Hawaii QB is secondary’s primary concern

UNLV first went against Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson, the nation's most high-profile football transfer.

Then the Rebels faced Washington State's Marshall Lobbestael, a fifth-year senior who isn't a typical backup quarterback.

And now Hawaii senior Bryant Moniz is in town, giving little comfort to a Rebels secondary that has been shredded in two games and now must defend the quarterback who runs the Warriors' high-scoring run-and-shoot offense with precision.

"This is not a cure for what an ailing secondary is looking for," UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. "Not at all."

UNLV (0-2) is an 18½-point underdog to Hawaii (1-1) in its home opener at 7 p.m. today at Sam Boyd Stadium. Hawaii beat the Rebels 59-21 last year in Honolulu behind Moniz's 380 yards and four touchdown passes.

The Rebels enter with plenty of uncertainty in the secondary. Cornerbacks Quinton Pointer (leg) and Ken Spigner (back) are listed as doubtful. Pointer is a starter, and Spigner receives plenty of playing time.

"They'll be playing," cornerback Sidney Hodge insisted.

Maybe, but if Pointer and Spigner don't play or receive limited time, that will put further stress on a unit that will face multiple Hawaii receivers.

"I don't think it sets us back in terms of base defense," Hauck said. "It makes it hard for us with substitution packages in terms of numbers.

"(In trying) to get the secondary turned around and you're playing four wides (receivers), the substitution packages are going to be a big part of the plan."

UNLV's secondary certainly needs to play better than it did the first two games. Wisconsin's Wilson, a North Carolina State transfer, and Washington State's Lobbestael, replacing injured starter Jeff Tuel, combined to pass for 729 yards and nine touchdowns to rout the Rebels by an average score of 55-12.

The Rebels have given up more than 50 points in three consecutive games and more than 40 in four straight.

Moniz has shown he is capable of putting up big passing numbers, having completed 65.4 percent through two games for 511 yards and two touchdowns. Moniz also has rushed for 123 yards and four TDs.

What's remarkable is he has kept the Warriors rolling even though they return only one other offensive starter, wide receiver Royce Pollard.

"A lot of our receivers are new, but they're catching on pretty fast," Moniz said.

Moniz, however, apparently won't have his top target. Wide receiver Jeremiah Ostrowski, who has 19 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, wore a walking boot on his right foot this week. If Ostrowski doesn't suit up, it would be a break for a UNLV secondary in desperate need of one.

Hauck's resume includes coaching the secondaries at Colorado and Washington, and he is taking more of a hands-on role to improve an inexperienced UNLV unit. He takes pride in fielding good defenses, so watching the secondary's struggles has not been easy.

"We have great passion about the defensive side of the ball, and for us, in particular the secondary, it's difficult, and we're going to fix it," Hauck said. "We are going to be better. We'll be better this weekend."

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