Impressive play on both sides of the ball made for a few key takeaways in UNLV’s season opener.
Here is a closer look into the performance that started the Rebel’s season 1-0 and what to look forward to in the Rebels’ home opener next week.
Sluka Came Out Slingin’
Despite the news coming out that Matthew Sluka would be the starter just a few hours before game time, Sluka executed well for his first start with the Rebels.
Sluka threw for 71 yards on six out of 13 attempts, with a rating of 127.4.
The former Holy Cross quarterback found chemistry with wide receiver Jacob De Jesus early in the game, with two touchdowns coming from De Jesus in the first half.
The first touchdown occurred after a fumble on the snap. Sluka recovered and threw a quick 13-yard pass to De Jesus. The second touchdown came on a 1st and 10, with Sluka throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass.
“Ever since he came, me and him have been getting chemistry working with each other,” De Jesus said. “With all the quarterbacks, really. Just going through this offseason and leading up to the first game, me and Sluka have just been working together.”
Sluka showed his dual-threat ability, running eleven times for 59 yards. Sluka ended the game with an average of 5.4 yards per rush, the second-highest rushing average on the offense.
“He’s a great quarterback and I have seen a really good glimpse of him today and what he can do, not just throwing, but also running,” De Jesus said. “I like Sluka a lot.”
Sluka did throw an interception in the third quarter, but the team never lost confidence in him.
“He’s gonna be great at the QB1 spot,” Ricky White III said. “He does a great job at taking control, the audibles, seeing the defense, and executing the play when the play is called. He’s definitely going to be great for us.”
Defense Did Their Job
The Rebels defense made a strong start to the season, applying constant pressure to the offense and forcing mistakes out of Cougars quarterback Donovan Smith early in the game.
Throughout the first half, the Rebels did not allow a third-down conversion on ten attempts from Houston. The defense kept their foot on the gas and ended the half with the Rebels up by 17.
“Every single d-lineman was in the backfield every single play. It was a full group effort, and that’s what third downs take,” Jackson Woodard said.
Jalen Catalon would intercept Donovan Smith twice in the third quarter, his second going down as a pick six.
“I just saw that the coach made a great pressure call, and the quarterback threw the ball up, and I had an instinct, you know, reaction, you know, tipped it up to myself.” Jalen Catalon said.
Woodard sacked Donovan Smith three times and led the team with 11 total tackles, four of which resulted in a loss of yards.
“None of those sacks would’ve happened without Marsel (McDuffie),” Woodard said. “It didn’t really matter the play or the player as much as doing our job and working together as a team, really.”
Overall, the defense recorded 38 tackles, nine of which resulted in a loss of yardage.
“We’re a really confident group, and it’s not because of anything besides: we put in the work, and we prepared the right way. The only way to have confidence… Coach Odom says it all the time, Michael Jordan says it, Kobe Byrant said it, preparation leads to confidence,” Woodard said.
UNLV kept Houston off the scoreboard until the final minutes of the fourth quarter, where quarterback Ui Ale threw a two-yard touchdown.
Houston, They Had A Problem
The Cougars struggled to find success against the Rebels. They made undisciplined, costly penalties throughout the game and could not move the ball down the field.
“Very disappointed, I thought we played better than that,” Houston head coach Willie Fritz said. “Did a poor job coaching as a head coach, a poor job with my assistant coaches, and a poor job playing. I didn’t see much good out there.”
In the third quarter, Smith threw a 57-yard pass that landed the Cougars in a position to score. The Rebels’ defense held the Cougars to a field goal try that Cougars kicker, Jack Martin, missed wide to the left.
The Cougars would end the game with ten penalties for 74 yards, seven of which came from holding calls.
“Everything was new with the first game, and we just didn’t come out crisp and sharp,” Fritz said. “Sometimes, I worry we over-prepared them. I don’t know.”
Smith completed 50% of his passes, with a quarterback rating totaling 74.5. Smith’s interceptions by Catalon sealed Houston’s fate. Smith would get pulled late in the fourth quarter and replaced by Ui Ale.
“You want to keep fighting, scratching, clawing all four quarters. Most of the guys did that, but it is my job to get a hold of them to do it,” Fritz said.
