Finale victory crucial to Tony Sanchez’s UNLV plan

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Both football teams appear to be in similar situations, playing the final game of a disappointing season, the outcome having little effect on the Mountain West landscape.

The situations, though, are not as similar as they appear.

Win or lose, it probably won't have much of an ultimate effect on Wyoming second-year coach Craig Bohl's plans.

For UNLV first-year coach Tony Sanchez, a lot is riding on the outcome of today's 11 a.m. PST game at War Memorial Stadium. Root Sports will televise the game, which also will be streamed at unlvrebels.com.

Sanchez is trying to continue momentum of a promising recruiting class, and he is working to get financing for a football building.

A victory over the Cowboys (1-10, 1-6 MW) gives the Rebels (3-8, 2-5) double the number of victories they had last year as well as over eight of the past 11 seasons.

It would be concrete evidence the program is on the right track under Sanchez.

"I feel the team has come together as a brotherhood this year more than they ever had before," UNLV senior tight end Jake Phillips said. "I think that's really what's changed a lot, and it's what's going to benefit the Rebels the most in the future."

Lose, though, and the Rebels will have ended the season with three consecutive defeats and six losses in their final seven games. A loss also would come on the heels of a 49-35 loss at Colorado State in which the defense looked flat and a 52-14 defeat to San Diego State in which the entire team was outclassed from the beginning.

Sanchez could still put together a strong recruiting class and get the money for a program-changing building even with a loss today, but it would complicate his efforts.

"We've had a lot of positive things," Sanchez said. "We've played close in a lot of games, and there are a lot of things we can take with us into the offseason on to the recruiting trails, things we can sell in the community as far as the progress that we've made. It's important for us to go out and finish on a good note."

Getting back quarterback Blake Decker is a major boost for the Rebels. He missed the past six quarters after suffering hip and ankle injuries on Nov. 14 at Colorado State. His ability to stretch the field opens up UNLV's offense, which would keep Wyoming from focusing on stopping the Rebels' running game as many of their opponents have done when Decker has been out.

Even with a forecast of temperatures in the lows 20s and possible snow, UNLV will need to put in the ball in the air to make it easier for the Rebels to take advantage of a Wyoming defense that allows 229 yards rushing per game and 5.3 per carry. UNLV averages 194.2 yards rushing per game, and the three-back rotation of Keith Whitely, Lexington Thomas and Xzaviar Campbell averages a combined 5.2 yards per rush.

UNLV's defense can expect to deal with a steady dose of handoffs to Wyoming running back Brian Hill, who has rushed for 1,399 yards and has put together three 200-yard games. He is just 56 yards from the Cowboys' single-season record.

UNLV must keep Hill from dictating the game's pace and allowing Wyoming to take a victory into the offseason. But even if the Cowboys lose, they have a young team that will bring back the great majority of its players next season.

"There is no doubt you want to go into the offseason on a high note," Bohl said. "We don't need any extra motivation. I doubt that UNLV does."

UNLV showed noticeable improvement for most of the season, but the Rebels are stumbling at the end. The program needs to get back the momentum, especially with so much at stake.

"Everybody works hard, so to walk off that field with a win, the young guys take that into the weigthtroom, they take it into the classroom, and they take it back home over the break, and they come back with a little chip on their shoulder," Sanchez said. "I honestly think there's going to be a lot of looking back saying, 'Darn. Darn.' Especially if we get this win, it's going to be one of those deals where you look at what could you have done, and that's OK.

"So having this win would give us a little bit if an edge going into the offseason."

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65