UNLV offense looking for rebound effort against Fresno State

UNLV junior running back Aidan Robbins said the Rebels need to try to focus on the task at hand this week.

They know Fresno State, which travels to Allegiant Stadium for Friday’s game, requires their undivided attention. But they also understand they must win two of their final three games to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2013 season.

“That’s the goal,” Robbins said. “Everyone has that in the back of their minds.”

Friday gives the Rebels one more chance to create a bit of breathing room for themselves as they pursue bowl eligibility. A win against Fresno State means the UNLV only has to beat one of either Hawaii or UNR to reach the six-win threshold. A loss to the Bulldogs stretches the Rebels’ losing streak to five games.

Robbins’ return during Saturday’s 14-10 loss to San Diego State went well. The former Louisville transfer was the most effective weapon on an offense which Arroyo admitted had more rust than the UNLV coach was expecting. Robbins rushed for 115 yards on 21 carries after returning from a knee injury suffered Oct. 15 against Air Force, which also kept him out of the UNLV loss to Notre Dame.

The junior running back was disappointed to be unavailable against the Fighting Irish. However, Robbins said the San Diego State game helped him re-establish his confidence. He’s also prepared to carry a heavy load again Friday.

“I feel good,” Robbins said. “Ready to go.”

Robbins will be an important part of a UNLV offense looking to rebound from a disappointing outing against San Diego State. The Rebels (4-5, 2-3 Mountain West) have scored a combined 45 points during their four-game losing streak. For context, they scored a combined 65 points during their first two games of the conference season, wins over Utah State and New Mexico.

Arroyo was critical of his offense following Saturday’s loss, especially after a strong performance from his defense. The Rebels turned the ball over four times, and the UNLV coach said poor decision-making and execution during important moments doomed the Rebels. However, he also said he believes the issues are easily fixable and shouldn’t be an issue going forward.

UNLV will need Robbins and sophomore quarterback Doug Brumfield to be back at their best Friday. Fresno State (5-4, 4-1) has scored 32 points or more in each of their past three games, all wins.

Led by highly touted quarterback Jake Haener, Fresno State scored a season-high 55 points in its most recent game, a blowout win against Hawaii. Robbins believes it will take a total team effort for UNLV to win Friday.

“Everyone’s got to do their job,” he said. “Execute and just play as hard as we can.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.