by Stone Harper
The road has been good to the Pack this year, after going 0-6 last season, Nevada has gone a surprising 2-1 on the road this season including last week’s 42-35 win over BYU. This week the Wolf Pack continues its road trip as it travels to the Aloha state to take on the Warriors.
This game presents its own specific challenges as it is the most unique road game Nevada will take this season as the team will not only have to travel 2,568 miles but will also have deal with the time zone change as well. These are not easy adjustments, but the Wolf Pack players know they have to be more to be focused on the team than the environment .
Inconsistency at QB will help the struggling Pack defense
After September the only thing Wolf Pack fans could talk about was how well the defense was playing. That’s fading as Nevada is starting to be exposed, especially on pass defense. The last three quarterbacks the Wolf Pack have faced have combined to throw for 1,080 yards and nine touchdowns, while only throwing for one interception.
Thankfully for Nevada, The Warriors are a team with major inconsistencies at quarterback. Hawaii has had three quarterbacks play this season and they have combined to throw for seven touchdowns and five interceptions, while all three of Hawaii’s quarterbacks have completed less than 55 percent of their passes. The Wolf Pack needs to capitalize on the poor quarterback play so it can force Hawaii to run the ball, which the Pack have been much better at containing.
Taimatuia and Malepeai are key for Warriors front seven
Hawaii’s defense is not the most exceptional bunch in the country. The team is allowing 25.1 points and a little under 400 yards a game, but the Warriors do have two very good players on their front seven in linebacker TJ Taimatuia and defensive end Marcus Malepeai who could very well be key in stopping Nevada’s struggling running game.
Taimatuia has 28 tackles which makes him good enough for eighth on team. He is second on the team in tackles for loss with three, tied for fourth on the team in sacks with one and is first with two interceptions. Taimatuia is the Warriors main playmaker and is always making a play whether it is sacking the quarterback, making a tackle or intercepting a pass. Nevada’s struggling run game will continue through this game if it runs the ball towards Taimatuia.
While Malepeai may not be the playmaker that Taimatuia is, he is just as valuable for the Warrior defense. He is not going to get many tackles as he only has 14 on the season, but what he lacks in the run defense he more than makes up for with rushing the passer. Malepeai is second on the team in tackles for loss with five and is the team leader in sacks with three. Last week’s game against San Diego State might have been his best as he had two sacks on the game. Nevada’s offensive line is young and injury prone this season, but it will need to step up and keep Malepeai out of the back field in order to win this game.
Stone Harper can be reached at sharper@sagebrush.unr.edu