Nevada Wolf Pack
Preview 2007
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 Nevada Offense Preview
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2007 Nevada Defense Preview
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2007 Nevada Depth
Chart
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2006 CFN Nevada Preview
Under head coach Chris Ault, Nevada has carved out a nice niche for
itself in the WAC world as a steady force that’ll always be in the
hunt for the title. The co-champions of 2005 came back with another
successful season beating up the teams they were supposed to and
losing, for the most part, to the teams they were expected to.
However, it might take a bit or rebuilding this year to get back to
a third bowl in three seasons.
Long-time starting quarterback Jeff Rowe is gone along with top
receiver Caleb Spencer and safety-valve tight end Anthony Pudewell.
There’s enough talent to reload and be decent in the passing game,
and the ground game should be good as always with three starters
returning on the line along with pounding back Luke Lippencott, but
is there enough in the offensive arsenal to keep up with Boise
State, Hawaii, and even New Mexico State? How about in
non-conference games against Nebraska and an improved Northwestern?
With Ault’s experience in knowing how to put together strong teams
in a hurry, and with a rock-solid team returning in all phases,
there just might be enough to challenge for the WAC title.
Head coach: Chris Ault
22nd year: 185-78-1
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 23, Def. 19, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 17 |
Ten
Best Pack Players
1. LB Ezra Butler, Sr.
2. C Dominic Green, Jr.
3. QB Nick Graziano, Soph.
4. LB Joshua Mauga, Jr.
5. NT Matt Hines, Sr.
6. LB Jeremy Engstrom, Sr.
7. WR Marko Mitchell, Jr.
8. DE Erics Clark, Sr.
9. OG Charles Manu, Sr.
10. RB Luke Lippincott, Jr.
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2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
7-5 |
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Sept. 1 |
at
Nebraska |
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Sept. 8 |
at
Northwestern |
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Sept. 15 |
Nicholls State |
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Sept. 29 |
UNLV |
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Oct.
6 |
Fresno State |
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Oct.
14 |
at
Boise State |
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Oct.
20 |
at Utah State |
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Oct.
27 |
Idaho |
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Nov.
2 |
at New Mexico St |
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Nov.
16 |
Hawaii |
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Nov.
24 |
at
San Jose State |
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Dec.
1 |
Louisiana Tech |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 8-4
2006 Record:
8-5
Preview 2006 predicted wins |
| 9/1 |
at Fresno St L 28-19 |
| 9/9 |
at Arizona St L 52-21 |
| 9/16 |
Colorado State
W 28-10 |
| 9/22 |
Northwestern
W 31-21 |
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9/30 |
at UNLV
W 31-3 |
| 10/7 |
at Hawaii L 41-34 |
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10/21 |
San Jose State
W 23-7 |
| 10/28 |
New Mexico St
W 48-21 |
| 11/4 |
at Idaho
W 45-7 |
| 11/11 |
Utah State
W 42-0 |
| 11/18 |
at La Tech
W 42-0 |
| 11/25 |
Boise State L 35-7 |
| 12/31 |
MPC Computers Bowl
Miami L 21-20 |
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Despite a perception that the “pistol” offense is about throwing the
ball, Nevada is a hard-nosed, strong running team that’s as physical as
any team in the conference. There might not be a better defense in the
WAC, and no one outside of Boise State does all the little things right,
so the hope has to be for the combination of a punishing ground game,
efficient passing attack, tremendous return game and few mistakes to
overcome a lack of explosion.
Ault has the system in place that’s taken the program from point A to
point B, and while it might not be the WAC’s flashiest team (like
Hawaii), or the new kid on the block everyone is talking about (like San
Jose State), it has the potential, and the coaching, to take the next
step and be the WAC’s best team from top to bottom.
What to watch for on offense: Mistakes to be kept to a minimum.
The occasionally conservative aspect of the one-back, shotgun offense
only works if there aren’t many mistakes. There were too many turnovers
last year, but the 37 takeaways from the defense made up for them.
Likely new starting quarterback Nick Graziano’s job one is to secure the
ball. Job two is to keep feeding Lippencott.
What to watch for on defense: Pressure, more pressure, and
turnovers. The 3-4 scheme wasn’t always a rock, but it crushed and
killed the weaker, inefficient WAC offenses. Even though Boise State’s
defense might have been the best in the league, no one got into the
backfield like the Pack did and no one was as good at forcing mistakes.
Even without top end J.J. Milan, the heat will keep on coming.
The team will be far better if … The punting game is better. This
might be the team’s one true weakness. For a team that likes to take
chances on defense and run the ball on offense, a good kicking game and
better overall field position would be nice. Zacary Whited was decent,
but the coverage unit didn’t do much to help him out.
The Schedule: The non-conference schedule is interesting
with dates at Nebraska and Northwestern to go along with a home game
against UNLV. If the Pack can win two of those three, it’ll be a success
before starting off the WAC season with some of its biggest games
hosting Fresno State and going to Boise State. Hawaii has to come to
Reno, but Nevada has to go to San Jose State in late November before
closing out with an apparent layup against Louisiana Tech.
Best Offensive Player:
Junior C
Dominic Green. After an All-WAC season at tackle, the 6-3, 295-pounder
will move inside to his more natural center position where he started
eight games as a freshman. Easily the team’s most versatile lineman,
he’s also the best with an NFL future ahead of him.
Best Defensive Player:
Senior LB
Ezra Butler. A tackling machine with 146 stops in the last two seasons
to go along with 12.5 sacks, Butler is the tone-setter for the defense
and a consistent force in all areas. When needed, he can play like an
extra defensive end, but he’s grown into a star linebacker.
Key player to a
successful season:
Sophomore QB Nick
Graziano. Maybe. While Graziano has a little bit of experience as the
third string quarterback last year, he’ll have to fight off redshirt
freshmen Colin Kaepernick and Tyler Lantrip to hold on to the job. The
6-1, 220-pound Graziano is much smaller than the 6-5, 225-pound Jeff
Rowe, who was the leader in the program’s resurgence, he has a better
arm.
The season will be a
success if
... Nevada gets back to a bowl game and finishes second in the WAC.
While the fans and coaching staff will shoot for nothing less than a
conference title, there might not be quite enough in the bag to get by
road dates against Boise State and San Jose State.
Key game:
Oct. 14th at
Boise State. In a Sunday afternoon game, the Pack will try to make up
for last year’s debacle getting thoroughly dominated at home by the
Broncos. If Nevada can beat Fresno State to start the season, a win over
the Boise would mean the WAC title will be there for the taking
2006 Fun Stats:
- Sacks: Nevada 37 for 232 yards – Opponents 26 for 171 yards
- Penalties: Opponents 86 for 731 yards – Nevada 55 for 438 yards
- Put return average: Nevada 13.6 yards – Opponents 7.9 yards