Bye week before UNR

UNLV will enjoy a bye week before traveling to Reno for the Battle of the Fremont Cannon. UNR is licking their wounds after having dropped their 15th straight game. UNLV is eager to take advantage of the down and out Pack and put themselves in prime position for bowl eligibility.

The 4-1 start for the Rebels matches last season's start. But Arroyo's Rebels fell apart against the most difficult part of the schedule, dropping six straight before a comeback win over Reno to end the season - falling a game shy of bowl eligibility.

This version of the Rebels has a different flavor to it. As expected, they dropped a game at Michigan and won handily versus Bryant and UTEP. And while they expected to handle Hawaii, they did it in dominant fashion. The key game thus far was the home game against Vanderbilt, where Jayden Maiava relieved an injured Doug Brumfield to lead the Rebels to an exciting last second come from behind victory.

The most consistent and powerful part of the Rebel offense has been the running game. With a host of capable runners, UNLV has averaged 214 yards per game, including over 300 in the past two games, along with 17 touchdowns. Freshman Jai'Den Thomas leads the Rebels in the key metrics - carries, total yardage, and touchdowns. But there isn't a large separation between Thomas and Vincent Davis, Donavyn Lester, and Courtney Reese. Davis leads in yards per carry at 7.3, while the other three hover around 5.0 yards per carry. Even lesser used Jordan Younge-Humphrey is averaging 8.0 yards per carry in limited action. Younge-Humphrey was injured after two strong runs against Hawaii. As impressive as the unit has been, perhaps most impressive is that the Rebels have only coughed up the ball one time in 206 attempts, that coming at the end of UNLV's first game blowout against Bryant. Overall, the running game has been a big part of UNLV's top 10 third down conversion rate (52.6%) and rates the ground attack as 14th best in the nation.

The Rebels rank 9th in the FBS with a plus six turnover margin. The Rebels have tossed four interceptions and lost a fumble. On the flipside, UNLV has recovered four fumbles, none more important than Jerrae Williams' 41 yard touchdown return against Vanderbilt, and picked off seven passes, led by Jaxen Turner's two.

After struggling with defensive pressure during the early season, UNLV has registered 10 sacks in their past two games. The Rebels have climbed to tied for 29th in the nation with sacks

Initially too porous against the run, the Rebels have held the past three opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. With a strong string of games against the run, the Rebels now rank #22 in rush defense. The secondary has been prone to the deep ball, but they are covering a lot of ground and making some plays in coverage, in part due to the pocket pressure UNLV has generated with blitzes. Another area in which the Rebels have improved is tackling - in particular, Johnathan Baldwin, Cameron Oliver and Jackson Woodard have made sure that gains have stopped in front of them.

During the past three games, UNLV hasn't allowed a sack - this after struggling with protection during the early season. Injured starter Doug Brumfield was pummeled early on, but the line has held protection better for Jayden Maiava. Maiava hasn't been spectacular, but he's kept defenses honest enough to open up the running game.

Special teams has been another strong area for the Rebels. Senior Jose Pizano has drilled 11-12 field goal attempts, including a career best 52 yarder against Hawaii. Sophomore Marshall Nichols has averaged 46.1 yards per boot and nearly half of his 19 kicks have travelled more than 50 yards. UNLV's top return man Jacob De Jesus hasn't had much opportunity lately, but is averaging 30 yards per kickoff return - highlighted by his 97 yard effort in week one. De Jesus ranks 4th in the nation for combined kick returns. The coverage on kicks by the Rebels has been a strength and the Rebels have also tallied a blocked punt.

Sometimes the calm poise of an experienced veteran on the sidelines can carry onto the field of play. UNLV has still shown too many instances of untimely and avoidable penalties, especially recently, but they don't seem to pepper every single series. And while there have been a couple of panicked throws by Maiava at inopportune times, in general, the Rebels have played with more confidence, poise and purpose. There has been good balance in the play-calling, nothing overly predictable or no complete head scratchers. Clock and game management hasn't stuck out like a sore thumb - in fact, the Rebels look decided with what to do in those situations.

The Rebels still have a long way to go. The injuries have mounted and the bye week will reveal Brumfield's status - though UNLV will miss senior playmaker Jerrae Williams (foot surgery). When Brumfield is healthy, he's expected to retake the reins of the offense. It's hard to assess how that will impact the newfound confidence by the offense. But the offense has been getting more comfortable with the nuanced system and the offensive line has turned it up a notch.

UNLV is far from perfect, but the overall improvement is noticeable. It may not be enough to battle for the conference title, but it has been enough to give the Rebels a clear sightline to a bowl game.

Of course, slipping at UNR could torpedo a lot of promise.