By any name, pistol figures in Rebels’ plans

Because rival UNR invented the pistol offense, UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck would rather call the formation by a different name — if only he could think of something else.

Until then, Hauck might simply refer to it as “that offense.”

The Rebels have incorporated the Chris Ault Special — OK, that name might not work – into their offense during this spring session.

“We’ll have to see after spring ball how we like it,” Hauck said. “It doesn’t change the run game a whole bunch, but it changes some of the angles and some of the tempo. The people that are doing it are having great success in the run games.”

That’s something a coach like Hauck, who believes strongly in a powerful run game, would love to have. UNLV averaged just 3 yards per carry and 103.3 per game last season.

In the pistol, the quarterback lines up between the center and running back rather than the typical 5- to 7-yard drop next to the ball carrier in a shotgun formation.

“When it first came out, I didn’t know what to think of taking the shotgun snap at that depth,” Hauck said. “I thought that would be a problem, and it hasn’t been.”

■ BROWN’S HOMECOMING — When junior safety Corbin Brown was at Spring Valley High School, he thought he was headed to Hawaii. But the Warriors pulled their scholarship offer.

Air Force then came through with an offer, and Brown jumped on it. Problem was, he didn’t fit in with military life.

“I wanted to give it a chance,” said Brown, whose father, Greg, was an outstanding UNLV punt returner in 1970 and 1971. “I’m not much of a quitter. But it wasn’t for me, I wasn’t comfortable, and I wanted to come home and play for UNLV.”

Brown (6 feet, 175 pounds) left after one year and transferred to UNLV. Forced to sit out last year under NCAA transfer rules, he used the time to prepare to compete for playing time next season.

“I kind of have a head start on a lot of the (junior college) players coming in,” Brown said. “We were allowed to keep our playbooks from the fall, so I made sure I looked at it every once in a while to keep it fresh.”

Hauck is hopeful Brown will be a major contributor next season.

“I hope he’ll be a good player for us in the kicking game, and then we’ll see how fast he can pick up the defense and make the plays he needs to make,” Hauck said. “He’s done a good job in his eight months here. He’s worked his way into the mix where he’s part of the conversation.

“When you walk on to a place, that’s a big hurdle to overcome.”

■ SUSPENSION — Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Babineaux was suspended indefinitely for academic reasons.

Babineaux is the third player to be suspended this spring. Safety Mike Clausen and wide receiver Michael Johnson, both seniors, were also indefinitely suspended for what were believed to be academic issues.

■ GOING YOUNG — Only four players on the Rebels’ defensive two-deep chart are seniors, and 10 of the remaining 18 are freshmen and sophomores.

It could mean another rough season for a defense that has given up more than 400 yards per game the past three seasons. The hope is that the experience gained now will eventually pay off.

“We might be the youngest team in college football,” Hauck said. “If we can keep improving and we’ve got the right guys with the willingness to keep improving daily and weekly throughout our spring, summer and fall, then we’ll have a chance to be a good football team.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.