Rebels put focus on pass rush

What it means once the season begins on Sept. 1 at Wisconsin is anyone's guess, but on a hot Thursday morning in just the third football practice of training camp, a small ray of hope appeared.

Sophomore defensive tackle Tyler Gaston badly beat blockers twice in a one-on-one drill and bolted to the quarterback each time, the unusual sight of a UNLV defender in the backfield.

Tackles usually aren't the ones pressuring opposing quarterbacks -- ends, blitzing linebackers and defensive backs usually handle that responsibility -- but if UNLV is going to improve its pass rush, everyone will need to be involved.

Only five schools finished with fewer than the 12 sacks the Rebels produced last season. It's little coincidence that UNLV gave up 227.8 yards passing per game, last in the Mountain West Conference.

"I think we've got a ways to go," coach Bobby Hauck said. "Obviously, if you're going to play good, consistent pass defense, you have to rush the passer. If you can't get pressure on the quarterback, it's not going to hold up in the throwing game very well. So we have to be able to get there."

Defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson said coaches are considering all options, looking at personnel as well as scheme.

"What you want to do is develop both aspects," Paulson said. "You want to become good at pressure, you want to become good at four- and three-man rush, and use them when they're most applicable."

In the end, Hauck said, it comes down to the fundamental concept of winning at the line of scrimmage and not by launching a series of blitzes.

And, he said, sticking to that formula requires a long-range view.

"That'll be a constant battle here," Hauck said. "We're going to be talking about it not just now but over time. We've got to continue to develop our pass rush, both technically and through recruiting."

This is not a new issue for the Rebels.

Senior B.J. Bell was brought in two years ago as a rush end to address pass-rush issues. After registering 10 sacks in 2008 at Santa Ana (Calif.) College, he appeared to be just what UNLV needed.

But Bell played in just four games in 2009, receiving a medical hardship waiver by the NCAA because of a shoulder injury. He started all 13 games last season but finished with just one sack.

Bell refused to attribute his struggles to health problems.

"A couple of injuries, a couple of little nicks, but it shouldn't stop me over the long haul," Bell said. "I came here to get things done. Hopefully, I can move forward instead of going back."

UNLV, though, isn't relying solely on Bell. Senior end James Dunlap comes off a strong spring, and perhaps a newcomer such as junior linebacker Princeton Jackson will emerge.

"Our whole concept on defense last year and this year is first of all, we have to build depth," Paulson said. "We have to have more guys that can do it because, frankly, in a span of 80 plays, you need more than 11 (defenders). That's not just on the front end.

"We feel we've got schemes that can work. It's a combination -- we changed some things, but we've got to get our personnel better, too."

Perhaps Gaston's performance Thursday was a sign of better days to come, but he must build on it.

"It definitely raises your confidence," Gaston said. "You get more momentum on your next rush. I think it weakens the offensive lineman after he gets back in front of you after you beat him a couple of times.

"It's all going to be won up front."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.