Five takeaways from UNLV’s win over Fresno State on Saturday night

Five takeaways from UNLV’s 45-20 win over Fresno State in the Mountain West opener for both schools Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. Quarterback Dalton Sneed is a playmaker

In Sneed’s first collegiate start, all the redshirt freshman did was produce the longest offensive play from scrimmage in school and Sam Boyd Stadium history. After eluding a tackle that would’ve resulted in a safety, Sneed scrambled out of trouble and raced down the sideline for a 91-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. The play was featured on ESPN’s Top 10 plays on Saturday. For good measure, Sneed also threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Trosclair.

2. The Rebels have two explosive running backs

Sophomore starter Lexington Thomas entered Saturday 12th in the nation in rushing yards, but it was true freshman Charles Williams who led UNLV in rushing against Fresno State, his hometown school. Williams, who finished eighth in California in the 100-meter dash last year with a time of 10.63 seconds and third in the 200 (21.35) for Fresno’s Bullard High, rushed for a career-high 153 yards and a 5-yard touchdown, which came one play after he broke loose for a 39-yard sprint on third-and-2. Thomas was held to 19 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, ending a string of three straight 100-yard games.

3. UNLV still needs to shore up its secondary

After getting beat on three deep balls and called for pass interference twice against Idaho, the Rebels again gave up big chunks of yardage through the air to Fresno State quarterback Chason Virgil and incurred another pass interference penalty. The redshirt freshman completed only 16 of 45 passes but made his completions count as he threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns for an 18.5-yard average per completion. Virgil tossed touchdown passes of 80 yards and 15 yards to Aaron Peck, who had five catches for 194 yards. Virgil and Peck also hooked up for a 52-yard completion.

4. Rebels can’t afford to lose any more receivers

During fall camp, wide receiver was expected to be the strength of the squad. Coach Tony Sanchez said at the time that redshirt freshman Darren Woods Jr. and sophomore Brandon Presley were on the same level and virtually interchangeable with returning junior starters Kendal Keys and Devonte Boyd. Five games into the season, Boyd is the only member of that quartet who’s still healthy after Woods Jr. went out Saturday with what Sanchez said appears likely to be a season-ending knee injury.

Keys underwent season-ending knee surgery less than a week before the opener and Presley suffered a foot injury in the opener that Sanchez said also appears likely to sideline him for the rest of the season. Besides Boyd, UNLV will rely on true freshmen Trosclair and Mekhi Stevenson going forward.

5. A turn for the better

With Sneed under center, the Rebels finished a game without a turnover for the first time this season. UNLV (2-3, 1-0 MW) has one turnover in its two wins and six turnovers in its three losses, with the injured Johnny Stanton throwing two interceptions in each defeat.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.