UNLV Rebels College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
UNLV Rebels Biggest Key: Offense
The offensive line has to be a whole lot tighter in pass protection. The running game will be okay – there are enough good backs to be effective – but the line has to give the quarterbacks time to work.
In just six games, the Rebel line allowed 29 sacks and 59 tackles for loss. That’s after allowing 29 sacks and 66 tackles for loss in 12 games in 2019.
There’s bulk, there’s experience, and there are more options in the mix even with two starters gone. Now this massive group of blockers must be more effective.
UNLV Rebels Biggest Key: Defense
Stop … the … run. It was impossible for the Rebels to ever get any semblance of control over games with team after team blasting away with the ground attack. Those that didn’t put up massive number on the ground didn’t really try – they were too effective throwing the ball.
The Rebels kept wearing down, allowing over 240 yards on the ground in four of the six games after not allowing more than 185 yards in seven of the last eight games of 2019.
UNLV Rebels Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Justin Rogers, Jr. and/or Doug Brumfield, Soph.
The UNLV quarterback play has been fine, but it should be a whole lot stronger. That starts with getting better blocking from the offensive front, and the defense has to help the cause with more meaningful stops, but the quarterback situation has be settled, too.
Three quarterbacks threw at least 20 passes in the six game 2020 season with mediocre success, and it all starts with simply being able to complete passes. 2013 – that was the last time a UNLV passing game hit at least 60% of its throws, and that was the only time it got there in the last decade.
UNLV Rebels Key Game To The 2021 Season
at Fresno State, Sept. 25
It’s not even about winning this game on the road against an improved Fresno State – losing three straight in the series including 40-27 last year. How close will UNLV be to being dangerous?
It’s the Mountain West opener for the Rebels, and they should be 1-2 – Eastern Washington, Arizona State and Iowa State are before it – and there’s a trip to UTSA to follow.
– UNLV Rebels Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2020 UNLV Rebels Fun Stats
– 4th Quarter Scoring: Opponents 43 – UNLV 7
– Sacks: Opponents 29 for 161 yards – UNLV 14 for 82 yards
– Fumbles: UNLV 5 (lost 5) – Opponents 5 (lost 3)