Fresno State at UNLV: Things to watch including a mismatch that plays to Bulldogs’ favor

By Robert Kuwada

November 6, 2020 5:00 AM

Fresno State offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb wanted to take better advantage of the explosiveness in the Bulldogs’ wide receivers corps this season, and two games into it they have six pass plays of 30 or more yards.

That is leading the Mountain West Conference and is tied for 58th in the nation, and some teams have played as many as seven games while Fresno State has played just two.

There is only one team out there that has played two games and has more pass plays of 30 or more yards – Michigan State has seven. There are 20 teams that have played more games than the Bulldogs that don’t yet have more than six pass plays of 30-plus.

Things to watch on Saturday when the Bulldogs play UNLV (12:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network)? Start with Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener and that deep set of wideouts.

UNLV in a 37-19 loss to Nevada last week had no answer for wideout Romeo Doubs, who caught six passes for 211 yards and one touchdown.

UNLV didn’t even have to worry about defending Elijah Cooks, the Wolf Pack’s top receiver a year ago with 76 receptions and eight TDs. Cooks did not dress for the game due to an injury.

Fresno State’s Ronnie Rivers, right, celebrates with teammate Jalen Cropper after scoring a touchdown against Colorado State during their game at Bulldog Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

No matter who lined up across from Doubs the Rebels had a difficult time contesting any catch. Nevada quarterback Carson Strong misfired one time targeting Doubs, but hit plays of 36, 52, 65, 21, 15 and 22 yards, with the 65-yard shot going for a touchdown.

A big reason for that can be found on the Rebels’ depth chart. UNLV starts a true freshman (Nohl Williams) and a redshirt freshman (Sir Oliver Everett) at cornerback, and the backups are a true sophomore junior college transfer (Dominic Brown) and a true freshman (Ricky Johnson).

They came into the season with zero snaps at the FBS level.

There’s also the game tape. The Rebels play a lot of man-to-man coverage.

Now, imagine what that UNLV secondary will be like when having to defend Keric Wheatfall, Josh Kelly, Jalen Cropper and some of the Bulldogs’ other downfield threats, three or four on the field at the same time.

It’s a deep group. The Bulldogs’ pass plays of 30-plus yards …

51 yards – Chris Coleman, vs. Hawaii

46 – Keric Wheatfall, vs. Hawaii

38 – Keric Wheatfall, vs. Colorado State

34 – Josh Kelly, vs. Colorado State

33 – Ronnie Rivers, vs. Colorado State

32 – Jamal Glaspie, vs. Hawaii

That’s six plays of 30 or more yards to four receivers and one running back. That doesn’t even include Cropper, who last season had three of the Bulldogs’ five longest plays from scrimmage, but has just eight touches (six receptions, two rushing plays) through the first two games.

UNLV was able to limit somewhat Nevada tight end Cole Turner, who had four receptions for 72 yards after racking up 7 for 119 and two touchdowns in an opening victory over Wyoming. But outside it was just overmatched, and that is the strength of the Bulldogs’ pass game.

If Fresno State can protect Haener with more proficiency than it has to this point it could find the end zone a few times – the Bulldogs’ quarterback has been able to slide and scramble away from a pass rush several times to make plays, but still has been sacked seven times.

The Bulldogs rank 10th in the Mountain West Conference in sacks allowed.

Here are four more things to watch …

ANOTHER TIGHT END, ANOTHER PROBLEM?

The Bulldogs’ defense didn’t allow Colorado State to get much going last week over the final three quarters of their 38-17 victory.

The Rams gained only 32 yards in the second quarter, 117 in the third and 91 in the fourth, 240 total. Tight end Trey McBride was the only real threat they had on the field, catching seven passes for 112 yards and one touchdown – he finished 8 for 130 and the one score.

That could become an issue against UNLV, which has a tight end in Noah Bean who is not quite as big as McBride, but just as athletic and can be just as productive.

Against the Bulldogs last season Bean caught two passes for 105 yards including a 60-yard strike for a touchdown on a second-and-12 play.

His targets also went up significantly from Game 1 to Game 2 for the Rebels, catching seven of nine targets for 66 yards against the Wolf Pack. In an opening loss at San Diego State, Bean had one reception for 5 yards on just two targets.

It is a matchup UNLV could try to target.

BACK TO THOSE BULLDOGS’ RECEIVERS

Just in case it comes up, the most explosive pass plays of 20 or more yards Fresno State has had in a game going back to 2012 …

11 – at San Jose State in 2013 (Derek Carr)

10 – San Diego State in 2012 (Carr)

10 – Incarnate Word in 2017 (Chason Virgil, Marcus McMaryion, Josh Hokit)

9 – Air Force in 2012 (Carr, Greg Watson)

9 – New Mexico in 2013 (Carr)

8 – Boise State in 2013 (Carr)

8 – at Nevada in 2013 (Carr)

8 – at New Mexico State in 2011 (Carr)

A REVERSAL OF FORTUNE?

Running back Charles Williams, the former Bullard High star, led UNLV in rushing last season and was second in the Mountain West Conference. He gained 1,257 yards at 5.9 yards per play, with 11 touchdowns, and is one of if not the most dynamic weapon on the Rebels’ roster.

UNLV running back Charles Williams, a Bullard High grad, rushed for 1,257 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Kamil Krzaczynski ASSOCIATED PRESS

But UNLV has made Williams almost a non-factor in its 0-2 start.

The Rebels have faced San Diego State and Nevada, arguably the two best teams in what in a non-coronavirus year is the West Division of the Mountain West, so maybe it makes no difference to the end result. But Williams has only 16 touches in the first half (14 rushing, 2 receiving) while the Rebels have run 57 plays including 34 passes in falling behind at halftime 27-0 to the Aztecs and 24-12 to the Wolf Pack.

Williams, by quarter …

First 9 for 41, 4.7 ypp
Second 5 for 26, 5.2 ypp
Third 13 for 74, 5.7 ypp
Fourth 12 for 38, 3.2 ypp

Compare that to some other high-volume running backs in the MW – Wyoming’s Xazavian Valladay has 33 plays in the first half (29 rushing, 4 receiving), Fresno State’s Ronnie Rivers has 27 (22 rushing, 5 receiving) and San Diego State’s Greg Bell has 26 (25 rushing, 1 receiving).

And the Rebels, despite throwing the ball 11 more times in the first half than it has run it, have six first downs passing and five rushing.

Would UNLV switch that up, and try to keep the Bulldogs’ offense off the field? Even with the success Fresno State had against Colorado State, it still is just 10th in the Mountain West in rushing defense, allowing opponents 5.1 yards per rush

CAN ‘DOGS SUSTAIN THIRD-DOWN SUCCESS?

Fresno State converted on 10 of 18 third-down plays in its victory over Colorado State and after a rough go in its opener is now tied for first in the Mountain West in third-down conversions.

The Bulldogs and Hawaii are at 50%, 15 of 30.

That could be challenged on Saturday, maybe more so by the odds-against than by a Rebels’ defense that is allowing an average of 460.5 yards and 35.5 points per game.

Fresno State has converted more third-and-long plays than any team in the conference, mostly due to Haener and his play-making ability. The Bulldogs are 6 of 16 moving the sticks when stuck at third-and-7 or longer (37.5%) and Haener is 7 of 8 for 165 yards with five first downs and came very close to converting on those other two completions.

He hit Wheatfall for 15 yards on a third-and-17 and then for 17 yards on a third-and-18, both in the victory over Colorado State.

Is that sustainable over more than a few games?

A year ago, the Bulldogs hit only 46.7% of their passes when facing a third-and-7 or longer (28 of 60) and were able to gain a first down 14 times.