October 12, 1998
GAME 7UNLV (0-6, 0-3 WAC)vs. WYOMING (4-1, 2-0 WAC)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 17, 1998KICKOFF: 4:00 pm PDTSITE: Sam Boyd Stadium (35,000), Las VegasTV: NoneRADIO: KXNT-840 AM, 3:30 pm PDT (Tony Cordasco & Hunkie Cooper)
GAME PREVIEW
UNLV (0-6, 0-3) returns to Sam Boyd Stadium for a homecoming clash with surging Wyoming (4-1, 2-0) ... The Rebels, who have played four of their last six games on the road, will attempt to break an 11-game losing streak, which is one short of the school record set in 1995-96 ... Last week, UNLV fell at BYU 38-14 while the Cowboys gutted out a 12-7 victory over visiting SMU to stay undefeated in conference play ... The Rebels are 19-11 all-time in homecoming games for a winning percentage of .634 ... Head Coach Jeff Horton is 3-1 in homecoming games at UNLV, including last year's 41-6 win over Illinois State.
SERIES NOTES
The all-time series between the schools is tied 3-3 ... The Rebels won the first three games in the series by a total of 13 points but Wyoming now has a three-game winning streak over UNLV ... The Cowboys are one of six WAC teams, along with CSU, SDSU, UNM, UTEP and TCU, that UNLV does not have a losing record against ... The Rebels and Cowboys played four straight years (1978-81) when UNLV first thought itself headed into the WAC ... These two Mountain Division rivals will both join six other schools in leaving the WAC to form a new eight-team conference next season ... UNLV's first network television appearance as a Div. I-A program came on Oct. 3, 1981, when the Pokes won 45-21 before an ABC regional audience ... Former Rebel QB Jon Denton used the 1996 game in Las Vegas as a coming out party, throwing for a then-NCAA freshman record 486 yards and three touchdowns -- good enough to earn WAC Player of the Week honors. Seven weeks later, Denton broke his own record with a school-best 503 yards vs. SDSU. That record, however, fell last week when UNR's David Neill passed for 611 yards in a loss to New Mexico State.
SERIES RECORD: Tied 3-3 LAST MEETING: 1997 (UW 35-23)UW at UNLV RECORD: 1-2UNLV at UW RECORD: 1-2UNLV's LARGEST WIN: 7 (33-26 in 1980)UW's LARGEST WIN: 24 (45-21 in 1981)SERIES SCORES:DATE SITE RESULT11-11-78 Las Vegas UNLV, 12-1010-27-79 Laramie UNLV, 28-2411-8-80 Las Vegas UNLV, 33-2610-3-81 Laramie WYO, 45-219-28-96 Las Vegas WYO, 33-2111-8-97 Laramie WYO, 35-23
UNLV (0-6) 1998 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Result/Time S. 5 at Northwestern L, 41-7S. 12 AIR FORCE L, 52-10S. 19 at Wisconsin L, 52-7S. 26 at Colorado St. L, 38-16O. 3 NEVADA, RENO L, 31-20O. 10 at BYU L, 38-14O. 17 WYOMING (HC) 4 pm PDT O. 24 at SMU 2 pm CDTO. 31 TULSA 1 pm PDTN. 7 OPENN. 14 at Rice 2 pm CSTN. 21 TCU 1 pm PST
WYOMING (4-1) 1998 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Result/TimeS. 12 MONTANA STATE W, 17-9S. 19 at Georgia L, 16-9S. 26 LOUISIANA TECH W, 31-19O. 3 UTAH W, 27-24O. 10 SMU W, 12-7O. 17 at UNLV 4 pm PDTO. 24 RICE 1 pm MDTO. 31 at TCU 2 pm CDTN. 7 at Colorado St. 12 pm MSTN. 14 AIR FORCE 12 pm MSTN. 21 at Tulsa 2 pm CST
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
LARAMIE, WYO. -- (Nov. 8, 1997)
WYOMING 35, UNLV 23
Looking for its first WAC road victory, UNLV (3-7) payed its first visit to Wyoming since 1981 but was outscored on a wintry day in Laramie, 35-23. In what was the coldest game ever for a Jeff Horton-led Rebel team, UNLV struck first with a field goal. The Cowboys came back to take a 14-3 lead but Amar Brisco's school-record 84-yard fumble return set up a three-yard James Wofford TD run to pull the Rebels within four -- the closest they would get the rest of the day. UW took a 28-10 lead but the Rebels wouldn't go away. First, UNLV LB Scott Patton picked up another Poke fumble and raced 67 yards for his second score of the season. Then, after another UW touchdown, UNLV went on a 91-yard scoring drive capped by a 33-yard TD pass from Jon Denton to Len Ware. The TD ended the scoring but extended Denton's school-record streak of throwing a scoring pass to 18, despite the sophomore having his worst day passing as a collegian, completing a career-low 10 passes for 134 yards on 30 attempts.
DISAPPEARING INK
ANOTHER UNLV NCAA RECORD IS ERASED
During the first two months of the season, three national records set at UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium were erased from the NCAA record books. When Louisiana Tech's Troy Edwards piled up 405 yards receiving vs. Nebraksa on August 29, he trounced the previous single-game record of 363 held by UNLV's Randy Gatewood. Gatewood, a current Arena League player who still holds the national mark for catches in one game with 23, had 363 yards vs. Idaho on Sept. 17, 1994. On September 12, Kansas State's Martin Gramatica kicked a 65-yard field goal (without a tee) against Northern Illinois that bested the record of 62 yards by Jason Hanson of Washington State, who recorded his big boot vs. the Rebels on Sept. 28, 1991. Then, last week in Reno, UNR quarterback David Neill threw for 611 yards vs. New Mexico State. A true freshman, Neill obliterated former Rebel signal-caller Jon Denton's NCAA record for single-game passing yards by a freshman. Denton had set the record by throwing for 503 yards vs. San Diego State on Nov. 11, 1996, in a stunning 44-42 upset of the Aztecs.
GAME SIX IN REVIEW
REBELS FALTER IN SECOND HALF
BRIGHAM YOUNG 38, UNLV 14
PROVO, Utah -- UNLV (0-6) was shut out in the second half en route to its 11th-consecutive loss over two seasons in front of a homecoming crowd of 61,774 at BYU (3-3). The Rebels, who fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, stiffened on defense and would go on to earn their smallest halftime deficit of the season. UNLV scored two second-quarter touchdowns in less than a minute to pull even. First, a Mark Hays punt block (the first for UNLV since 1995) set up a six-yard rushing touchdown by James Wofford. Then UNLV tied the game on perhaps the most bizarre scoring play in Rebel history. On second and five, BYU QB Drew Miller was sacked by Rebel defenders and fumbled into the hands of Couger offensive lineman Matt Johnson, who thought the play was dead as an incompletion. As players from both sides stood watching while Miller writhed on the ground, UNLV defensive lineman Justin Conway noticed that no whistle had stopped play. He stripped the ball from Johnson and rumbled into the end zone untouched before a stunned stadium. BYU quickly regrouped to drive for a go-ahead field goal just before the break. Cougar QB Kevin Feterick led his team to three second-half touchdowns to put the game away as UNLV's offense posted records in futility. The Rebels earned a total of five first downs, including only one in the first half, and threw for just 21 yards passing, which broke the school record-low of 39 vs. Baylor in 1988. UNLV's five passing completions by first-time starter Chad Reed were just one short of the school record while senior WR Damon Williams saw his school-record streak of catching at least one pass snapped at 39 games -- seven short of the NCAA record. UNLV's Joe Kristosik shined by punting a school- and stadium-record 13 times for an average of 52.5.
ON THE OFFENSIVE...
UNLV started its third QB of the season last week at BYU. Fifth-year senior Kevin Crook started the first two games before redshirt freshman Chris Hayward took over. Crook then relieved Hayward in the second quarter of the CSU game and started the next week vs. UNR. However, against the Wolf Pack, senior Chad Reed came in for his first action and earned the starting nod at BYU. Against the Cougars Reed became the first Rebel QB to play an entire game this season ... Damon Williams, who became UNLV's career leader in receptions in the season-opener at Northwestern, had a school-record 39-game streak of catching at least one pass snapped at BYU. Williams, who was shut out for the first time in his four-year career, was seven short of the NCAA record of 46. Last week, Williams was named as one of 32 players included on the 1998 Biletnikoff Award Watch List. Now in its fifth year, the award annually goes to the nation's finest receiver ... After only completing seven passes the previous week, UNLV completed just five vs. BYU, the least since 1992 vs. UNR and just one off the school record of four set against Baylor in 1988.
FOR THE DEFENSE...
UNLV's six QB sacks at BYU last week doubled the team's output (three) in the previous five games ... When DL Justin Conway returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown at BYU, it marked UNLV's second defensive score this season and sixth in two years ... Of the Rebels' five interceptions this season, only two are by defensive backs. DL Ted Darnell (who scored a TD with his) and Robin Maile join LB Greg Gales with one pick each this fall ... Preseason First-Team All-WAC DE Talance Sawyer was fourth in the conference in tackles for loss heading into last week's game. After five at BYU, he now has 13 for 48 yards, including a team-leading four QB sacks. Sawyer also has four pass break-ups and two caused fumbles on the year ... When DE La'anui Correa tackled CSU RB Duan Ruff in the end zone at CSU, it marked the Rebels' first defensive safety since Nov. 6, 1993, at Lousiana Tech ... Redshirt freshman and team captain James Sunia, who leads the team in tackles with a total of 69, had a team season-high 17 vs. Air Force. He was already among the WAC's top-five before his 10 at BYU.
SPECIAL (TEAMS) DELIVERY...
UNLV has not attempted a field goal since the third quarter of the Colorado State game -- a span of nine quarters ... Last week at BYU, the Rebels blocked a punt for the first time since Sept. 23, 1995, at Iowa State ... Against UNR, UNLV blocked a field goal for the first time since Nov. 13, 1993, vs. San Jose State ... As a team, UNLV leads the conference and is third nationally with a net punting average of 42.0 YPK ... Boosted by Duane "Toy Train" James' 78-yard punt return vs. UNR, the Rebels are now second in the league and sixth nationally in team punt returns with 16.5 YPR.
NO ORDINARY JOE
After a down junior season, UNLV punter Joe Kristosik is making his senior campaign the best of his career. In fact, he may just become the fourth punter in UNLV history to earn All-American honors. The Las Vegas native currently leads the WAC and ranks second in the nation with a 47.07 average coming on 44 attempts. He is less than one-half yard behind national leader Craig Jarrett of Michigan State, who has a 47.55 average on 15 less attempts. Last week at BYU, Kristosik tied the UNLV and Cougar Stadium record for punts in one game with 13 and averaged an 52.5. Of those boots, eight went 50 yards or longer and four went 60 or longer, including two at a season long of 67 yards. On the year, Kristosik has an amazing 17 kicks that traveled at least 50 yards, including seven that went 60 yards or longer. The former prep quarterback at Bishop Gorman High School was named the WAC's Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 29 after averaging 51.3 YPK at CSU, becoming the first punter in school history to earn a conference player of the week honor since the program joined the Big West in 1982.
UNLV HEAD COACH JEFF HORTON
Jeff Horton, who turned 41 this summer, is in his fifth season at the helm of the Rebel football program and sixth as a Div. I-A head coach. The seventh head man in UNLV's 30 years of football history, Horton has a career record of 20-43 and 13-39 for the Rebels. Facing a half-decade in charge, Horton will tie original coach Bill Ireland (1968-72) for second-longest stint leading UNLV football. Only Tony Knap (1976-81) coached the Rebels longer. Named the 1994 Big West Co-Coach of the Year after leading UNLV to its second-ever league title and bowl win, Horton graduated from Nevada, Reno in 1981 and later received his master's from the Univ. of San Francisco. He came to Las Vegas after spending the 1993 season as head coach of UNR, where he also had been assistant coach from 1985-89 and '92. Horton also served a stint as a UNLV assistant from 1990-91. Born July 13, 1957, Horton is married to the former Teri Arden of Reno.
HORTON'S CAREER RECORDYEAR SCHOOL TOT CONF FIN1998 UNLV 0-6 0-3 --1997 UNLV 3-8 2-6 7th1996 UNLV 1-11 1-7 T7th1995 UNLV 2-9 1-5 10th1994 UNLV 7-5 5-1 T1st1993 UNR 7-4 4-2 3rd
TOTAL 6 Years 20-43 13-24
WYOMING HEAD COACH DANA DIMEL
The youngest head coach in NCAA Div. I-A football when he was hired, Dana Dimel, now 36, is in his second season in Laramie as the 28th head man in Cowboy history. Named to succeed Joe Tiller on Dec. 7, 1996, Dimel has a career record of 12-6 and 6-4 in the WAC. After 10 successful years at his alma mater, Kansas State, the last two as offensive coordinator, Dimel led Wyoming to an 8-5 overall record as a rookie in 1997 as the Pokes played a school-record 13 games. The Columbus, Ohio, native was a two-year letterman for the Wildcats in 1985-86, signed on as a graduate assistant and spent a decade as part of KSU's tremendous turnaround, which saw the team go to four straight bowl games.
UNLV vs. WYO TENTATIVE TWO-DEEP REBEL OFFENSEH 8 DAMON WILLIAMS (6-4, 225, SR-3L) 16 Duane James (5-9, 175, FR-RS)
LT 72 JOHN GREER (6-5, 290, SO-1L) 74 Brandon Ellena (6-4, 275, SR-1L)
LG 64 JERALD PIERUCCI (6-5, 290, SR-3L) 61 Peter Tramontanas (6-6, 260, FR-HS)
C 76 BUBBA GONZALEZ (6-2, 260, SR-2L) 59 Aaron Hall (6-0, 265, FR-RS)
RG 77 BLAKE LIVINGOOD (6-8, 330, SO-SQ) 78 Mike Reily (6-3, 290, SR-3L)
RT 67 ROBERT GRUNDY (6-5, 315, JR-TR) 54 Brian Hart (6-5, 280, SO-SQ) TE 89 SAM MINEO (6-3, 250, SR-3L) 83 Mike Leatham (6-4, 230, SR-1L)
QB 7 CHAD REED (6-1, 210, SR-1L) 11 Chris Hayward (6-4, 210, FR-RS) 5 Kevin Crook (6-3, 200, SR-3L)
WR (Z) 82 CARLOS BAKER (5-10, 195, SR-3L) 16 Duane James (5-9, 175, FR-RS)
WR (X) 3 LEN WARE (6-1, 185, JR-2L) 42 Sam Brandon (6-3, 180, SO-SQ) RB 33 JAMES WOFFORD (6-0, 200, SO-1L) 4 Coury Hankins (5-9, 185, JR-2L) REBEL SPECIALISTSKO 13 DANA BARSUHN (5-10, 180, SR-1L)PK 17 TIM O'REILLY (6-0, 205, JR-2L)HOLD 5 KEVIN CROOK (6-3, 200, SR-3L)LS 83 MIKE LEATHAM (6-4, 230, SR-1L)
REBEL DEFENSELE 10 RODERICK JONES (6-2, 235, JR-2L) 58 La'anui Correa (65-3, 230, FR-HS)
LT 98 TROY KIRKPATRICK (6-5, 255, SR-1L) 91 Robin Maile (6-1, 290, SR-1L)
RT 99 TED DARNELL (6-5, 270, SR-3L) 92 Derrick Monroe (6-2, 285, SR-3L) RE 9 TALANCE SAWYER (6-2, 290, SR-3L) 99 Ted Darnell (6-5, 270, SR-3L) WILL 55 JERRAD PIERUCCI (6-2, 225, JR-2L) 25 A.C. Smith (6-1, 225, JR-1L)
MIKE 43 JAMES SUNIA (5-10, 240, FR-RS) 50 Dusty Pearce (6-2, 250, JR-TR) BANDIT 44 GREG GALES (6-2, 235, SR-2L) 48 Tyler Brickell (6-4, 230, SO-1L) LC 26 ANDRE HILLIARD (5-8, 155, JR-TR) 23 James Teele (5-10, 180, SR-1L) NICKEL 22 RANDY BLACK (6-0, 200, SO-1L) 20 Kawika Batoon (5-10, 175, SO-1L) FS 36 ANTHONY BROWN (6-0, 205, SR-2L) 20 Kawika Batoon (5-10, 175, SO-1L)
RC 28 KEVIN THOMAS (5-11, 165, FR-RS) 1 Mark Hays (5-10, 190, SR-1L) REBEL SPECIALISTSPUNT 97 JOE KRISTOSIK (6-3, 220, SR-3L) 17 Tim O'Reilly (6-0, 205, JR-2L)KOR 16 DUANE JAMES (5-9, 175, FR-RS) 3 Len Ware (6-1, 185, JR-2L)PR 16 DUANE JAMES (5-9, 175, FR-RS) 3 Len Ware (6-1, 185, JR-2L)
