5 burning questions for UNLV-UNR

Five key questions as UNLV’s football team prepares for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against UNR at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. Is UNLV’s Bobby Hauck coaching for his job? It certainly appears that way. If the Rebels win, he could make the argument for returning after beating UNLV’s biggest rival for the second year in a row. Hauck also could say the Rebels beat Hawaii in reality last weekend and that his team was a victim of some officiating decisions. If UNLV loses to UNR, it’s difficult to imagine him coming back with a fourth two-victory season in five years and a complete lack of buzz for the program in the community. Either way, Hauck’s job is far from secure.

2. How quickly will athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy make a decision? Expect news one way or the other no later than Monday. Something could be announced as early as Sunday.

3. Do the Rebels have a chance to beat the Wolf Pack? Yes, absolutely. UNR is coming off back-to-back losses and not looking as strong as it did when the month began, and UNLV could build off the close loss at Hawaii. That said, the Rebels need to play mistake free and take advantage of nearly every opportunity to have a realistic chance.

4. Can UNLV stop UNR quarterback Cody Fajardo? The Rebels struggle badly against dual-threat quarterbacks, and Fajardo will not be easy to defend. Expect him to make his share of plays. The key for UNLV is to limit those big plays and allow its offense to keep up.

5. How ticked off are the Wolf Pack? Very. They believe the Fremont Cannon is theirs and is simply on loan to UNLV. UNR has set its sights on this game almost from the moment that last year’s ended. But that could backfire, too. A team can be too emotional and try too hard, resulting in mistakes. Legendary UNR coach Chris Ault was great at striking the right balance. It will be interesting to see how current Wolf Pack coach Brian Polian handles the situation.