Defense seeks answers

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — UNLV’s defense knew what was coming Saturday. Even the fans sitting in the highest bleachers at Hughes Stadium knew.

It was no surprise that Colorado State put the ball in tailback Gartrell Johnson’s hands. He started right, cut to the left and ran 10 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with nine seconds left.

The Rams added a 2-point conversion and a fumble return TD on the ensuing kickoff for a 41-28 victory.

“It basically comes down to the end of the game, are we going to do it or not?” defensive tackle Jacob Hales said.

Obviously, UNLV didn’t.

“We didn’t make plays when it counted,” said linebacker Jason Beauchamp, who had a team-high 12 tackles.

Colorado State totaled 510 yards against the Rebels, with Johnson rushing for 191 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Billy Farris passing for 294 yards and a TD.

The previous week, UNLV surrendered 620 yards in a 49-27 loss to UNR.

The Rebels’ defense has struggled at other points this season, even in victory. Now the question is whether UNLV can win if its defense plays no better than it did the past two weeks.

“We’re going to have to find a way,” coach Mike Sanford said. “I don’t ever believe — ever! ever! — that we don’t have a chance to win.”

For what was supposed to be an aggressive defense, the Rebels seemed to let the action come to them rather than try to dictate it. But Sanford and defensive coordinator Dennis Therrell insisted they tried to take it to the Rams’ offense.

“We are an attacking defense,” Sanford said. “We just didn’t get the job done today.”

Therrell pointed to putting a safety in the box to try to stop the run and calling zone blitzes before cornerback Geoffery Howard injured an ankle early in the third quarter.

Howard’s injury is not thought to be serious, but once he went out, Therrell had to be more cautious, especially with redshirt freshman Will Chandler filling in at corner. Chandler was beaten on a 46-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

“I had to protect those players,” Therrell said.

The Rebels, no doubt, will seek answers as they enter a bye week.

“I’m real concerned,” Therrell said. “Right now, we’ve got some guys not stepping up and making the plays that they did early, and I’ve got to find out why and I’ve got to get it fixed, whether we’ve got to change the scheme or change the people.”

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