Marcus Arroyo Should Win The Mountain West Coach Of The Year Award

Marcus Arroyo deserves the COTY honor for 2022.

Marcus Arroyo Should Win The Mountain West Coach Of The Year Award

UNLV Finished The Season With A 5-7 Record

Contact/Follow @JMichaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Arroyo Deserves The Honor

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UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo deserves to be the 2022 Mountain West Coach of the Year.

UNLV was not expected to be competitive this year and Arroyo guided UNLV to the most wins in a single season since 2017. This was Arroyo’s third season as UNLV’s head coach and he won more games in 2022 than he did in the last two seasons combined.

While a bowl game is still out of reach for the Rebels, Arroyo coached a team that was on the doorstep of playing in a meaningful game in December. In 20 years, UNLV’s only bowl game was the 2013 Heart of Dallas Bowl. He gave UNLV a legitimate chance to reach the postseason, which was been a rarity for this program.

Arroyo found a way to get to five wins with a 27-22 win over Nevada. UNLV overcome several injuries throughout the season and was the conference’s sleeper team.

Critics would point out Arroyo’s six-game losing streak that was snapped against Nevada in Week 13. UNLV had a miserable loss to Hawaii in Week 12 that extended that losing streak, but the Rebels fought hard on the road. If UNLV beat Hawaii, it would have set up a potential bowl bid against Nevada in the regular season finale.

Even though UNLV had difficult losses, that should not take away from the clear progression that the program made in 2022. Before the six-game skid, UNLV was 4-1 to start the season. Arroyo had his team positioned to compete for a Mountain West Championship in the first month of the season. Unfortunately, the losing streak ended any chance the Rebels had of winning the conference.

After his first two seasons, Arroyo had a combined record of 2-16. Entering the 2022 season, Arroyo had pressure to win or he could have been let go by the end of the season.

While a 5-7 record was disappointing for a team that could have finished with a winning record, UNLV needed to embrace the moral victory that was the 2022 season. Arroyo saved his job and made UNLV an attractive destination in the Mountain West Conference. He overachieved with a roster that was projected to finish near the bottom of the Mountain West for another season. No other coach in the Mountain West had as much of an uphill battle to win games and was as successful as Arroyo was.

To put it simply, Arroyo deserves to win the Mountain West Coach of the Year award.

College football conference championship schedule: Matchups and television times

How to watch each of the college football conference championship games.

San Diego State vs. New Mexico: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Preview of the Week 12 SDSU vs. New Mexico matchup.

San Diego State vs. New Mexico: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

San Diego State Looking To Extend The Two-Game Winning Streak

Contact/Follow @Michaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Preview of the game

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WEEK 12: San Diego State Aztecs (6-4) vs. New Mexico Lobos (2-8)

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 18, 7:45 P.M. MT/6:45 P.M. PT

WHERE: University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy, 33 degrees Fahrenheit

TV: FS1

LIVE STREAM: fuboTV

RADIO: San Diego Sports 760

SERIES RECORD: San Diego State leads the series, 28-15

LAST MEETING: Oct. 9, 2021– SDSU def. New Mexico, 31-7

WEBSITES: San Diego State Athletics, New Mexico Athletics

ODDS: San Diego State (-14.5)

San Diego State is getting set for the second-to-last game of the regular season and the final road game of the season. This will be San Diego State’s fifth road contest this season.

San Diego State is looking to extend it’s two-game winning streak heading into Week 12. In Week 11, San Diego State had a resounding 43-27 win over San Jose State. That win came as a shock to many people since San Jose State was viewed as one of the best teams in the Mountain West.

For New Mexico, this season has been daunting. New Mexico enters this matchup with a 2-8 record and a seven-game losing streak. New Mexico is winless in Mountain West Conference play. Air Force handled New Mexico in a 35-3 rout in Week 11.

How San Diego State Can Win

The Aztecs need to take advantage of a struggling New Mexico team. In recent weeks, San Diego State’s offense came alive. Last week, quarterback Jalen Mayden guided the Aztecs to a 43-27 win. He passed for 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, and 268 yards. He completed 77% of his passes against the Spartans. Mayden will be instrumental in a win over New Mexico.

San Diego State’s defense will look to maintain a lead against the Lobos. The defense learned from the collapse to Fresno State on Oct. 29, and secured two competitive wins in a row against UNLV and San Jose State in the last two weeks. The Aztecs will look to limit the Lobos in a similar fashion as Air Force did in Week 11.

Prediction:

San Diego State has the momentum after being bowl eligible with the win over San Jose State. San Diego State cannot afford to overlook New Mexico and look ahead to the final game of the season against Air Force. The Aztecs will need to start fast and avoid an early deficit. If San Diego State can put away the game in the first quarter, it should be a convincing road win in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Final- San Diego State 38, New Mexico 10

Notre Dame-UNLV: Should Irish be on upset alert again?

What happens Saturday afternoon on Peacock?

Notre Dame will attempt to get back on the horse Saturday afternoon as the 3-3 Irish welcome 4-2 UNLV to South Bend.

We won’t sugarcoat things here at Fighting Irish Wire: outside of those that might be making their first trip to Notre Dame Stadium either ever or in a very long time, this is among the least anticipated games in recent Fighting Irish memory.

Games against New Mexico and Bowling Green come to mind but at least those took place in years Notre Dame was in College Football Playoff contention into late October. This year the Irish are just trying to stay afloat and get invited to a bowl game sponsored by either Duke’s Mayo or Tony the Tiger.

Oh, and for good measure, you’ll need to subscribe to Peacock in order to watch this one.

With all of those pleasantries in mind here is how the Fighting Irish Wire staff sees Saturday afternoon’s tilt against UNLV going.

Is Marcus Arroyo The Frontrunner For Mountain West Coach of the Year?

A discussion on Marcus Arroyo’s MW COTY campaign.

Is Marcus Arroyo The Frontrunner For Mountain West Coach of the Year?

UNLV has emerged as one of the top Mountain West teams

Contact/Follow @Michaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Can Arroyo win the Coach of the Year award?

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In five games, Marcus Arroyo has UNLV in a position to compete for a Mountain West Championship in 2022. If UNLV stays on the right path for the rest of the season, he could be in line to win the 2022 Mountain West Coach of the Year award.

Not many people expected the Rebels to be a conference contender in 2022. He outperformed expectations in the early part of the season and put his team at the top of the Mountain West.

In the most recent game, UNLV erased a 17-0 deficit and defeated New Mexico 31-20. That game showed UNLV’s resilience and ability to fight back.

UNLV is tied with Boise State for the most wins in the Mountain West in the season. With a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 Mountain West record, UNLV sits atop the West Division.

The program already doubled its win total from last season. With two wins in the Mountain West, UNLV has the same number of wins in conference play from last year. The Rebels finished the 2021 season with a 2-10 record. The 2021 season began with an 0-8 start.

This season is off to a much better start and the Rebels are poised to have the program’s first winning season since 2013. The Rebels went 7-6 in 2013 and have not won more than five games in a single season since then.

Doug Brumfield has seemed to be the answer at quarterback. In the past, the quarterback position was a problem, but Brumfield has been a consistent presence for the team.

The upcoming schedule will dictate how the season ultimately plays out for UNLV, but regardless of the end result, the start of the season is an accomplishment for Arroyo and his program. The next five games for UNLV are against San Jose State, Air Force, Notre Dame, San Diego State, and Fresno State. San Jose State has been the only future opponent without a really bad loss in 2022. Air Force, Notre Dame, San Diego State, and Fresno State all stumbled at some point since the start of the season.

UNLV could have trouble in the next three games against San Jose State, Air Force, and Notre Dame. On the other side, the games against San Diego State and Fresno State are looking like winnable games for the Rebels with recent struggles from the two teams. The conference is up for grabs and UNLV can catch the college football world by surprise with a deep run in the second half of the season. Having a great start to the season turned out to be a great cushion for the rest of the way.

If Arroyo can lead the Rebels to a bowl game, he should be in the conversation for the Mountain West Coach of the Year. He is looking to join John Robinson as the only other UNLV head coach to win the award.

Week 1 college football betting picks to watch

Here are some week one college football odds to keep in mind as game day approaches.

Greetings, sports fans! I’d like to welcome you from one of the states that has benefitted the most from sports gambling: New Jersey. We here on the east coast, counting the Garden State, Pennsylvania, and the latest success story New York, are firmly behind the trend that has swept through sports. One day proud Americans from coast to coast will be able to make parlays with pride.

If you are one of those from an enlightened state in the country such as Iowa, I welcome you to join me as I take a look at some of my favorite odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook. I would like to state from the start that I am not an expert, nor a professional gambler. I am just a diehard football fan passionate about the idea and industry of sports gambling.

As always, make sure to gamble responsibly my friends.

CFN Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team, Top 30 Players: Preview 2022

Who are the best players in the Mountain West going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West team and top 30 players.

Who are the best players in the Mountain West going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West team and top 30 players.

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2022 Preseason CFN Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year

QB Jake Haener, Sr. Fresno State

The superstar recruit started out at Washington, went to Fresno State, was expected to join head coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington, changed his mind, and now he’s back with the Bulldogs – current head man Jeff Tedford knows a thing or two about how to coach up quarterbacks.

Haener threw for over 4,000 yards last season with 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions, but he can do so much more – like win lead the program to the Mountain West title.

2022 Preseason CFN Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year

LB Vince Sanford, Sr. Air Force

Take your pick of at least ten linebackers or ten more safeties or ten more pass rushers to be the Preseason Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and you might not be wrong. Sanford gets the nod because of all he can do, coming off a breakthrough season with 59 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. He broke up three passes, too.

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Offense

QB Jake Haener, Sr. Fresno State

RB Brad Roberts, Sr. Air Force

WR Jalen Cropper, Sr. Fresno State

RB Titus Swen, Sr. Wyoming

WR Jesse Matthews, Sr. San Diego State

TE Treyton Welch, Sr. Wyoming

OT Aaron Frost, Sr. Nevada

OG Gray Davis, Sr. Colorado State

C Alama Uluave, Sr. San Diego State

OG Micah Vanterpool, Sr. Hawaii

OT John Ojukwu, Sr. Boise State

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Defense

DE Keshawn Banks, Sr. San Diego State

DT Scott Matlock, Sr. Boise State

DT Jonah Tavai, Sr. San Diego State

DE Cade Hall, Sr. San Jose State

LB Cam’Ron Carter, Sr. Colorado State

LB Easton Gibbs, Soph. Wyoming

LB Caden McDonald, Sr. San Diego State

CB Cam Lockridge, CB Jr. Fresno State

S Patrick McMorris, Sr. San Diego State

S JL Skinner, Sr. Boise State

CB Nehemiah Shelton, Sr. San Jose State

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Special Teams

PK Jonah Dalmas, Jr. Boise State

P Aaron Rodriguez, Jr. New Mexico

KR/PR Jordan Byrd, Sr. San Diego State

College Football News 2022 Preseason Top 30 Mountain West Players

30. David Perales, DE Sr. Fresno State

29. Ilm Manning, OT, Sr. Hawai

28. Jesse Matthews, WR Sr. San Diego State

27. Haaziq Daniels, QB Sr. Air Force

26. Tavian Combs, S, Jr. New Mexico

25. Viliami Fehoko, DE Sr. San Jose State

24. Trey Taylor, S Jr. Air Force

23. Hunter Reynolds, S Sr. Utah State

22. Harrison Bailey, QB Soph. UNLV

21. Jerrick Reed, S Sr. New Mexico

20. Easton Gibbs, LB Soph. Wyoming

19. Jalen Cropper, WR Sr. Fresno State

18. Brad Roberts, RB Sr. Air Force

17. Patrick McMorris, S Sr. San Diego State

16. Cam’Ron Carter, LB Sr. Colorado State

15. Hank Bachmeier, QB Sr. Boise State

14. Evan Williams, S Sr. Fresno State

13. JL Skinner, S Sr. Boise State

12. Dom Peterson, DT Sr. Nevada

11. Patrick McMorris, S Sr. San Diego State

10. Aaron Frost, OT Sr. Nevada

9. Scott Matlock, DT Sr. Boise State

8. Keshawn Banks, DE Sr. San Diego State

7. John Ojukwu, OT Sr. Boise State

6. Jonah Tavai, DT Sr. San Diego State

5. Cade Hall, DE Sr. San Jose State

4. Caden McDonald, LB Sr. San Diego State

3. Logan Bonner, QB Sr. Utah State

2. Vince Sanford, LB Sr. Air Force

1. Jake Haener, QB Sr. Fresno State

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Coach Wins Against The Spread: Group of Five, Independent Ranked From Best To Worst

Coach Wins Against The Spread: Who are the best and worst Group of Five coaches when it comes to covering?

How good are all of the Group of Five and Independent head coaches against the spread? Going from best to worst, here’s who covers and who doesn’t.

How do all of the Group of Five and Independent head coaches do against the spread, and on the road ATS, and going over on the point total?

Here’s our breakdown of the coaches and what they’ve done with their respective teams – at least the ones they’re currently with.

Who covers – and sometimes more importantly – who doesn’t?

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @RichCirminiello

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American Athletic Conference Coach Wins Against The Spread

With the exception of new SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee and Stan Drayton at Temple, these stats reflect how all the coaches have done on their current American Athletic Conference teams.

1. Philip Montgomery, Tulsa

ATS Record (since 2015)

ATS Overall: 48-35-1 (57.7%)
On Extra Rest: 12-4
vs. Ranked: 13-5
After Win: 19-13
After Loss: 23-18-1
Home: 15-23-1
Road: 30-11
Favorite: 18-18-1
Underdog: 30-17
Home Favorite: 9-15-1
Home Dog: 6-8
Road Favorite: 7-3
Road Dog: 23-8
vs. Conference: 33-22
Non-conference: 15-13-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 41-42-1
On Extra Rest: 5-11
vs. Ranked: 8-10
Home: 19-20
Road: 20-20-1
Favorite: 20-17
Underdog: 21-25-1
Home Favorite: 15-10
Home Dog: 4-10
Road Favorite: 5-5
Road Dog: 15-15-1
Conference: 29-26
Non-conference: 12-16-1
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

2. Jeff Scott, USF

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 12-9 (57.1%)
On Extra Rest: 5-0
vs. Ranked: 5-1
After Win: 1-2
After Loss: 8-6
Home: 7-3
Road: 5-6
Favorite: 0-2
Underdog: 10-7
Home Favorite: 2-2
Home Dog: 5-1
Road Favorite: 0-0
Road Dog: 5-6
vs. Conference: 9-6
Non-conference: 3-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 12-8-1
On Extra Rest: 2-2-1
vs. Ranked: 5-1
Home: 8-2
Road: 4-6-1
Favorite: 2-2
Underdog: 10-6-1
Home Favorite: 2-2
Home Dog: 6-0
Road Favorite: 0-0
Road Dog: 4-6-1
Conference: 8-6-1
Non-conference: 4-2
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

3. Willie Fritz, Tulane

ATS Record (since 2016)

ATS Overall: 41-31-2 (56.8%)
On Extra Rest: 6-6
vs. Ranked: 4-7
After Win: 14-13-1
After Loss: 22-17-1
Home: 23-11-1
Road: 16-19-1
Favorite: 23-13-1
Underdog: 18-18-1
Home Favorite: 15-7
Home Dog: 8-4-1
Road Favorite: 6-5-1
Road Dog: 10-14
vs. Conference: 25-21-2
Non-conference: 16-10

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 36-38
On Extra Rest: 6-6
vs. Ranked: 7-4
Home: 16-19
Road: 18-18
Favorite: 19-18
Underdog: 17-20
Home Favorite: 12-10
Home Dog: 4-9
Road Favorite: 5-7
Road Dog: 13-11
Conference: 21-27
Non-conference: 15-11
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

4. Mike Houston, East Carolina

ATS Record (since 2019)

ATS Overall: 18-14-1 (56.1%)
On Extra Rest: 4-1
vs. Ranked: 3-2
After Win: 7-6
After Loss: 10-6-1
Home: 8-7-1
Road: 10-6
Favorite: 4-5
Underdog: 14-9-1
Home Favorite: 3-2
Home Dog: 5-5-1
Road Favorite: 1-3
Road Dog: 9-3
vs. Conference: 15-9
Non-conference: 3-5-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 15-18
On Extra Rest: 3-2
vs. Ranked: 4-1
Home: 6-10
Road: 9-7
Favorite: 2-7
Underdog: 13-11
Home Favorite: 0-5
Home Dog: 6-5
Road Favorite: 2-2
Road Dog: 7-5
Conference: 13-11
Non-conference: 2-7
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

5. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

ATS Record (since 2017)

ATS Overall: 34-29 (54.01%)
On Extra Rest: 5-5
vs. Ranked: 9-6
After Win: 24-21
After Loss: 7-6
Home: 18-14
Road: 14-13
Favorite: 23-21
Underdog: 11-8
Home Favorite: 16-12
Home Dog: 2-2
Road Favorite: 6-8
Road Dog: 8-5
vs. Conference: 20-21
Non-conference: 14-8

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 25-38
On Extra Rest: 5-5
vs. Ranked: 3-12
Home: 16-16
Road: 8-19
Favorite: 22-22
Underdog: 3-16
Home Favorite: 14-14
Home Dog: 2-2
Road Favorite: 7-7
Road Dog: 1-12
Conference: 17-24
Non-conference: 8-14
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

6. Ken Niumatalolo, Navy

ATS Record (since 2007)

ATS Overall: 100-87-3 (53.4%)
On Extra Rest: 21-17
vs. Ranked: 12-10-1
After Win: 57-45-2
After Loss: 34-35-1
Home: 42-38-1
Road: 43-36-1
Favorite: 52-51-2
Underdog: 48-36-1
Home Favorite: 29-27-1
Home Dog: 13-11
Road Favorite: 15-17-1
Road Dog: 28-19
vs. Conference: 44-26-2
Non-conference: 56-61-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 87-100-1
On Extra Rest: 17-21
vs. Ranked: 9-14
Home: 39-40
Road: 41-38-1
Favorite: 46-56-1
Underdog: 41-44
Home Favorite: 27-28
Home Dog: 12-12
Road Favorite: 18-14-1
Road Dog: 23-24
Conference: 38-34
Non-conference: 49-66-1

7. Dana Holgorsen, Houston

ATS Record (since 2019)

ATS Overall: 17-17 (50%)
On Extra Rest: 1-5
vs. Ranked: 4-6
After Win: 8-9
After Loss: 7-6
Home: 6-8
Road: 9-7
Favorite: 9-9
Underdog: 8-8
Home Favorite: 4-3
Home Dog: 2-5
Road Favorite: 4-4
Road Dog: 5-3
vs. Conference: 11-12
Non-conference: 6-5

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 19-14-1
On Extra Rest: 3-3
vs. Ranked: 7-2-1
Home: 8-5-1
Road: 11-5
Favorite: 8-10
Underdog: 11-4-1
Home Favorite: 3-4
Home Dog: 5-1-1
Road Favorite: 5-3
Road Dog: 6-2
Conference: 14-8-1
Non-conference: 5-6
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

8. Gus Malzahn, UCF

ATS Record (since 2021)

ATS Overall: 5-8 (38.5%)
On Extra Rest: 1-1
vs. Ranked: 0-1
After Win: 3-5
After Loss: 2-2
Home: 3-4
Road: 1-4
Favorite: 4-6
Underdog: 1-2
Home Favorite: 3-4
Home Dog: 0-0
Road Favorite: 1-2
Road Dog: 0-2
vs. Conference: 2-6
Non-conference: 3-2

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 7-5-1
On Extra Rest: 1-1
vs. Ranked: 1-0
Home: 2-4-1
Road: 5-0
Favorite: 5-4-1
Underdog: 2-1
Home Favorite: 2-4-1
Home Dog: 0-0
Road Favorite: 3-0
Road Dog: 2-0
Conference: 4-4
Non-conference: 3-1-1
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

9. Ryan Silverfield, Memphis

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 8-15 (34.8%)
On Extra Rest: 4-1
vs. Ranked: 1-2
After Win: 2-9
After Loss: 4-5
Home: 7-6
Road: 0-9
Favorite: 4-9
Underdog: 4-6
Home Favorite: 3-6
Home Dog: 4-0
Road Favorite: 0-3
Road Dog: 0-6
vs. Conference: 4-12
Non-conference: 4-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 8-13-2
On Extra Rest: 2-3
vs. Ranked: 1-2
Home: 4-7-2
Road: 4-5
Favorite: 5-6-2
Underdog: 3-7
Home Favorite: 3-4-2
Home Dog: 1-3
Road Favorite: 2-1
Road Dog: 2-4
Conference: 6-8-2
Non-conference: 2-5
Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

NEXT: Conference USA Coach Wins Against The Spread

Pages: 123456

Full worst-to-first preseason SP+ conference power rankings

Where does the Big Ten stand nationally in comparison to all other conferences in ESPN’s final SP+ preseason projections?

The Big Ten is generally regarded as one of the nation’s premier conferences. It makes perfect sense, too. In addition to boasting some of the country’s top brands, the actual football being played on the gridiron is pretty dang good as well.

In fact, ESPN’s final SP+ preseason projections rank five Big Ten teams inside the nation’s top 17 and eight teams inside the country’s top 34. Iowa checks in No. 27 nationally according to the final SP+ ratings. Suffice it to say, the predictive model expects the league to feature plenty of the nation’s top teams once more in 2022.

On the surface, those numbers sound great for the Big Ten. How does the Big Ten stack up nationally, though? Where do all of the conferences rank according to Bill Connelly’s final SP+ preseason projections?

Here’s a worst-to-first breakdown of where each conference stands in terms of overall strength per ESPN’s final SP+ rankings.

UNLV’s Biggest Questions To Answer Heading Into 2022 Season

Answering UNLV’s biggest questions heading into the 2022 season.

UNLV’s Biggest Questions To Answer Heading Into 2022 Season

The Rebels Have Plenty To Work On

Contact/Follow @Michaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Can UNLV Answer These Questions?

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Who Will Be The Starting QB?

With Cameron Friel expected to take a step forward in his second year at UNLV, he will need to prove that he is UNLV’s quarterback of the future. He has less than one month left to prove he belongs as the QB1. Friel will be tasked with holding off Harrison Bailey and Doug Brumfield from taking his job. Bailey, a Tennessee transfer, will be Friel’s biggest threat from the outside. Brumfield played in three games in 2021 and gained experience from being on the field.

Friel should win the job, but his position will not be guaranteed throughout the season. As a true freshman, Friel appeared in nine games and had six touchdowns with 11 interceptions. When the season starts, Friel should be in line to re-enter his position as UNLV’s quarterback.

How Long Will Marcus Arroyo’s Leash Be?

UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo enters his third season in the position with a 2-16 record. His tenure began on a bumpy road. He inherited a program that was in the basement of the Mountain West. Arroyo was not supposed to fix UNLV immediately.

If Arroyo has another season with seven or eight less wins than losses, he could be in danger of losing his job in 2022. Even if Arroyo has another two or three-win season, UNLV could decide to commit to him for at least one more season. For UNLV fans, the hope is that he can be the coach to fix the program. Arroyo still needs time to figure out how he can put his own claim on the program.

Will The Defense Make Up For Brennon Scott’s Loss?

In the spring, Scott suffered a knee injury and missed the start of training camp. His absence could play a major part in this season’s defense. If Scott’s injury is as serious as it seems, he could be out for the entire 2022 season. The Rebels will need a linebacker to fill his shoes and make up for the loss. This will be a major loss for the Rebels.

Although this player is not a linebacker, UNLV defensive back Nohl Williams can fill some of the void as the defense’s leader. The Rebels will look to Williams to take on the role as the team’s best defensive player in his junior season.

Will The Rebels Make A Bowl Game?

While a bowl game seems out of reach for the Rebels, it is a goal that every program aspires to achieve every season. When someone sees last season’s final outcome of a 2-10 record, it will be hard to envision this season being any better. The main problem with UNLV’s 2021 season was the early hole that the team dug themselves in.

UNLV started the 2021 season with an 0-8 record. By the time UNLV won its first game in November, the season was already over. The team managed to split the final four games of the season with a two-game winning streak. If the Rebels can find a way to take at least two of the first three non-conference games, that will ease any rough patch that happens in the Mountain West portion of the schedule.

The Rebels lost six games by single digits in 2021. If Arroyo’s team can find a way to close out tight games, a five-win season will be within UNLV’s reach. UNLV needs to have at least five wins to even be considered eligible for a bowl game. If the Rebels can win six games, expect the program’s first appearance in a bowl game since 2013.