Nevada struggles to stop unraveling
The Wolf Pack’s overflowing talent couldn’t get the job done again in Hawaii. Nevada lost another heartbreaker that left Wolf Pack fans asking, “What’s wrong?”
While the statistics point to a Wolf Pack win, the final score says, “Not so fast.”
Early fumbles, an inconsistent defense and vulnerability displayed outside by Nevada’s cornerbacks left the Wolf Pack with another loss that could easily have gone the other way.
Injuries to linebacker captain Joshua Mauga and rising star Mike Bethea will further upset a team that seems poised to unravel if it doesn’t deal with its demons this bye week.
KAEP’S GOT TO STEP IT UP
Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick may be one of the best quarterbacks west of the Mississippi River, but his talent won’t take him to the next level.
Kaepernick is on the brink of breaking out. He has the tools. He has the body. But he lacks the winner mentality of Joe Montana or Tom Brady, quarterbacks who didn’t make mistakes. Montana took the field with a sense of cool, kept games close, didn’t create turnovers and won late in games. Kaepernick hasn’t displayed this so far.
Kaepernick is less Montana and more Mr. Magoo.
Retract Kaepernick’s fumbles against Texas Tech, New Mexico State and Hawaii and you may have a 7-1 team with a national ranking by its name.
It’s not just mistakes, though.
Kaepernick has to assume his role as a leader on the team. He says he has assumed that role, but his play on the field, in the biggest situations, has proven otherwise.
DEFENSE NEEDS TO GET ON TRACK
Nevada cornerbacks coach James Ward said he wished the Wolf Pack’s defensive backfield would get better faster.
Nevada’s fan base resoundingly concurs.
The Wolf Pack let another game slip away Saturday, straight through the hands of a Nevada cornerback and into the hands of a Hawaii receiver — or Missouri, or New Mexico State, or Texas Tech.
Ranked top 10 in the nation in total offense and rush defense, Nevada is one piece of the pie away from moving its football program to the next level. It’s just too bad that one piece failed to even show up in the box.
Ranked dead last in the nation, what else can you say about a pass defense that struggles to stop pass offenses more than Mr. T struggles to get his career back on track?
AULT HAS TO PICK A RETURN MAN
While it’s easy to blame the pass defense this season, you can’t give the special teams a free ride.
Nevada is ranked 89th in total pass return yards and 97th in kickoff return yards this season, failures that fall more on the coaches than the players.
Wolf Pack coach Chris Ault and special teams coordinator Barry Sacks have alternated return men more than Chinese factories alternate workers in a LED ridden toy shop.
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October 28th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
You are talking about Joe M and Tom B, in their NFL careers. Colin K plays for a mid major college team. The 49ers and Patriots had some of the better defenses in the NFL to help support their winning careers. You are talking about mistakes made in games that the defense allowed 30+ points every time. And you are talking about fumbles that happened at points in the game where the team was still in a position to win afterwards.
Tom Brady did not play as a Frosh or Soph as Brian Griese started ahead of him. He threw 15 TD’s vs 12 INT’s in his Jr year and 20 TD’s vs 6 INT’s in his Sr year.
Joe Montana did not play as a Frosh and played limited time as a Soph. He threw 11 TD’s vs 8 INT’s in his Jr year and 10 TD’s vs 9 INT’s his senior year.
Now you tell me what would happen to Nevada if Colin threw only 10 or 11 TD’s in a season and threw 8 or 9 picks in the same year.
You need to compare apples to apples, not college sophomores to NFL QB’s with stellar players at every position around them.
October 29th, 2008 at 11:14 am
WOW, you mean to tell me you really believe that without Kap’s fumbles this team would be 7-1. Get a clue. Not sure all the blame should go here, what would happen if NMSU wouldn’t have made a couple of those 3rd and 4th down conversions, or if we would have made a stop at Hawaii, or would have had more than 4 plays in the 3rd quarter at Hawaii, and on and on and on.
Seems to me Kap did step it up in Hawaii, 61 yd TD run to tie game in the 1st quarter, but wait, his fumble caused us the game. You have to be kidding me. Also, wasn’t this the same kid who threw 2 TD’s in the 4th quarter to get us a OT game, but wait, his fumble in the 1st quarter caused us the game. Holy cow, I agree with the first poster, compare apples to apples and call a spade a spade.