Rebels hope Clausen goes distance

With Omar Clayton forced to the sideline, the pressure will fall squarely on new starting quarterback Mike Clausen in UNLV's most important game of the season Saturday.

Clausen must not only play well but stay healthy.

It's bad enough for the Rebels that Clayton is out with a knee injury, but their predicament could get considerably worse if Clausen goes down against New Mexico.

The coaches have planned for such an occurrence by preparing third-string quarterback and punter Dack Ishii to run the offense. But if Clausen is forced out early or with the outcome in question, UNLV plans to use one or two others to spot Ishii, who is not mobile enough to fully run the shotgun spread.

The redshirt could be lifted from junior college transfer Les Obie, former quarterbacks Travis Dixon and Chris Jones could slide back over from safety, or wide receivers Michael Johnson and Ryan Wolfe could go in. Johnson was a quarterback in high school.

"All those guys are preparing to take some snaps," offensive coordinator Todd Berry said. "The biggest thing is we don't lose the (offensive) package."

UNLV's best scenario, of course, is for Clausen to start and finish -- and play well.

The Rebels (3-6, 0-5 Mountain West) need the redshirt freshman to come through in the 7 p.m. game against the Lobos (4-6, 2-4) at Sam Boyd Stadium. The loser will be eliminated from bowl contention, and even if UNLV wins, it still must beat Wyoming and San Diego State.

Players and coaches have voiced their confidence in Clausen's talent. He and Clayton have similar styles, but the main difference is Clayton has proven he can make key plays and proper decisions.

Coaches played Clausen in spots in five games to prepare him in case he needed to take over. Only when Clayton twice went out with injuries at Brigham Young on Oct. 25 was Clausen put in unexpectedly.

Clausen ran for 1- and 2-yard touchdowns in the Rebels' 42-35 loss at Provo, Utah.

"People asked why we would do that when Omar was playing well," Berry said. "It was for that reason. Everybody plays their backups except for their backup quarterback, and that's the most valuable."

It's easy to forget that Clausen, who has completed 11 of 21 passes for 110 yards, originally was considered the Rebels' quarterback of the future, not Clayton.

Scout.com ranked Clausen the No. 10 quarterback in California in the 2007 recruiting class after he passed for 1,870 yards and rushed for 380. He took Riverside's John W. North High School to a 14-0 record and sectional championship.

Then Clayton soared from fifth on the depth chart last season and now is the MWC's third-rated passer behind Brigham Young's Max Hall and Utah's Brian Johnson.

Clausen mostly watched.

"You don't really get frustrated by it," he said. "You just kind of go along with it and go, 'I've got to better myself.' Me and Omar are real good friends."

At least for now, Clausen has his chance.

"If and when Omar comes back, he's going to be our quarterback whether it's this year or next year," coach Mike Sanford said. "But ... it's almost like you've got a 1 and 1A, which is I think a good situation."

• COMING BACK -- Dixon is back at safety for the first time since injuring his right shoulder Oct. 4 at Colorado State. ... Defensive end Thor Pili and linebacker Beau Orth are back from ankle injuries.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.