Hauck’s take: ‘We’ve got our hands full’
UNLV’s football schedule, which already appeared to be the most difficult in school history, got trickier Monday when the Mountain West Conference released the complete slate of games.
UNLV plays at Utah on Sept. 11, a week after opening the season by hosting Wisconsin. The Rebels also host Air Force in a Thursday night game Nov. 18, five days after they host Wyoming, giving them a short week to prepare for the Falcons’ unique triple-option offense.
"We’ve got our hands full," first-year UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said.
The Rebels play a 13-game schedule with seven road trips and a school-record nine games against teams that played in bowls last season. Six of those teams won: Wyoming (New Mexico), Brigham Young (Las Vegas), Utah (Poinsettia), Wisconsin (Champs Sports), Idaho (Humanitarian) and Air Force (Armed Forces).
Five opponents finished the season ranked in The Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll: No. 6 Texas Christian, No. 12 BYU, No. 16 Wisconsin, No. 18 Utah and No. 25 West Virginia.
The Rebels knew those facts before Monday. But they didn’t know the Mountain West would schedule the demanding trip to Utah a week after UNLV plays Wisconsin.
"But no one on the schedule’s a gimme," Hauck said. "That doesn’t matter. We have to play them as they come."
Hauck is glad the Rebels have a bye midway through the season, but he’d prefer to have more time to prepare for the triple option.
"It’s my druthers to have a bye every week before playing Air Force," Hauck said.
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.