New Mexico State vs. Nevada

I don’t have much to say about this game except for the fact that it probably shouldn’t be played. New Mexico State is one of the worst teams in all of college football. Their defense is horrible and their offense can hardly be called an offense. This will be a stat padding game for Tyler as I don’t expect to see Kaepernick play but maybe one possession in the second half. The running game will look like a beast as always, and our defense will look like one of the best in the country. I would not be surprised to see this end in a shutout or a killing, speaking of which someone should call 9-1-1 before the game even starts.

The big news about this game is Colin Kaepernick, that guy that I think is the real MVP of college football this year. He will accumulate more than 54 yards rushing and will most likely throw for a touchdown, hopefully to Brandon Wimberly. Why is this important? Well the latter will give him the school record for TD passes. The first however will make him the FIRST player in NCAA history to pass for 2000 yards and rush for 1000 in 3 seasons. If that doesn’t say something about this kid then I don’t know what does. It will be a night of history.

Final Score Prediction

New Mexico State 0-13 – Nevada 42-83

Nevada vs. Fresno State Recap

In a game that was more than a nail-biter, we saw a Nevada team that we needed to see. This team has not trailed much this season, in fact when we trail this season we usually lose, the only game we trailed was the game against Hawaii. Yes it would have been nice to go into Fresno and completely demolish them, but that’s not what happened. The team was forced to stay in the game which is what will happen come November 26^th (have you circled this date yet on your calendars?).

The defense looked sluggish at times but made plays when they needed to be made. Once again there was strong dominating performances from James-Michael Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Dontay Moch. I hope you caught the beginning of this game because on Fresno’s first drive of the game Dontay leveled a receiver about 20 yards from the line of scrimmage. Just the fact that a lineman made the tackle that far down the field is impressive, but Dontay flat out laid some wood. The kid runs a 4.2 40-yard dash! More-so the only major problems with the defense were caused by play calling, not players. Sure there was a few missed tackles but other than that I felt like the defense played great.

Offensively it looked like we struggled at times but in the end we made the plays we needed to make. Now lets talk about how bad of a decision Kaepernick’s interception was! I mean he basically threw that into double coverage to a receiver that was blanketed! Yea, I’m sorry but that was a GREAT decision and its something that every Nevada fan should be happy with. Why? You’re either thinking I’m on crack right now or that I’m being sarcastic right?

Well I’m not. That decision shows confidence in Kaepernick that his receivers can make the catch and more importantly that he can put the ball where it needs to be! Now I’ve watched that play probably 10 times over and Malcolm Shepherd should have made that catch.

This game showed we can come from behind and that we don’t get rattled easily. Even the Hawaii game showed us this except we couldn’t come back and win that one. This team has learned what it needs to do to win and if I’m Boise St., I am definitely a little worried about November 26^th. I’m just wondering…will Brandon Wimberly, probably the best wide receiver on this team, get a touchdown this year?

I’m still predicting #18 in the BCS standings!

Idaho vs. Nevada Recap

Nevada ranked 18^th?

Is it possible?

I think come tomorrow’s BCS selection show we might just see Nevada sitting at #18. Here’s why: #’s 22,21,19,15, and 12 lost. I think those 5 teams will fall below us in the BCS rankings. #’s 8,6, and 5 also lost but I do not think they will fall below us.

Here’s another thing, Nevada played its best game to date this season. Yes I know that one can argue that our best game was against Cal, but lets be honest, this was complete domination. Nevada racked up 844 yards of total offense, the highest number put up by any team this season. Nevada also used it’s 3^rd string quarterback on it’s final possession.

Now I know Idaho isn’t exactly a great team but we did what we’re supposed to do, pull ahead and keep on moving forward. Our special teams played like crap at times but somehow found a way to remedy their mistakes. Nevada forced 4 turnovers which is what we were supposed to do.

The play of Kaepernick could not have been better. I also want to point out how well Brandon Wimberly, James-Michael Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Duke Williams, Rishard Matthews, Malcolm Shepherd, Lampford Mark, Vai taua, and Mike Ball played in this game. It is rare for 10 players to shine the way these 10 did today. Now if only Isaiah Frey would turn his head more often and join this group.

What I saw today out of this team was a team that DESERVES to be ranked and could compete with every team in the nation. If this kind of play keeps up, we could be seeing a #3 Boise St. vs #14/15 Nevada matchup come November 26^th that should have the Broncos a little weary. As it is right now, I don’t see the spread being more than 7pts. Lets hope that this play keeps up through next week at Fresno St, another tough opponent that we can’t look beyond.

And just in case anyone is wondering, had Nevada not have lost to Hawaii, we could be talking about a team that would most likely be ranked #6 or 7 tomorrow.

Utah State vs. Nevada

Lets all hope that 2 weeks ago was a wake-up call for our team.

Utah State might not have the stats numbers we have but they are still a good team. A far cry from San Jose State.

In the past few weeks if you watched Nevada, you could see that they were tired. The emotion that they started the season with had dwindled away. This bye week that just past should have been a nice rest for the team and should allow them to come back out refreshed. I believe that this Nevada team will come out Saturday night and have shades of the Nevada of past, before our slump.

I expect our defense to step up their game, and the offense to go back to firing on all cylinders. Utah State's passing game might be the only question affecting the score. If it's hitting, they will keep up for a bit, if its not, it will be over soon.

Final Score Prediction:

Utah State 10 - Nevada 45

P.S. In a text sent to me by #4 Brandon Wimberly after the Hawaii game, he simply said "It won't happen again". Let's hope he's right.

In Defense of a Great Coach

Lets all point the finger at Ault!

That’s going to be the talk on campus come Monday and it will probably be echoing throughout the community.

Why do we have to mimic Philadelphia fans? Get real here people, last time I checked Ault doesn’t put on a helmet and shoulder pads and line up in the field of play. This is college football, anything can happen on any given day. If we’re going to start chanting “fire Ault”, then Alabama fans should be chanting “fire Saban” and Ohio State should be chanting “fire Tressel”. I mean come on, those were teams ranked #1 when they lost. We were ranked a measly #19, and quite honestly, with the way we’ve been playing, we didn’t deserve that.

Do we lay the blame on Kaepernick? I mean he did have 2 fumbles, 1 of which should have been a touchdown, and 2 interceptions? Or do we lay the blame on Wimberly because he let the last interception go off his hands? How about Dontay Moch for not having more sacks in this game? No, you move one. These aren’t professionals, they went out there and, maybe not in the 1^st half, but in the 2^nd half played with every last drop of heart and energy they had. So you applaud them on a valiant effort.

Lets face it, if we would have gotten a BCS game, it might have been against Alabama or Auburn, or Ohio state, and as must as I would love to say we would have hung in there (notice I’m not saying win here), we would have been slaughtered. I’m talking 70-3 type stuff here. But that’s not the point, the point is we got the BCS game right? Let me tell you something, I’m a Buffalo Bills fan, we went to 4 straight Superbowls, and lost them all. When I tell someone I’m a Bills fan and they say “Boy I Love Losing Superbowls” or how we couldn’t win one, I say at least we were good enough to get to 4 in a row…and you get laughed at because it means NOTHING. Anyone remember Hawaii’s Sugar Bowl experience? Exactly, its not brought up.

We can only hope that this game was a wake up call for the team, that we go into this bye week focused, and that we come out like a real football team and not one that struggles to pull away from San Jose State and UNLV. We beat Cal and BYU, big deal, I hate to break it to you but those teams suck.

All I’m saying is the man has over 200 wins. He’s had teams lead the nation in passing in one year and rushing in another year, the only coach in history to be able to claim that. He’s in the college football hall of fame. He invented an entire offensive system that’s taking the game of football by surprise. The only thing he hasn’t done is parted the Red Sea. Give the guy a break and think for yourself before you follow the masses.

SJSU vs. Nevada

Sorry for the delay but school comes first.

Besides, there's not much to talk about when it comes to this game. SJSU is wishing they didn't have this game to play.

I see this game being an absolute blowout (I hope).

From the offensive side of the ball expect huge numbers. Kaepernick has been struggling to put up numbers as of late as you can see by that awesome graph I made. On the other hand Vai has been picking up the slack. This is not a problem as it shows how talented we are on the offensive side of the ball. Expect Kaepernick, and Vai to break some huge runs this game. Also expect some short passes to Virgil Green and Brandon Wimberly to end up going for big gains as this SJSU defense has had trouble making tackles in the open field.

Defensively expect the defensive line to have a field day. More big numbers from them as this SJSU offensive line will have a hard time giving their quarterback the time he needs. Expect quick screen passes that our defense will be prepared for. At the linebacking core expect more big numbers from Brandon Marshall and James-Michael Johnson. There is a chance that our secondary will give up a big play or two but I'm not seeing that very likely in this game. Instead I see 1-2 interceptions by our secondary.

Final Score Prediction:

SJSU 3 - Nevada 79

Breaking Down the Nevada Offense

There’s a lot of talk going on about a BCS game this year, but is it really a possibility? Abso-f***ing-lutely. To understand how this is possible however, we have to get to know the team. I’ve taken the time to go through 4 aspects of the game, offense, defense, coaching, and special teams. Hopefully I can convince you that this team is for real, but more importantly I hope I can educate you on what we have in our arsenal. I’ll be updating the blog in installments over the next 2 days so come back and make sure you don’t miss anything. And don’t worry, once I post the 4 aspects I’ll tell you what needs to happen to get that BCS game.

Offense

This offense is potent. Plain and simple. There's a reason we were the #1 offense last year and most likely will be again this year.

Let’s start with the quarterback. If Colin Kaepernick was in a BCS conference he would be in the running for the Heisman. #10 is as dual-threat as one can get, in fact he’s a triple threat, the first in college football. He can run like a gazelle, throw like a pitcher (go figure), and evade tacklers like a matador. He continues to put up amazing numbers and even more impressive is the diminishing number of mistakes he's made since his 1st two seasons. This kid is crisp and composed, and to think that for some reason no other school offered him a scholarship for football…hmm.

Vai Taua has been running the ball like a work-horse. #34 has been doing this for two years now and seems more comfortable than ever in this role. But guess what, he’s not the only runner. The Pack is stacked at the RB position, #29 Lampford Mark, #5 Mike Ball, and #35 Courtney Randall are all capable of being 1st string RB’s for us and many other teams out there.

The Receiving core might be the most impressive part of this offense. Most teams are lucky to have 1 WR who can make a difference. We have 5. #15 Rishard Matthews has been seeing the majority of the catches, followed by #82 Tray Session. These two could easily be the #1 wide-out at a Pac-10 school. But it doesn’t stop there #14 Chris Wellington has been seeing less and less balls thrown his way over the past 2 years but is a team player and is there when needed. #19 Malcolm Shepherd only has 4 catches this year but for 71 yards. If there is a worst receiver it’s #19, but he’s not bad at all. You get where I’m going with this? Now here’s the funny thing, our best receiver has the least catches. He’s got the most talent and the best hands on the team. There’s a reason Oregon State had originally laid claim to #4 Brandon Wimberly, this kid is ridiculously good. Last year he put up 733 yards, it doesn’t seem like he’ll get those same numbers this year but he’s only a sophomore. Look for him to be used in the running game as well. Using him on an end-around is a great option as this kid is elusive when he’s 1-on-1. I would start watching him now because you’ll be seeing him on Sunday’s in the near future. Remember Nate Burleson? Well if you ask me, he’s better. When the game is on the line, look for Kaepernick to go to #4 or to Virgil Green.

#85 Virgil Green is going to the NFL. If he wants to that is. I played basketball with him last year and this kid was dunking over me, out rebounding me, and just completely man-handling me. Now I’m no basketball player, but I can hold my own down on the block. Not only does he make and maintain great blocks like a tight end should, but he’s got great hands and maintains possession like a receiver. Think of Visanth Shiancoe of the Minnesota Vikings except better at blocking.

The offensive line is looking strong and is still opening up the holes it was last year. If anything they are more mobile than they were last year. Kaepernick has plenty of time to set up in the pocket (when he wants to) and their picking up the blitz when teams dare to bring it. #62 John Bender is the anchor of this line and his experience is going to be crucial.

Later today I will break down the coaching.

Tomorrow defense and special teams.

Wednesday what needs to happen to get that BCS game.

Cal vs. Nevada

Let's talk football. This Friday is the game that can make or break the season, up to this point that is. The Pack must go into this game like the season depends on it because it does. I'm also getting tired of hearing people say how the team is going to get "smoked" on Friday by a far superior team. Guess what? they are not far superior, I find these two teams to be very evenly matched. I think it's a little too early to look at scoring and defensive statistics so we won't go there. What I am going to talk about is what needs to happen.

This game is going to be close, I see it a one-possession game going into the 4th quarter. This favors the Wolf Pack due to their depth at running back, after all we are a ground and pound team. But we can not rely on the running game to win the game for us, we have to use the running game to open up the passing game which will be crucial. Virgil Green is arguably one of the best catching tight-end's in college football which will open up the passing game even more, another plus. If you followed the Pack last year, you know who Brandon Wimberly is, unfortunately he hasn't been utilized much this year so far, but there hasn't been a need to. He will be a huge impact on this game's outcome. Expect to see at least 7 receptions from him and somewhere around 100 yards out of him. If the Bears give him any open space, they will quickly see what he can do.

I don't see the running game having any problems in this week's match-up. Vai will get his 100 yards and kaepernick will add on another 100.

The biggest question is the defense. There is no secret that we have had a problem with the secondary but last week was a shimmer of hope. Sure we played a lesser opponent, but in previous years even that opponent would have gotten 2-3 long passes good enough for 6. The secondary last week stood its ground and if they play that good this week, we might be talking about how "we killed Cal" last weekend. Realistically though, they will give up 2 long plays, but that's better than giving up 5. The rest of the defense will play strong and cause the Bear's offense a lot of trouble. Look for MLB #52 James-Michael Johnson and OLB #33 Brandon Marshall to make big stops and big plays once again.

Outcome?

If you still think "Nevada is going to get smoked" just look at the betting lines for this game. I don't make these numbers, professional odds-makers do and they are saying Cal wins BUT only by 3 points. Now look at the over/under for this game, they also think there will be 110 points on the scoreboard by the end of regulation. If you do the math you'll see it doesn't add up, but with a little understanding you can see that they are calling the outcome of the game:

Cal 57 - Nevada 53

What's my call?

When it comes down to it, the Nevada defense is underrated, I'm not saying they are great, I'm saying they are underrated. The defense will make a late stand when they need to and the offense will score one more touchdown to put the game away in the last 2 minutes.

Cal 45 - Nevada 54