Rebels improved but will record show it?

OK, I'll be the first to admit that I had my doubts about Bobby Hauck when he was first announced as UNLV's new head football coach last December.

Why the heck would they hire some hick from Montana when they had established head coaches like Dennis Franchione that were openly lobbying for the job. Coach Fran, who won big at places like Alabama and New Mexico and laid the foundation at TCU for Gary Patterson, just had to be the man, right?

But some of those who took part in the interview process came away swearing that it was the 46-year-old Hauck, not Coach Fran, who lit up the room.

And after having spent a fair share of time covering spring practice and fall camp the past few months, I now have to admit I can see why Hauck got the job.

This is the fourth Rebel head coach I've covered and Hauck's practices are by far the most intense and best organized. You best hustle to your next drill and pay attention or you will quickly find yourself on the ground doing 10 pushups or running laps around the field. If you are a quarterback and you don't get rid of the ball fast enough, you might find yourself laying on the ground holding up a big flower for a few minutes as was the case for freshman Caleb Herring in Ely one day. The only thing missing was a trumpet player playing taps.

Another thing that jumps out at you is that his assistant coaching staff is top-notch and very detail oriented. It's easy to see why these guys, most of whom followed Hauck from Montana, were so successful in Missoula. It wouldn't surprise me if 10-15 years from now most of these guys are either coaching in the NFL or at a top Division I program.

From what I can tell, this team has bought into Hauck's program. Nobody whined or quit when the going got tough, a good omen for the future in my book. A squad that appeared soft and unfocused at key junctures during the past two seasons appears to be a lot tougher, both mentally and physically. And it also seems to be a tight team on and off the field.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is a better UNLV football team than the ones that came up just short of getting qualifying for a bowl game each of the last two seasons with five victories. But is it good enough to even get to five victories for the third straight year?

The big obstacle is a 13-game schedule that is easily the toughest in school history. It features nine teams that played in bowl games in 2009 and five teams ranked in the top 31 in the Associated Press preseason poll, including three of them on the road.

Welcome to Las Vegas, Bobby.

Even the most hardcore Rebel football fan has to believe that UNLV is looking at an 0-2 start to begin the season. The Rebels host No. 12 Wisconsin on Sept. 4 at Sam Boyd Stadium and then follow that up with a road date at Utah where UNLV has never won in seven previous trips.

The third game is at Idaho, which returns 14 starters, including NFL prospect Nathan Enderle at quarterback, from a squad that went 8-5 and beat Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl last season, is also a mighty tough one. If the Rebels could sneak out a win in the KibbieDome it would be huge.

UNLV also must travel to No. 25 West Virginia and BYU, which was No. 31 in the AP preseason poll. The Rebels host No. 6 TCU on Oct. 30 as well as old nemesis Colin Kaepernick and in-state rival Nevada on Oct. 2 in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon (anybody remember what that looks like?).

This team doesn't have much depth so a key injury here and there could torpedo the season in a hurry.

I thought a good over-under for the Rebels when it comes to a win total this season would be 4 1/2, especially considering the brutal schedule they face. But after watching this team during fall camp, I believe that, barring a rash of injuries, they could go over that total.

It's my belief this team will be prepared to win the games they are supposed to win against the New Mexicos, the Colorado States, the Wyomings and the San Diego States of the world. Sneak out a couple victories against schools like Idaho, Nevada and Air Force and suddenly the Dec. 4 season-finale at Hawaii would have bowl implications.

And if that were to happen, I can't see this coaching staff having a team come out flat and ill-prepared as was the surprising case two years ago at San Diego State. Or last season at Wyoming.

No matter the final record, though, Bobby Hauck and his staff appear to have the program headed back on the right track.