Dan Mullen wants simpler scheme for UNLV’s struggling defense

Communication is key. That’s where lapses have come. That’s where UNLV’s defense has made things tough on itself.

It’s like, according to football coach Dan Mullen, math.

“You get into two plus two equals four,” he said. “That doesn’t take much thought. But what’s the square root of 5,642? That might take a little bit of thought.

“We have to make sure for the defense that we’re simple enough to where the communication aspect is such that when a play is called, all 11 guys know what’s going on and everyone knows exactly where they should be.”

He hopes things are such when UNLV (6-1, 2-1 Mountain West) meets New Mexico (5-3, 2-2) at noon Saturday at Allegiant Stadium.

UNLV is coming off its third bye and now faces five conference games in five weeks to end the regular season. The Rebels are already bowl eligible.

But while they might have won six of seven, most weeks have been about outscoring opponents. UNLV ranks 11th among conference teams in total and scoring defense. The only team worse in both is Air Force, which the Rebels outlasted 51-48.

Play with energy

“I know there has been a lot of talk about the defense not doing so well, but we also played two very good offenses (in Air Force and Boise State) the last two games,” cornerback Andrew Powdrell said. “We just have to communicate and play with energy, because when we do that, we play our best. We’re going to be better.”

It’s like the UNLV offense only with different results. The Rebels feature several new players on their defense from a year ago, and it has taken time to learn and execute a new system. Still not close.

“It’s the 10,000 rule,” Mullen said. “You want to be an expert at something, you have to do it 10,000 times. Well, we’re at 1,000. We’re a long way from being experts, so we have to teach it and rep it and communicate it and walk it through over and over.”

He doesn’t believe it’s a case of players overthinking the moment. Of getting caught up mentally in how many yards an opponent might be gaining throughout a game.

That it’s more about the final result.

It’s also about trusting the guy next to you.

Sometimes, it’s about not making a play. That your job on a specific snap might be to sit in your gap so things are going to bounce to someone else for them to finish it.

That when you go against a run-and-shoot one week and the triple option another and a power run game another, with all those different formations, a new defense isn’t always the most comfortable when trying to stop the other guys.

“I guarantee you New Mexico is going to come out with movements they haven’t shown and a coverage they haven’t shown and a formation they haven’t shown and a pass play and a run play and motion they haven’t shown,” Mullen said. “There are going to be variations, and it’s on us to really understand what’s going on and make sure we’re confident and following our rules.

“We mixed things up during the bye week so it builds more confidence in what we’re going to see. Our defensive guys are trying to make plays. They just need to be where they’re supposed to be, and it will all work out. In the end, that’s coaching and teaching, which is completely on me not to get upset with guys. We have to make sure we’re teaching the right way.”

Important to others

Mullen doesn’t mind that there has been outside chatter and opinions about the team’s defensive results. He loves that the program is that important to others.

He also says nobody wants to win more than those in the building. That no one is more invested with their time and sacrifice. That he hopes things were fixed in practice this week.

“We’re playing another good offensive team and are going to have to score a whole bunch of points and play well in all phases,” Mullen said. “For us, it’s about the defense holding them to one point less than we score, and the offense scoring one more point than we give up, and special teams playing really hard.

“If we do that, we have a chance.”

Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.