth of UNLV’s young defense. Jet Thomas and Kamuela Ka'aihue also meet with the media ahead of the matchup.More UNLV coverage:https://the-scarlet-standard.com/#UNLVFB #UNLVFootball #AirForce #MountainWest #CollegeFootball

UNLV beat previously undefeated North Dakota State 13-7, but this was one of the strangest wins of the season.The Rebels did not score an offensive touchdown. Instead, Paul Guenther’s defense carried the night, forcing Nathan Hayes into three interceptions, producing Andre Porter’s early pick-six and repeatedly winning the short-yardage situations that North Dakota State normally controls. UNLV held the Bison to seven points and stopped both of their fourth-and-one attempts. That deserves a ton of credit.But the offensive questions are real.Jackson Arnold finished 8-of-16 for 77 yards and an interception, and UNLV attempted only three passes after halftime that counted. The Rebels controlled possession and ran the football effectively, but the offense became predictable and conservative while the game remained within one score. The biggest question is Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas.Jet ran 22 times for 112 yards against a defense that entered the game allowing roughly 100 rushing yards per game. Yet UNLV repeatedly moved away from him in critical situations, including a first-and-goal possession after Jet had just produced 14 yards on two carries. We break down why the sequencing did not make sense, why the repeated quarterback runs became predictable, what Jackson Arnold could have done better, and why Dan Mullen may need to rethink the play-calling dynamic before UNLV reaches the most important part of its Mountain West schedule.The Rebels are 4-2, 2-0 in conference play and now own the head-to-head result over North Dakota State.The season is very much alive.The offense just has to catch up to the defense.https://the-scarlet-standard.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTPBxVqczV4vLqAlivI3FPwhttps://x.com/SS_MediaLVhttps://www.instagram.com/ss_medialv/#UNLVFB #UNLVFootball #NDSU #MountainWest #CollegeFootball

UNLV opened exhibition play with an 89-79 loss to Utah, but there was plenty to take away from Josh Pastner’s shorthanded group.Darrell breaks down the Rebels’ 45-37 rebounding advantage, the 18 turnovers, poor free-throw shooting and a point-guard performance Pastner said needs to improve.Sebastian Mack led UNLV with 25 points, while MJ Thomas was active on the glass. Freshman Jackson Kiss showed his rebounding and passing ability, and Jeremy Foumena and Moustapha Loum gave the Rebels some encouraging minutes inside.The bigger questions are whether UNLV can cut down the turnovers, create better shots and get more consistent point-guard play before the regular season begins.Next up: BYU on October 24 at the Thomas & Mack Center.More UNLV coverage:https://the-scarlet-standard.com/#UNLVMBB #UNLVBasketball #RunninRebels #CollegeBasketball

Yeah. For a full press conference upload, the description should be much simpler. You do not need to recap the whole game in it.Use this:UNLV head coach Dan Mullen, Jackson Arnold and Andre Porter speak after the Rebels’ 13-7 win over North Dakota State at Allegiant Stadium.Mullen discusses UNLV’s defensive performance, the offense’s red-zone issues, Jet Thomas, the physicality of the matchup and his message to College GameDay after the win. Porter also breaks down his early pick-six and how the defense helped set the tone.More UNLV coverage:https://the-scarlet-standard.com/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTPBxVqczV4vLqAlivI3FPwX:https://x.com/SS_MediaLVInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/ss_medialv/#UNLVFB #UNLVFootball #NDSU #MountainWest #CollegeFootball

North Dakota State comes to Allegiant Stadium 5-0, 2-0 in Mountain West play and allowing only 49 points through five games.UNLV is 3-2 after back-to-back wins over Akron and Cal.This is the matchup that should tell us a lot about both teams.North Dakota State is disciplined, physical, well coached and has already forced 11 turnovers. The schedule has not tested the Bison the same way UNLV should, but the film shows a defense that understands its assignments, tackles well and can create pressure without constantly sending extra rushers. The key player on that side is linebacker Donovan Wolin. He can attack the run, threaten pressure, drop underneath routes and force the quarterback to identify him before the snap without knowing exactly what he is going to do afterward. That makes him one of the most important players Jackson Arnold and the UNLV offensive line have to account for.But Arnold gives UNLV a dimension North Dakota State has not consistently faced.Against Cal, Arnold threw three touchdowns and ran for 110 yards and two more scores. When Cal sold out to stop Jet Thomas, Arnold punished the space that created with his legs and the deep ball. North Dakota State now has to decide how much attention it can commit to Jet without opening those same opportunities for Arnold. Jet remains the other major piece. UNLV is undefeated this season when it has produced a 100-yard rusher. If Jet gets going early and forces North Dakota State to commit more bodies to the box, the passing lanes for Arnold, Taz Reddicks and Caden McGee become much more favorable.On the other side, North Dakota State is built around a patient, physical run game and a West Coast-influenced offense that can change personnel and formations without changing its basic identity. The Bison can run inside, attack the perimeter, use multiple tight ends, throw off play action and get quarterback Nathan Hayes involved with his legs. Hayes showed another part of that offense against Wyoming when he ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns. UNLV cannot focus so heavily on the backs that it opens clean lanes for him.That makes tackling enormous.North Dakota State wants four-yard runs to become six, stay ahead of the chains and keep the entire playbook available. UNLV has already shown this season what happens when missed tackles start multiplying. The Rebels have to end plays at first contact and force Hayes into obvious passing situations.For me, this game ultimately comes back to the UNLV offense.Paul Guenther’s defense has been good enough to keep UNLV in games. The question is whether Corey Dennis can call a complete game against one of the most disciplined defenses the Rebels will see all season.Can he get Jet going? Can he keep Arnold out of bad down-and-distance situations? Can UNLV continue creating the explosive plays that showed up against Akron and Cal without disappearing offensively for an entire quarter?That is the game.More UNLV coverage:https://the-scarlet-standard.com/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTPBxVqczV4vLqAlivI3FPwX:https://x.com/SS_MediaLVInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/ss_medialv/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Scarlet-Standard-LV-61577609316045/Vegas Varsity:https://vegasvarsity.com/Use promo code SSM10 for 10% off your order.#UNLVFB #UNLVFootball #NDSU #MountainWest #CollegeFootball