Reeling Rebels desperate for improved quarterback play

Wyoming proved that in its 41-14 victory over the Rebels on Saturday, by loading the box in the second half to blunt a successful UNLV running game and erase its momentum.

After rushing for 119 yards in the first half, UNLV was held to 35 the rest of the game. The Cowboys essentially dared Reilly to throw, and in the second half he completed 3 of 7 passes for 15 yards and was sacked three times.

Herring outplayed Reilly in training camp and got off to a promising start this season. But he then threw three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns by Southern Utah and completed one pass for 8 yards at UNR.

UNLV needs to improve its quarterback play to complement a promising young group of running backs, a potentially great future offensive line in which three freshmen started at Wyoming and one of the Mountain West Conference’s top wide receivers in Phillip Payne.

That potential showed in a 40-point outburst against Hawaii on Sept. 17, but the Rebels have scored a combined 30 points in the three games since then.

They have this bye week to get it together before beginning preparations for Colorado State on Oct. 29 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"If you’re not able to throw the ball consistently or successfully, teams are going to gang up on (the run)," Hauck said Tuesday. "If you have no balance, it makes it easier to defend."

AROUND THE MWC

Former UNLV coach Mike Sanford officially parted ways with Louisville on Monday, two weeks after the offensive coordinator was stripped of play-calling duties. With this episode, combined with blaming seemingly everyone and everything but himself after five disappointing seasons at UNLV, Sanford hasn’t exactly helped his career. Then again, maybe his former boss and pal, Urban Meyer, takes over Ohio State or Penn State. …

The Big East Conference reportedly has not issued invitations to Air Force and Boise State, an indication they aren’t yet ready to accept the invite. Both appear to be concerned about the Big East’s viability but aren’t ready to say no yet. … One Boise State bargaining chip is the allowance to wear all-blue uniforms at home. The Broncos are prohibited from doing that under the agreement to join the Mountain West earlier this year. Air Force coach Troy Calhoun was asked if it was difficult to play an all-blue team on blue turf. "When you’re at the Air Force Academy and you have to fly a mission," Calhoun said, "if the tanks are brown on brown, you still have to go fly it."

RANKING THE TEAMS

1. No. 5 Boise State (6-0, 1-0 MWC) vs. Air Force (3-3, 0-2). The Broncos have won 34 home games in a row, second-longest active streak to Oklahoma’s 39.

2. Texas Christian (4-2, 2-0) vs. New Mexico (0-6, 0-1). The Horned Frogs’ last loss to New Mexico was in 1997, when TCU coach Gary Patterson was the Lobos’ defensive coordinator.

3. San Diego State (4-2, 1-1), off. Aztecs cornerback Larry Parker has intercepted passes in four consecutive games.

4. Air Force (3-3, 0-2) at No. 5 Boise State (6-0, 1-0). The Falcons are 31-point underdogs, which according to The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette is the largest margin by which they ever have been projected to lose.

5. Wyoming (4-2, 1-0), off. Chris McNeill’s 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against UNLV was the first by a Mountain West player this season.

6. Colorado State (3-3) at Texas-El Paso (3-3). The Rams have gone into halftime behind in five of six games.

7. UNLV (1-5, 0-1), off. Payne has caught one pass for 32 yards over the past two games, after catching 20 passes for 273 over the previous two.

8. New Mexico (0-6, 0-1) at TCU (4-2, 2-0). Opposing quarterbacks have completed 74.9 percent of their passes, averaging 9 yards per pass and 12.1 per completion.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Air Force at Boise State. The Broncos are rolling and face an Air Force team at the bottom of the conference standings, with the Falcons perhaps the league’s most disappointing team. Anything less than a convincing victory by Boise State would be surprising.

ON THE HORIZON

Even at 4-2, Wyoming needs three more victories to become bowl eligible because two wins were against Football Championship Subdivision teams. Only one counts toward bowl eligibility. The Cowboys have an excellent chance to beat New Mexico and Colorado State, but defeating San Diego State, TCU, Air Force or Boise State won’t be easy.

MARK ANDERSON/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL