Rebels still waiting on QB’s status

Maybe quarterback Nick Sherry's health won't be an issue and he'll play when UNLV faces Wyoming on Saturday, but coach Bobby Hauck didn't have an answer Monday.

Hauck said the redshirt freshman's status will be updated today when the team releases its weekly injury report.

Sherry bounced his head off the turf in Saturday's 33-11 loss at Colorado State, but appeared to move fine afterward.

The Rebels (2-9, 2-4 Mountain West Conference) close out their home football schedule when they face the Cowboys (3-7, 2-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

If Sherry can't play, junior Caleb Herring will start. Though the two have different styles - Sherry is a more traditional dropback quarterback; Herring is more suited to a spread attack - Hauck said the offense won't change much.

"We don't want to throw in a new offense this time of the season," Hauck said. "We'll do what we do, so it won't affect anybody but who's playing quarterback."

Herring, last season's starter, finished the game at Colorado State by completing 2 of 4 passes for 33 yards. He has spent most of this season at wide receiver, catching 16 passes for 125 yards.

Last season, Herring started eight games, completing 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,004 yards and eight touchdowns, with six interceptions. He also rushed for 119 yards and two TDs.

"The fact that he has game experience, that's big for him," senior offensive tackle Yusef Rodgers said. "I have confidence in Caleb. It was a good battle in fall camp between Nick and Caleb."

Sherry had seemed certain to break the Mountain West freshman passing record of 2,662 yards set by Colorado State's Pete Thomas in 2010.

But Sherry struggled in the cold and snow at Colorado State, passing for 88 yards to give him 2,378 for the season. If he misses the Wyoming game, Sherry will need 284 yards in the Nov. 24 season finale at Hawaii to catch Thomas.

Perhaps, though, Sherry will be ready to play against the Cowboys and make achieving the record much easier.

This is the second time his status has been uncertain. Sherry was questionable for the Oct. 27 game at San Diego State after appearing to hurt his back the week before at Boise State.

His two injuries occurred in the fourth quarter of the Boise State and Colorado State games, after it seemed the outcome had been determined.

"I don't ever think a game's determined till the final gun sounds," Hauck said. "So we're going to play till the last play. ... That's got to be a mindset that I think has been developed over here in the last three seasons. When you get into close games, hopefully you come out with the win because you've got that mindset and you have the ability to" win those games.

With three seasons of eligibility remaining after this one for Sherry, each game and each situation could be a learning experience.

"He needs to play," Hauck said. "The more he plays, the better he's going to be."

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