One of the most overlooked aspects of the Nevada program the past three years has been the ability for the Pack to control the line of scrimmage. Nevada has posted Top 25 rushing offenses and rushing defenses each year since 2008, even leading the country in 2009 in rushing offense.
I would say that these are the “dog” days of summer, but I don’t want anybody to get the impression that I approve of the existence of Fresno State University. I do, however, want to go on record as saying that while most of you are enjoying weekends of wakeboarding on (insert area lake of choice) or grilling in your backyard, I’m wasting my second summer in three years studying for a bar exam.
Silver and Blue Sports spent part of this weekend with two recent Nevada football recruits, both of which are former Modesto Junior College (MJC) prospects. Devin Combs, a quarterback who originally prepped at Oakdale high school, and Marcus McIlwain, an outside linebacker, who went to Waterford high school, will participate in Nevada’s upcoming fall practice and challenge for jobs. Check out a handful of shots of both players during our visit.
The University of Nevada football program is known nationally for a number of things, with head coach Chris Ault, one of just two active head coaches enshrined in the Hall of Fame, tops on the list. One of Coach Ault’s top goals over the past few years was to brand Wolf Pack football to the country, and he’s done just that with the invention of the Pistol offense. After a half-dozen years of running arguably the hottest offensive scheme in the country, the Pistol is synonymous with Nevada football.
As they’ve done each summer of the past several seasons, Nevada football keeps a constant eye out for late additions to their team. The idea is to find players who can contribute quickly at positions of need, are promising players for the class ahead but are eligible to transfer immediately, plus young men who can offer class versatility with some being either greyshirt freshmen, prospects with 4 years to play 3 seasons or even players who need to get on the field quickly. By adding 4 players over the past two weeks, Nevada has addressed a number of their roster questions.
After the loss of 3 senior wide receivers after the 2010 season, plus another projected trio of senior receivers after the upcoming 2011 campaign, restocking Nevada’s talented and extremely productive receiving core is at a premium. That’s why the recent addition of former Tustin high school standout Dominic Coulter is significant news for the Wolf Pack program. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound playmaker who doubled as one of Orange County’s top basketball prospect, Coulter brings a ton of talent to the table.
When you can boast one of the nation’s most productive offenses, plus a balanced passing and running game, prep quarterbacks from around the country are going to be interested. Throw in the ability to be instructed by a Hall of Fame head coach, who recently tutored one of the NFL’s most talented newcomers in Colin Kaepernick, and the dream of leading Nevada’s Pistol offense is certainly strong.
Unless Nevada finds a late rising ‘11 standout, it certainly appears that the Pack will be pocketing three available scholarships for the upcoming ‘11-12 basketball season. When combined with Nevada’s two projected losses, Wolf Pack head coach David Carter, who brought a ton of talent to Reno a year ago in what was a massive recruiting haul, could sign as many as 5 newcomers for what will be Nevada’s first year in the Mountain West Conference.
Silver and Blue Sports photographer Mark Rauh was on hand for the 2011 Sertoma Classic All-Star game at Mackay Stadium this past Friday night taking in the action. It was a big night for the Rauh family, as Austin Rauh led the Silver team to a 14-3 victory over the blue, scoring a touchdown in the first quarter in the victory.
Last year, Nevada basketball took to the court with 10 new players, this season they return 10 players. It was the first season in a decade that Nevada didn’t finish above .500 and the first time since 2003 that they didn’t win 20 plus games. Losing 85% of your scoring will do that to you.
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