Oct. 4, 2004

LAS VEGAS - UNLV defensive back Joe Miklos has been named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

The junior free safety is the first Rebel to earn such an honor this season after the program picked up a school-record eight nods in 2003, including Miklos' first career award following the New Mexico game.

Miklos was instrumental in leading the Rebels to their first victory of the season, 48-13, over UNR Saturday. He totaled four tackles, which included one sack for a loss of 10 yards, broke up a career-high three passes and grabbed a game-changing interception.

With the Wolf Pack leading 3-0 and looking for more at UNLV's 16-yard line in the first quarter, Miklos broke up a Jeff Rowe pass attempt on second down and then on the next play intercepted a pass at the five and returned the pick 79 yards before being forced out of bounds. UNLV would then kick a field goal to tie the game. The turnover was even more significant considering it was the first for the Rebel defense in 10 quarters (since Miklos brought in his first interception of the year at Wisconsin). Overall, the 13 UNR points were the least allowed by UNLV's defense in the last eight games.

The MWC Offensive Player of the Week was Colorado State wide receiver David Anderson (12 catches for 233 yards in a loss to BYU) while the league's special teams nod went to BYU punter/kicker Matt Payne (47.6 yard punting average and 52-yard field goal).