Wolf Pack has extra week to prepare for rival Rebels

UNR's reward for getting in the win column will be a lot of hitting on the practice field for the next two weeks.

The Wolf Pack has a bye this week, leading up to its Sept. 29 game against UNLV at Mackay Stadium. But even though UNR ended its 0-2 start with a 52-17 rout of Nicholls State on Saturday, coach Chris Ault realizes his team is far from a finished product.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Ault said Monday on the Western Athletic Conference coaches' teleconference call. "The focus this week will be on us getting better."

Ault said the hoopla that surrounds the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon with the Rebels can wait.

"We won't be worrying about that this week," Ault said. "We've already broken down UNLV. We'll have some physical practices this week."

So while the coaches plan for Mike Sanford's 1-2 squad -- which faces Utah at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday in UNLV's Mountain West Conference opener -- the Wolf Pack players will be butting heads with each other as Ault uses the off week as a mini-training camp.

"We're very inconsistent right now," defensive tackle Matt Hines told the Nevada Appeal of Carson City after the win over Nicholls State. "We've got a bye week to regroup and get things back together again and prepare for UNLV."

At least UNR will hit the practice field knowing it can win a game. Sure, the victory came at the expense of a Division I-AA team, and Ault acknowledged Nicholls State is an opponent the Wolf Pack is expected to beat, particularly at home. But the win gave UNR a confidence infusion.

As Hines pointed out, "It's hard to practice when you lose."

Sophomore quarterback Nick Graziano overcame a slow start and finished with 236 yards passing for five touchdowns. He sat out the fourth quarter, as did several starters as Ault used the lopsided score to play his bench.

"It gave us a chance to take a look at a lot of people and develop some depth," Ault said.

It also was a good night for junior kicker Brett Jaekle, a Bonanza High School product. He made a career-long 45-yard field goal in the second quarter to get UNR on the board and went 7-for-7 on extra points.

"Jaekle's an experienced kicker. He's one of the best in the West," Ault said.