Five players to watch in UNLV-UNR game

Five players to watch when UNLV’s football team plays UNR at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. UNR senior QB Cody Fajardo. He can beat teams both ways, leading the Wolf Pack in rushing with 854 yards and 12 touchdowns. Fajardo also has thrown for 2,328 yards and 15 TDs. UNLV struggles most against these types of quarterbacks.

2. UNLV senior RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence. He never got going at Hawaii, rushing for 43 yards on 11 carries, with 27 of those yards coming on one play. The Rebels need him against a UNR defense that gives up 176.9 yards rushing per game, including 4.7 per rush.

3. UNR junior DE Ian Seau. The nephew of former San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau, he is second in the Mountain West with 7½ sacks. Given UNLV’s difficulties to protect the quarterback, stopping him is a major concern for the Rebels.

4. UNLV senior DE Siuea Vaesau. He, as well as end Najee Johnson, will need to keep Fajardo contained so that 5-yard gains don’t turn into 25-yard pick-ups. Vaesau leads the Rebels with five sacks, and his 8½ tackles for loss rank second on the team.

5. UNLV redshirt freshman OT Kyle Saxelid. He will need to protect the backside of UNLV quarterback Blake Decker and perhaps Jared Lebowitz, if he plays again. If neither quarterback has much time to throw, it will be a long night for the Rebels’ offense.