Idaho State Notes
Series vs. unlv
UNLV, 2-6 (2-0 Home, 0-6 Away)
2015 A 9/26 L, 80-8
2006 A 9/2 L, 54-10
1984 A 10/13 L, 33-20*forfeited to ISU
1976 A 10/2 L, 31-17
1975 H 9/20 W, 15-7
1974 A 11/23 L, 31-7
1970 H 9/26 W, 64-34
1969 A 11/8 L, 35-31
Scouting UNLV
UNLV finished the 2021 season with a 2-10 record and a 2-6 mark in Mountain West play. The UNLV offense averaged 312.3 yards a game and the defense allowed 409.4 yards a game. UNLV tallied 109.8 rushing yards and 202.5 passing yards. The Rebel defense allowed 171.1 yards rushing and
237 passing yards. UNLV was picked to finish fifth in the West Division.
Bengals against FBS
Since 2008 Idaho State has played two FBS schools each year. During this stretch the Bengals have played BYU four times, Utah State three times, Utah, Boise State and Nevada twice and UNLV once. The Bengals have also played the following Power 5 schools; Cal, Colorado, Oregon State, Washington, Nebraska, Washington State, Georgia, Arizona State and Oklahoma. Prior to Idaho State’s 30-28 win at Nevada in 2017, ISU was 0-27 against FBS schools since beating Utah State 27-24 in 2000. Since the win over Nevada, ISU is 0-7 against FBS schools.
UNLV Notes
SATURDAY’S PREVIEW…
UNLV (0-0) opens its 55th season of football by hosting Idaho State (0-0) from the Big Sky Conference on Saturday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium … The matchup marks the earliest game in school history by two days, beating matchups played on August 29 vs. Toledo in 2003, at Minnesota in 2013 and at Arizona in 2014 … Because the Raiders host the Patriots in a preseason game at Allegiant Stadium Friday night, UNLV and ISU will play on the NFL team’s natural grass field instead of the Rebels’ usual artificial turf field for the first time … The Rebels last competed on grass at Arizona State last September and will be on grass for a home game for the first time since former venue Sam Boyd Stadium featured the natural stuff from 1999-2002 … UNLV rarely plays on grass, with its last win coming in 2018 at San Diego State (0-3 since) … The Rebels bring in an all-time record of 3-6 in games played in the month of August, including winning their last such effort in 2019 over SUU … UNLV is 24-30 in its season lid-lifters, including 19-10 when they happen at home … The Rebels also opened 2021 at home vs. a Big Sky team, falling in double-overtime to Eastern Washington … UNLV is looking to earn a season-opening victory for the first time since downing Southern Utah in 2019 and for only the third time in the last 13 years (also defeated Jackson State in 2016) … Head Coach Marcus Arroyo’s program is coming off a season that saw it lose a school-record six one-score games (previous record was five in 2012) while facing three straight ranked teams for the first time in history and four overall, which was the most ranked opponents for the Rebels since taking on five in 2010.
REBELS vs. BENGALS NOTES…
UNLV leads 6-2 in a series that dates back to Rebel Football’s second-year of existence as Bill Ireland’s squad got by ISU 35-31 in 1969 … The following season, UNLV traveled to Pocatello and played the first collegiate game staged in Holt Arena (then called the ISU Minidome) on Sept. 26, 1970 … All eight meetings between these schools have been won by the home team … UNLV is 29-12-1 all-time vs. teams that currently make up the league … UNLV head football equipment manager Quintin Kohorst was at ISU in the same position last season … New ISU DL Jameson Helu was a walk-on for the Rebels in 2021 … The Bengals’ head coach from 2017-21 was Rob Phenicie who spent five years on the UNLV staff, including as offensive coordinator in 2010-11.
REBELATIONS…
No matter who starts behind center in Saturday’s opener vs. Idaho State he will become the 14th different starting quarterback in the last 19 years at UNLV because last season’s Game 1 QB, Justin Rogers, is no longer with the program … The Rebels feature a trio of sophomore quarterbacks who have all started FBS games: Doug Brumfield started two outings in 2020 (at Arizona State and at Fresno State) before suffering a season-ending injury; portal transfer addition Harrison Bailey started three games vs. SEC opponents for Tennessee in 2020 (vs. Florida, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M); and Cameron Friel started eight dates as a true freshman last fall (Iowa State, UTSA, Utah State, SJSU, UNR, New Mexico, Hawai’i and SDSU) … UNLV’s defense had nine interceptions last season after picking off just two as a team during the abbreviated 2020 season … In his first four career starts while spelling injured Austin Ajiake in the last four games last fall, LB and Las Vegas native Kyle Beaudry had 32 total tackles, 1.5 QB sacks, two forced fumbles (that were both converted into TDs), one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. Both Ajiake and Beaudry are listed as starters heading into Saturday … Last year’s Rebels ranked 21st nationally (3rd in MW) in Red Zone Offense at 89.7 percent (35-39). On the other side, UNLV ranked 47th (3rd in MW) in Red Zone Defense, with opponents converting to points at a 80.4 percent clip … UNLV has not returned a punt for a touchdown in 21 years — the longest drought in the nation. The last Rebel to do it was Troy Mason, who went 52 yards vs. San Diego State on Oct. 13, 2001, at Sam Boyd Stadium … UNLV’s roster includes 10 Super Seniors made possible when the NCAA did not count 2020 against player eligibility because of COVID-19. The unusual group of Rebels includes two who spent their entire career at UNLV: sixth year vet PK Daniel Gutierrez and fifth-year LB Austin Ajiake … The Rebels feature four new players from the 2021 National Champion City College of San Francisco program: WR Jeffrey Weimer (WHY-mer), LB Fred Thompkins, DB Trenton Holloway and walk-on LS Bobby Navarro … UNLV fields a roster of 85 scholarship players in 2022 for the first time since the legendary John Robinson retired in 2004 … Sophomore DB KilinaheMendiola-Jensen, currently listed No. 2 at the nickel spot, moved back
to defense this year after playing 2021 on offense as a wide receiver and finishing sixth on the team with 11 catches for 99 yards … UNLV welcomed four new on-field position coaches this season, including two coordinators. Keith Heyward came from Cal to serve as DC and CB coach;
Nick Holz (“Holtz”) moved over from the Las Vegas Raiders to take over as Co-OC and QBs coach; Bojay Filimoeatu, who has coached at MW schools Utah State and SJSU along with Oregon State, took over the D-line duties; and MichaelBruno followed Heyward from Cal to handle the inside linebackers.
