2007 Nevada Wolf Pack

2007 Nevada Wolf Pack Season, Game Recaps, Scores and Reviews

2007 Nevada Wolf Pack

Recap: The Wolf Pack may have bowled for a third year in-a-row, but the 2007 season will be remembered for lost opportunities and an inability to close out tight games.  Of Nevada’s seven losses, five were by eight points or less, pushing the program into a three-way tie for fourth place in the WAC with middling Louisiana Tech and San Jose State.  The best news for the Pack was the development of Colin Kaepernick, the conference Freshman of the Year and the future at quarterback in Chris Ault’s Pistol offense.      

Offensive Player of the Year: RB Luke Lippincott

Defensive Player of the Year: LB Ezra Butler

Biggest Surprise: Kaepernick.  Nick Graziano was the starter for the first five games before injuring his foot, opening the door for Kaepernick’s improbable emergence.  Yeah, he made the typical rookie mistakes, but also lit a fire under the offense, throwing 19 touchdown passes to just three picks and scrambling for 593 yards and six more scores.   

Biggest Disappointment: Potential breakthrough wins over WAC daddys Hawaii and Boise State both wound up being heartbreaking two-point losses.  In one of the wildest games in league history, Nevada lost to the Broncos, 69-67, in four overtimes despite getting 420 total yards and five touchdowns from Kaepernick.   

Looking Ahead: Nevada welcomes back two quarterbacks with starting experience, a 1,400-yard rusher, and one of the league’s top receiver, the building blocks of an explosive offense.  It’ll have to be in order to compensate for an already flimsy defense that’s losing its two most consistent players, Butler and NG Matt Hines.

- 2007 Nevada Preview
- 2006 Nevada Season

2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 7-5
2007 Record: 6-7

Sept. 1 at Nebraska L 52-10
Sept. 8 at Nwestern L 36-31
Sept. 15 Nicholls State W 52-17
Sept. 29 UNLV W 27-20
Oct. 6 Fresno State L 49-41
Oct. 14 at Boise St L 69-67 4OT
Oct. 20 at Utah State W 31-28
Oct. 27 Idaho W 37-21
Nov. 2 at NMSU W 40-38
Nov. 16 Hawaii L 28-26
Nov. 24 at San Jose St L 27-24
Dec. 1 La Tech W 49-10
New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 22 New Mexico L 23-0

Dec. 22
New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico 23 ... Nevada 0
New Mexico blew past Nevada with 548 yards of total offense, while the defense allowed a mere 210. Marcus Smith took a pass 66 yards for a score on the third play of the game, and Travis Brown caught a 39-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter. John Sullivan was the Lobo scorer the rest of the way with a 53-yard field goal, a 45-yarder and a 37-yard kick. The Lobo defense never let the Wolf Pack offense get close allowing just 73 rushing yards and forced 11 punts. The two teams combined to convert a mere six of 26 third down chances.
Offensive Player of the Game: New Mexico QB Donovan Porterie completed 20 of 36 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Defensive Player of the Game: Nevada LB Joshua Mauga made 11 tackles, forced a fumble and made a tackle for loss
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 13-31, 137 yds
Rushing: Luke Lippencott, 10-40. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 6-96
New Mexico - Passing: Donovan Porterie, 20-36, 354 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Paul Baker, 22-167. Receiving: Travis Brown, 7-120, 1 TD
Thoughts and Notes ... New Mexico won its first bowl game since the 1961 Aviation Bowl, and Nevada was shut out for the first time since 1980 and a span of 329 games. ... Nevada got badly outprepared and badly outcoached. The Wolf Pack attack never established any sort of consistency, while the offensive line had a nightmare of a time in pass protection. Will this game serve as a motivating factor for next year? The pieces are in place to be far better, and far more consistent. ... New Mexico might have been missing top RB Rodney Ferguson, but WRs Marcus Smith and Travis Brown turned their games up a notch, and QB Donovan Porterie came up with his best performance as a Lobo. Now the bowl monkey is off the program's back, and it'll be interesting to see if this turns into a confidence-builder in the Rocky Long era. ... Considering there was probably going to be a quarterback battle going into 2008 anyway at Nevada, Colin Kaepernick's 13 of 31, 137-yard game opened things up even more. He hardly staked his claim to the full-time job.

Dec. 1
Nevada 49 ... Louisiana Tech 10
Nevada rolled up 641 yards of total offense with a balanced attack that led the way to an early 21-0 lead and didn't let up until early in the fourth quarter. Luke Lippincott accounted for five touchdowns on four short runs and an 11-yard catch, and Kyle Sammons caught scoring passes from 16 and 74 yards out. The Louisiana Tech offense was stuffed all game long, managing just a 20-yard Danny Horwedel field goal. The lone Bulldog touchdown came on a kickoff return following Lippincott's fourth score. Nevada held the ball for 37:05.
Player of the game: Nevada RB Luke Lippincott ran 25 times for 112 yards and four touchdowns, and he caught four passes for 105 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 18-29, 404 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippencott, 25-112, 4 TD. Receiving: Kyle Sammons, 8-199, 2 TD
Louisiana Tech - Passing: Zac Champion, 9-23, 114 yds
Rushing: Patrick Jackson, 21-66. Receiving: Phillip Livas, 3-52
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... After close calls against Hawaii and San Jose State, especially with the clunker against the Spartans, the Wolf Pack needed to rebound in a big way, and did, with the best game of the season rolling over Louisiana Tech. When Colin Kaepernick is on, he's a true weapon who looks like a franchise player to build around. The defense came up with a gem just at the right time. Now, with Hawaii going 12-0 and off to the BCS, there's a place for a 6-6 Nevada. For a relatively young offense that could use all the extra practices it can get, the extra game could mean everything going into next year.

Nov. 24
San Jose State 27 ... Nevada 24
Nevada's Brett Jaekle hit the left upright on a 37-yard field goal attempt with 36 seconds to play to seal the San Jose State comeback win. The Spartans gave up Marko Mitchell touchdown catches from 64 and 59 yards out in the first half, and then shut down the Wolf Pack attack in the second half while the offense scored 17 unanswered points for the win. Adam Tafralis threw two touchdown passes, but it was a 13-yard Jacob French touchdown run early in the fourth that gave the Spartans the lead for good. San Jose State controlled the ball for 36:24.
Player of the game: San Jose State QB Adam Tafralis completed 29 of 46 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 12-22, 252 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippencott, 16-74. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 4-144, 2 TD
San Jose State - Passing: Adam Tafralis, 29-46, 342 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacob French, 16-62, 1 TD. Receiving: David Richmond, 9-143
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What happened to the offense in the second half against San Jose State? The pumped up Spartan defense had something to do with it, and long drives from the offense kept the Pack off the field, but with the balance this team has, there's no reason to not have done more all game long than just get two big pass plays. Now the pressure is on to beat Louisiana Tech or a one-time strong season will finish without a bowl bid. The offense will have to control the ball for longer than 23:36 to give the needed sixth W.

Nov. 16
Hawaii 28 ... Nevada 26
Dan Kelly nailed a 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds to play ... but Nevada called a time out just before the kick. Kelly's second shot went straight down the middle to give Hawaii the win. In place of Colt Brennan, who only played two snaps after the concussion suffered against Fresno State, Tyler Graunke came through with a huge game with a seven-yard touchdown run and threw a three-yard scoring pass to Jason Rivers and a 22-yarder to Ryan Grice-Mullen. Nevada got down 12-0, but came back on two Luke Lippencott touchdowns, on a 22-yard catch and a five-yard run, and a three-yard Colin Kaepernick run.
Player of the game: Hawaii QB Tyler Graunke completed 33 of 46 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns, and ran ten times for 28 yards and a score.
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 9-20, 134 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 25-140, 1 TD. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 3-70
Hawaii - Passing: Tyler Graunke, 33-46, 358 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Daniel Libre, 6-40. Receiving: Davone Bess, 12-137
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Where was the passing game against Hawaii? Colin Kaepernick was off from the start with his reads and didn't make enough key throws to get the offense consistently moving. Even so, the Pack was in a position to win the game thanks to a few good late drives, and a great game from Luke Lippencott, but the defense didn't come through with one final stop. Now Nevada has to beat San Jose State and Louisiana Tech to be assured of a bowl bid.

Nov. 2
Nevada 40 ... New Mexico State 38
Down two, New Mexico State's Paul Young badly missed a 44-yard field goal in the final few seconds allowing Nevada to hang on. The Wolf Pack blew a 20-3 lead, but took the lead with a minute to play on a 31-yard touchdown catch from Mike McCoy, but Brett Jaekle missed the extra point to open the door for the Aggies to potentially get the win. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick threw three touchdown passes, highlighted by a 64-yard Marko Mitchell touchdown catch. Cold early, NMSU QB Chase Holbrook heated up with four touchdown passes with two going to A.J. Harris and two to Kenneth Buckley. A 32-yard play to Harris with 3:38 to play gave the Aggies the lead, but couldn't hold on.
Player of the game: Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick completed 15 of 28 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, and ran 11 times for 136 yards and two scores.
Stat Leaders: New Mexico State - Passing: Chase Holbrook, 35-49, 407 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Justine Buries, 14-68. Receiving: A.J. Harris, 11-131, 2 TD
Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 15-28, 237 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 30-143. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 6-132, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Colin Kaepernick might still be working on his passing efficiency, but with his mobility, he's growing into one of the WAC's most dangerous weapons. RB Luke Lippencott ran well against New Mexico to help the Pack pound out 284 yards to go along with 237 passing, but to beat Hawaii in two weeks, there needs to be more from the passing attack. The secondary will have to be far, far tighter than it was in the second half this week. The receivers are playing well and coming up with big plays, but there needs to be a bit more consistency.

Oct. 27
Nevada 37 ... Idaho 21
Luke Lippencott ran for a one-yard touchdown on the opening drive and a two-yard run in the fourth quarter as Nevada got ahead early and stayed there. Idaho only cranked out 212 yards of total offense, but it was able to come up with two Nathan Enderle touchdown passes and a one-yard Deonte Jackson run to keep it from getting out of hand. The Wolf Pack defense got involved with Ezra Butler taking a pass 11 yards for a score.
Player of the game: Nevada RB Luke Lippencott ran 27 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 37 yards
Stat Leaders: Idaho - Passing: Nathan Enderle, 12-21, 156 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Deonte Jackson, 17-45, 1 TD. Receiving: Lee Smith, 5-86
Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 15-26, 203 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 27-119 yds, 2 TD. Receiving: Marko Mitchell 5-79, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Until Colin Kaepernick can be truly comfortable and make the offense his, Luke Lippencott will be a godsend for the offense. He did a little of everything for the offense, while the defense came up with one of its better games of the year. Deonte Jackson is a nasty runner, and the Wolf Pack kept him under wraps with only 45 yards and a short touchdowns. Against New Mexico State and Hawaii over the next two weeks, stopping the run won't be a problem. If Lippencott runs well, the Pack has a shot to win both.

Oct. 20
Nevada 31 ... Utah State 28
Luke Lippencott ran for 241 yards and touchdowns from seven and eight yards out, but the Wolf Pack had to hold on as Leon Jackson ran for two sores and Kevin Robinson returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown on the way to a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter. Colin Kaepernick hooked up with Mike McCoy for a 32-yard touchdown with just over seven minutes to play to give the Pack the lead, and the D held. The Pack outgained the Aggies 472 yards to 212.
Player of the game: Nevada RB Luke Lippencott ran 36 times for 241 yards and two touchdowns, and caught four passes for 20 yards
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 15-23, 170 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 36-241, 2 TD. Receiving: Mike McCoy, 7-92, 1 TD
Utah State - Passing: Leon Jackson, 11-19, 196 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Leon Jackson, 15-51, 2 TD. Receiving: Rob Myers, 3-41
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Nevada isn't doing anything easy, giving up just 212 yards to the woeful Utah State Aggiles, but had to rally to win. Luke Lippencott and the running game were amazing, Colin Kaepernick was efficient throwing the ball, an everything was there for an easy win, but it didn't happen. It was still a much-needed win to get back into the bowl hunt, but going on a run is a must with Idaho and New Mexico State up next.

Oct. 14
Boise State 69 ... Nevada 67 4OT
In the highest scoring game in recent D-I college football history (going back to 1930 when the official records starting being kept), Boise State won in the fourth overtime on a defensive play, Nevada tried for a two point conversion after a seven-yard Luke Lippencott touchdown run, but QB Colin Kaepernick was tripped up. Boise State forced overtime with a 27-yard Kyle Brotzman field goal as time ran out, and that's when the fun began. Lippencott ran for a 25-yard score, and then Boise answered witha 25-yard Sherm Blaser catch on its first play. Jeremy Childs gave the Broncos the lead on a 25-yard Jeremy Childs score on the next play, and then the Pack answered with a weaving Kaepernick 25-yard touchdown run. The two teams traded field goals in the third OT, and then Boise took the lead for good on a one-yard Ian Johnson run and a Jeremy Avery catch on the two point conversion. The statistics are ridiculous. 1,266 total yards of offense, 58 first downs.21 of 34 on third down conversions. Nevada averaged 7.6 yards per carry and 22.1 yards per completion, while Boise State cranked out 353 passing yards.
Player of the game: Boise State RB Ian Johnson ran 28 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns, and caught four passes for 51 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp, 26-35, 320 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 28-205, 2 TD. Receiving: Jeremy Childs, 12-140, 1 TD
Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 11-26, 243 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 31-187 yds, 4 TD. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 4-161, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Wolf Pack needed the win over Boise State to have any hope of winning a WAC title, and now, after the painful four overtime loss, the team is playing for a possible bowl slot. As tough as it might have been to lose this game, the emergence of Colin Kaepernick as a playmaking quarterback might change the team. He didn't throw well, but he ran like Vince Young, while the O line did a phenomenal job opening holes for Luke Lippencott. Now it's on to Utah State, Idaho and New Mexico State for what has to be a three-game winning streak before facing Hawaii.

Oct. 6
Fresno State 49 ... Nevada 41
Fresno State got touchdown runs of three, 54 and 67 yards from Ryan Mathews, and got a 67-yard punt return for a score and a 15-yard touchdown run from Clifton Smith, and a blocked field goal for a score from A.J. Jefferson, on the way to a 42-20 lead, and then things appeared to be out of hand when Lonyae Miller tore off a 72-yard scoring run early in the third. But Nevada would come back, as Colin Kaepernick threw two touchdown passes and ran for a three-yard score, but his 34-yard strike to Adam Bishop came with only three seconds left, and Fresno held on. The Bulldogs outgained the Wolf Pack 307 rushing yards to 211.
Player of the game: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
Stat Leaders: Fresno State - Passing: Tom Brandstater, 10-16, 168 yds
Rushing: Ryan Mathews, 14-171, 3 TDs. Receiving: Clifton Smith, 5-74
Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 23-36, 384 yds, 4 TDs
Rushing: Brandon Fragger, 17-75. Receiving: Marko Mitchell, 9-135, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Uh, the run defense?! The supposedly nasty Wolf Pack linebackers weren't even close against Fresno State, getting ripped apart for tough yards, hard yards, and way too many home runs. The offense finally found a groove late with Colin Kaepernick at the helm, but it was way too late. This appears to be Kaepernick's team at the moment, with Nick Graziano hurt. He'll have to shine next week if the Pack has any shot against Boise State, and if he can play like he did in the fourth quarter this week, it could be interesting.

Sept. 29
Nevada 27 ... UNLV 20
Nevada got a 43-yard touchdown pass from Nick Graziano to Kyle Sammons with just 27 seconds left to play to finally put away the Rebels. Travis Dixon tied it at 20 with just over a minute to play on a 30-yard scoring pass to Ryan Wolfe, but the Pack was able to go 65 yards in just 35 seconds to get in range for the game-winning pass. In the first quarter, Graziano connected with Mike McCoy for a 9-yard touchdown, and hit Adam Bishop for a 15-yard score in the fourth. Nevada only outgained Vegas by four yards, 458 to 454.
Player of the game: Nevada QB Nick Graziano threw for 330 yards, three touchdowns and an interception on 20-of-38 passing, while running for 18 yards on six carries.
Stat Leaders: UNLV - Passing: Travis Dixon, 17-37, 249 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Frank Summers, 24-120, 1 TD. Receiving: Ryan Wolfe, 6-92, 1 TD
Nevada - Passing: Nick Graziano, 20-38, 330 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 15-61. Receiving: Brandon Fragger, 4-27
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Could the win over UNLV have been Nick Graziano's coming out party? He had to take the offense on his shoulders, and he came through with a big day, helped by one monstrous 90-yard pass play to Mike McCoy. He limited his mistakes, kept the offense moving, and made some nice plays on third downs. Now, Nevada might believe it can bomb away with the other good teams in the WAC, and with Fresno State and Boise State up next, that's important.

Sept. 15
Nevada 52 ... Nicholls State 17
In a strange game with Nicholls State attempting just one pass, and missing, Nevada overcame an early 10-0 lead with a 38-point run helped by four Nick Graziano passes and a 16-yard Luke Lippencott touchdown run. NSU, which finished with 222 rushing yards, tried to creep back with a14-yard Broderick Cole scoring run, but Graziano answered with his fifth touchdown pass of the game, and the third to Adam Bishop. All three Bishop catches went for scores.
Player of the game: Nevada RB Luke Lippincott caught 14 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: Nicholls State - Passing: Zack Chauvin, 0-1
Rushing: Broderick Cole, 11-58, 1 TD. Receiving: None
Nevada - Passing: Nick Graziano, 11-23, 236 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 14-127, 1 TD. Receiving: Adam Bishop, 3-46, 3 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... After the nuttiness of the last second loss to Northwestern, Nevada came up with an even more bizarre game against Nicholls State. NSU had no hope of winning, with an option attack that the Wolf Pack linebackers were able to eat up, but the Nevada offense did everything it could to make it close with three interceptions, too many misfire in the passing game, and overall, 11 penalties for 94 yards. Beating UNLV in two weeks will only be a problem if Pack QB Nick Graziano continues to struggle with his accuracy. He threw five touchdown passes, but only completed 11 of 23 throws.

Sept. 8
Northwestern 36 ... Nevada 31
In a wild game with several big plays, Northwestern came up with a game-winning 80-yard drive in :51 with Ross Lane catching a 13-yard touchdown pass with just :21 to play. Nevada held a 24-10 lead at halftime helped by two Nick Graziano touchdown passes, including a 48-yard bomb to Kyle Sammons with no time left. Northwestern owned the second half as C.J. Bacher threw two of his three touchdown passes and Brandon Roberson ran for a one-yard score, but the Wolf Pack grabbed the lead late in the game with a 27-yard Luke Lippincott run..
Player of the game: Northwestern QB C.J. Bacher threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-45 passing, adding another 60 yards on the ground on eight carries.
Stat Leaders: Nevada - Passing: Nick Graziano, 22-36, 337 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 28-140, 1 TD. Receiving: Kyle Sammons, 5-102, 1 TD
Northwestern - Passing: C.J. Bacher, 20-45, 227 yds, 3 TDs
Rushing: Brandon Roberson, 13-128, 1 TD. Receiving: Tyrell Sutton, 5-59
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Wolf Pack have to avoid being demoralized. First it gets run over by Nebraska, and then it gets its heart ripped out by Northwestern. Playing Nicholls State and UNLV in the next two weeks should help matters, but while the offense should continue to roll after tearing up the Wildcats, at least yardage-wise, now the defense has to show up. It couldn't hold up late this week and didn't do anything to dictate the action when Northwestern started taking control.

Sept. 1
Nebraska 52 ... Nevada 10
Marlon Lucky tore off three touchdown runs and caught a 16-yard touchdown pass as Nebraska overcame an early 10-7 deficit to score 45 unanswered points. Quentin Castille added two short touchdown runs and added 78 yards helping the Huskers roll up 413 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Nevada only managed nine first downs to Nebraska's 35, and got its points on a 36-yard Brett Jaekle field goal and an 80-yard Jonathon Amaya interception return. The Huskers held on to the ball for 40:38.
Player of the game ... Nebraska RB Marlon Lucky rushed 30 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns, and had three receptions for 33 yards and another score.
Stat Leaders: Nevada- Passing: Nick Graziano, 8-24, 109 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Nick Graziano, 6-29  Receiving: Mike McCoy, 2-27
Nebraska - Passing: Sam Keller, 14-25, 193 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marlon Lucky, 30-233, 3 TDs  Receiving: Marlon Lucky, 3-31, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Wolf Pack had an awful game in all phases against Nebraska. The run defense was non-existent, despite having a strong linebacking corps, but the D didn't get any help from an inept offense that held on to the ball for 19:22, went one of 13 on third downs, gained nine first downs and amassed just 185 yards of total offense. On the flip side, the O can blame the D for allowing 625 yards of total offense. Nick Graziano wasn't under intense pressure, yet he still had a hard time finding his receivers. The 12 penalties didn't help matters.

Sept. 1 – at Nebraska
Offense: From possibly losing star receiver Maurice Purify for being a knucklehead off the field, to losing leading rusher Brandon Jackson to the NFL, promising runner Kenny Wilson to a broken leg while moving a TV, and starting guard Matt Huff to a blown out Achilles (though he might be back), it's been a rough off-season for the offense. Even with all the problems, the offense will roll if, and it's a screaming if, the once-promising tackle prospects come through and the starting 11 stays healthy. Top back Marlon Lucky can't be counted on for a full season, while backup Cody Glenn is already hobbling with a foot problem. There's no one of note behind them. The line had to do some shuffling after a variety of injuries, meaning the ground game could struggle at times. Fortunately, former Arizona State mad bomber Sam Keller is at the helm with a speedy, veteran receiving corps to work with. Don't be shocked if the attack becomes one-dimensional at some point this year. That might not be a bad thing.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove is about throwing different looks at offenses over the last few years, and while he loses all four starters off a great front four, he has more talent and depth to work with. The strength is in the linebacking corps, where Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon, Steve Octavien and Lance Brandenburgh will control the defense. There's speed to burn in the secondary, but the defensive backs haven't played up to their potential or athleticism over the last few years. This will be one of the Big 12's better defenses, but it still might not be close to the killer of some of the great Husker teams of the past.

Sept. 8 – at Northwestern
Offense: After a year of trying to get the quarterback situation straight, mostly due to an injury to C.J. Bacher early on, the offense should start to shine as long as there aren't major injury problems up front. The line, with four good starters returning led by center Trevor Rees and tackle Dylan Thiry, will be one of the most effective in the Big Ten, but the developed depth isn't quite there yet. Tyrell Sutton will once again be one of the nation's best all-around backs and should be a lock for 1,000 yards for the third straight season. The big improvement should be in the passing game, as long as Bacher is healthy, with an interesting and promising group of receivers ready to emerge.
Defense: Even though there wasn't much in the way of a pass rush, there weren't any plays in the backfield, and the run defense struggled, the defense made major strides after a disastrous 2005. Now this should be one of the better Wildcat defenses in years with a big, talented front four that should start generating some sort of consistent pressure. Adam Kadela leads a decent linebacking corps, while the safety tandem of Brendan Smith and Reggie McPherson should be rock-solid. This isn't a fast defense and it's thin in key areas like free safety and tackle, but there's enough all-around talent to keep the mediocre offenses under wraps.

Sept. 15 – Nicholls State

Sept. 29 - UNLV
Offense: The Rebel Shotgun Spread has basically misfired over the first two seasons, but the potential is there for a huge turnaround. QB Rocky Hinds, a disappointment in his first season after coming over from USC, played with a torn ACL almost all season, and now he'll be healthy. He'll have a loaded receiving corps to work with led by Casey Flair and Ryan Wolfe, but all eyes will be on Aaron Straiten on the outside. The star JUCO transfer of last year has million-dollar talent, but now he needs to use it. The emergence of Frank Summers as a powerback should help out the running game, which already has speed -rusher David Peeples, but the offensive line has to do more to pave the way.
Defense: The defense struggled way too much to get a stop early in games, and it forced the offense to press way too often. Now there should be a bit of an improvement with several good returning starters and a fearsome pass rush. The ends should be terrific, and the linebackers can all move, but the emphasis going into the year will be to stop the run. Are the defenders in place to do it? That remains to be seen, but the biggest concern will be with a secondary that didn't make nearly enough plays last year, and now it doesn't have Eric Wright.

Oct. 6 - Fresno State
Offense: New offensive coordinator Jim McElwain will pump some life into a stagnant passing game with a wide-open attack featuring some funky, multi-receiver formations while not running quite as much. Call it playing to the strengths, as the receiving corps is lightning fast, but untested, while Tom Brandstater, who struggled mightily last year, is still a talent who appears ready to make a big jump and become a major player. The running game will suffer without Dwayne Wright, but Lonyae Wright and Clifton Smith should be decent. The line is the strength of the team with four starters returning to a group that allowed just 12 sacks.
Defense: After a tremendous 2005 season when the defense dominated, last year was a step back, especially in the secondary. Enough overall experience returns to be better, but the line has to do more to get into the backfield and the corners have to pick off more passes after taking away just three. There's plenty of speed and athleticism in the linebacking corps to swarm to the ball, and there's size and pass rushing ability from the front four, but there have to be more big plays and more takeaways.

Oct. 14 – at Boise State
Offense: As the Fiesta Bowl showed, there isn't a more creative offensive coaching staff in the country, but the attack, led by a Heisman caliber back in Ian Johnson working behind a tremendous line, could look positively vanilla (by Boise State standards) early on. Ryan Clady leads a dominant front five with four starters returning, and they'll need to be even stronger in pass protection with the quarterback situation unsettled. Taylor Tharp is a good, accurate passer, while Bush Hamdan is a big-armed runner who'll throw it all over the place. The receiving corps has potential, but the top four pass catchers have to be replaced. Even so, look for several different formations and several different looks from game to game.
Defense: As expected, the defense was the best in the WAC last year and should be fantastic again with seven starters returning. Stopping the run will be goal one, and it can be with a fantastic returning pass defense. The secondary will be great with safety Marty Tadman and the corner tandem of Orlando Scandrick and Kyle Wilson returning, while the linebacking corps, even with the loss of Korey Hall, will be a strength with Derrell Acrey expected to step up and star, with veterans Kyle Gingg and David Shields keeping the run defense strong. Mike Williams and Nick Schlekeway form a good end tandem, but the tackles will be the team's biggest question mark outside of the quarterback situation.

Oct. 20 – at Utah State
Offense: The offense did next to nothing last season scoring fewer than 14 points seven times and finishing averaging 10.83 points and 254 yards per game. The offensive line isn't bad and the starting receivers, led by Kevin Robinson, are solid, but the quarterback situation isn't settled with Riley Nelson out on a church mission, and there's no experience whatsoever at running back after Marcus Cross transferred. Basically, the attack needs to find one thing it can do well.
Defense: If experience counts for anything, the Aggies should be far better with 11 returning starters and a ton of veteran backups ready to fill in. Now the defense has to stop someone after getting ripped apart by just about everyone. How bad did things get? The Aggies allowed an average of 48.8 points per game over the final five games. Ben Calderwood leads an undersized line that has to do more to get into the backfield. The corners are way too small, the linebackers are way too small, and the tackles are way too small. If the overall team quickness isn't accounting for big plays, there will be problems.

Oct. 27 - Idaho
Offense: Same idea, different implementation. The new coaching staff will go with a one-back set using four and five-wide formations, sort of like the old coaching staff did, but there will be an even bigger emphasis on tough running. That's a good thing with the strength in the running back corps with four good players, led by junior Jayson Bird, to carry the offense early on. The quarterback situation will be settled this fall with the likely winner being 6-5 redshirt freshman Nathan Enderle, but the receiving corps is going to be a work in progress well into the season. The starting five up front should be fine due to its experience, but it's nothing special. 
Defense: There's experience and all-star talent to work with, so why was the Vandal defense so miserable last season? The line. The front four has to find tackles that can stop the run, and ends that can get into the backfield. If that happens, there could be a night-and-day improvement as the coaching staff looks to attack, attack, and attack some more. With MLB JoArtis Ratti back and healthy, he should combine with David Vobora to create the WAC's most dangerous linebacking duo. Corner Stanley Franks is an interception machine, and safety Shiloh Keo is an undersized hitter. Now everything has to start working around those four.

Nov. 2 – at New Mexico State
Offense: So that's how it's supposed to work? With Chase Holbrook at the helm, the Aggies finished third in the nation in total offense averaging 475 yards a game, 15th in scoring averaging 31 points a game, and second in passing averaging 399 yards per game. Those numbers might seem pedestrian this year if everyone stays healthy. Nine starters return including the top seven pass catchers, starting running back Jeremiah Williams, four linemen, and of course, Holbrook, who'll be one of the nation's statistical leaders all year long if the line, which found the right combination late last year, gives him just a little more time.
Defense: Big plays, big plays, big plays. The call has gone out from defensive coordinator Woody Widenhofer for the defense to use all its experience, with eight returning starters (with safety Gerald Gurrier moving to receiver) to find a way to force more turnovers, come up with more stops on third downs, and most importantly, generate a pass rush. The Aggies came up with a mere 15 sacks and 55 tackles for loss last year, and those numbers need to double to give the beleaguered secondary any shot of being better. There isn't a whole bunch of talent from top to bottom, so everyone will have to be ultra-aggressive and more consistent.

Nov. 16 - Hawaii
Offense: Everything worked last year as Colt Brennan and the offense exploded for a nation-leading 559 yards and 46.86 points per game. While Brennan is back, after flirting with the idea of turning pro early, along with star receivers Davone Bess, Jason Rivers and Ryan Grice-Mullen, the line isn't remotely as good as last year's and the running game will desperately miss Nate Ilaoa. David Farmer has to add the run to the run and shoot, or else Brennan won't be nearly as effective. Even so, expect video game numbers out of the nation's best passing attack.
Defense: With defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville gone, Greg McMackin will change the D from a 3-4 to a 4-3, even though the one weak spot, at least early on, is experience on the line. The linebackers will be excellent with good depth behind top tacklers Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian, and they won't have to do  as much compared to last year with a more conservative, though not that much, overall defensive approach. Three starters return to a secondary that needs to be far tighter and far more clutch in big situations.

Nov. 24 – at San Jose State
Offense: The offense wasn't always explosive, but it was steady, didn't give the ball away, kept the chains moving, and got the job done. Expect more of the same if the offensive line can quickly replace three starters and the new recruits for the receiving corps can play right away. The passing game loses the top three targets and 141 of 181 catches, so ultra-efficient QB Adam Tafralis has to be even better. Yonus Davis leads a small, quick, veteran group of running backs that can take it the distance with a little bit of room.
Defense: The Spartan defense took a giant leap forward giving up yards, but not a whole bunch of points allowing fewer than 24 in ten of the final 11 games. Seven starters are back from the ball-hawking crew led by tackling machine Matt Castelo at middle linebacker and corners Dwight Lowery and Christopher Owens. The defensive front has to do a better overall job, and it will now that it's experienced after cutting its teeth last season. Jarron Gilbert and Justin Cole will be pass rushing terrors. Expect this group to give up plenty of yards, but also come up with more than its share of takeaways.

Dec. 1 - Louisiana Tech
Defense: 2006 was expected to be a year of transition, but yeesh. The D was the worst in America allowing 483 yards and close to 42 points per game, and it was simply awful from start to finish. Step one for the new coaching staff is to find a way to get into the backfield after the Bulldogs finished dead last in sacks and tackles for loss, and it'll alternated between a 3-4 and a 4-3 to try to get some production. The linebacking corps should be decent, the secondary can fly, and the defensive line is full of decent-sized veterans. Now there has to be come semblance of production.
Offense: It's not like the offense was awful last year, but it wasn't consistent and it didn't do enough to keep in all the shootouts created by its defense. Enough talent returns to look for more overall production, especially in the running game where Patrick Jackson should shine behind a big, veteran offensive line that can block, but can't pass protect. The quarterback situation will be worth watching with Zac Champion likely to get the job to start the season, but will be pushed by Michael Mosley and Ross Jenkins for time.