Bye week (again!) provides no help for Rebels

M ike Sanford didn't have an answer last fall. He couldn't offer a reason. He strained to explain how UNLV's football team had been so amazingly inept following a bye week during his tenure, how it had lost all three such games at home by a combined score of 124-47.

How during the one time over the course of a season a team is most judged on preparation and discipline and attention to detail, his had resembled one without a clue three times over.

"I can't say, other than after a bye, even though you're fresher, there's an adjustment to the speed of the game," Sanford said back then. "Without a doubt, we have to look at how we handle a bye week and why we haven't performed well after one. I wish I could tell you."

A year later, the Rebels received another opportunity.

A year later, the effort was better but the result no different.

UNLV lost to Air Force 29-28 Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium and deserved such a fate down to the very last yard surrendered.

An updated tally: Four bye weeks under Sanford. Four home games. Four losses.

The Rebels are now 3-4 and looking 3-6 straight in the face. If they use timeouts as poorly as they did Saturday and continue allowing chunks of yards in such a benevolent fashion, I'm not even sure you can still consider the season-ending game at San Diego State a probable win.

Which is amazing when you consider the Aztecs just gave up 70 points to New Mexico.

This wasn't any standard midseason test for UNLV. This was the introduction to a three-week stretch that continues with games at Brigham Young next Saturday and home to Texas Christian on Nov. 1. This was huge.

Given what is to come (two strong opponents followed by a finish of what has always been viewed as three winnable games) and the fact UNLV hasn't been alive for bowl eligibility this late in a schedule under Sanford, Air Force presented the Rebels' most significant game of the last four years.

The Rebels needed this one like the McCain-Palin ticket needs momentum.

They couldn't get it because they once again couldn't stop someone.

UNLV was never going to slow Air Force. The Rebels can't consistently deny teams on the ground, even those that don't want to run, never mind one that ranks fifth nationally with a 292.5-yard average.

The Falcons rushed 68 times for 346 yards. Tim Jefferson, a freshman quarterback making his second career start, completed 6 of 7 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Air Force had scoring drives of 80, 54, 79, 68, 55 and 91 yards.

It was absolutely ridiculous to watch.

UNLV is both injured and dreadful defensively, incapable of tackling or pressuring or covering well enough at this point to beat anyone of note.

So it has come this: An offense led by a talented and yet still improving sophomore quarterback (Omar Clayton) pretty much has to plan on scoring 30 points or more each week for the Rebels to have any chance.

Those trying to reach the end zone for UNLV are getting absolutely no help from those hoping to deny such scores, and Clayton and his offensive teammates just aren't advanced enough yet to overcome such defensive weakness.

They're trying. There was pregame chatter in the press box about how some who cover the Mountain West Conference feel the league's freshman of the year award will be decided between a quarterback at San Diego State and cornerback at Wyoming.

There was not one mention of UNLV wide receiver Phillip Payne, who had six catches for 124 yards and his seventh touchdown of the season Saturday.

People can't be this stupid, can they? How can't Payne be the leading candidate?

There is another fresh offensive hope. You likely had no idea who C.J. Cox was before now, given the freshman running back had carried just eight times. He has the speed to balance Frank Summers' strength, the shiftiness to complement Summers' straight-ahead charge. Cox rushed 13 times for 60 yards and a score.

Some nice highlights. Some nice young players.

None of it mattered, though. It was a game following a bye week for a Sanford-coached team.

What did you think would happen?

They played better this time. They weren't embarrassed. They at least gave themselves a chance. They just can't stop anyone.

What's that sound, you ask?

BYU quarterback Max Hall ... licking his chops.

Ed Graney can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.