With the season opener for Nevada just over a week away there is a lot of optimism surrounding the 2010 Wolf Pack football team even though not all the news has been positive this week when a prospective cornerback was deemed ineligible for the season ahead.

After reeling in several solid recruits and JUCO transfers during the offseason, the Nevada coaching staff has put the Silver and Blue in a position to contend for a WAC title.  They already have one of their best ever senior classes, led by players such as Colin Kaepernick, Virgil Green and Dontay Moch.  It is a group that can collectively look back and realize that win or lose, they pushed the Nevada program to unseen heights, including a slot in the future Mountain West Conference.

But in order to win the WAC Nevada has to improve their defense if they not only want to rumble over the rest of the conference, but knock off the No. 3 ranked preseason team in the country, Boise State. Those chances took a bit of a hit this week when SilverandBlueSports learned that defensive back transfer Malik “Fig” James will not get a waiver from the NCAA clearinghouse and will sit out the 2010 season. James will still have three years to play three seasons.

Marlon Johnson in action (Photo by Mark Rauh)

However, the team seems to be taking this news in stride as most of the coaches said they were prepared for this and James was in good spirits at practice this week being the best teammate he can be, while knowing he will have to run with the scout team.

This news has forced the secondary to adjust their depth chart as it looks like Doyle Miller and Isaiah Frey will be starting at cornerback.  Another adjustment in the secondary has Marlon Johnson playing next to Corbin Louks with the starters as Duke Williams will sit out week one.  Transfer safety Dean Faddis was running with the first team but admitted he has lost twelve pounds since the start of camp and this may have actually slowed him down a little but expect to see Faddis on special teams.

This news didn’t stop NFL scouts from attending practice this week.  Representing the NFL at Nevada football practice were scouts from New Orleans, San Francisco, Cleveland and Washington.  Surprisingly, the scouts weren’t there very long but they all seemed to have their eyes on the defense, presumably sizing up WAC Defensive Player of the Year Dontay Moch.

That doesn’t mean the offense didn’t give them something to watch, especially with the former WAC Offensive Player of the Year Colin Kaepernick getting caught up with WAC Freshman of the Year Brandon Wimberly, who is back on the practice field and looking good after a minor procedure.

One person asked me the question most of you will be wondering next Thursday night:  Who is number 15?

No. 15 is Rishard Matthews (Photo by Mark Rauh)

For those of you who don’t know who number 15 is yet, he is Rishard Matthews, a transfer from Bakersfield CC where he was an All-American Kick/Punt Returner/Wide Receiver and he has emerged as a playmaker for the Silver and Blue.  When the Pack brought him in this spring, they were looking for a player who could energize their special teams, and work in as a receiver somewhere too.  If there was one word to describe Matthews, I’d go with “Silky-Smooth.”

With camp winding down and classes beginning this week the team is in full preparation for Eastern Washington and with game night being one week away some players are ready to go.

“I’m ready for the games,” Kaepernick said.  “I’ve only got two classes so I can focus on football.”

Like a number of senior quarterbacks, including current Denver Broncos QB and former Florida All-American Tim Tebow, who have finished up nearly all their academic requirements ahead of schedule, the senior quarterback was only taking one class because he had met his graduation requirements.  Of course, the extra focus didn’t work for Tebow and the Gators who couldn’t defend their national championship after losing to Alabama, who went on to win it all.

Let’s hope the extra focus for Kaepernick goes a longer way for Nevada football in what might be the most talented team in school history.