Late score turned things around for Spartans
UNLV was one play away from securing a potential comeback victory against San Jose State on Saturday night.
The Spartans offense was one step ahead, however.
After the Rebels took a 24-20 lead with 3:41 to play, San Jose State drove down the field and picked up a first down at the UNLV 11-yard line.
Defensive coordinator Kent Baer dialed up the pressure and forced three consecutive incompletions. Baer gambled by calling for a blitz again on fourth down and the Rebels got burned.
San Jose State used the pressure against UNLV by throwing a screen pass to the left. The Spartans got the ball in the hands of their best player Tyler Ervin and he did the rest. Ervin took the ball 11 yards untouched for the go-ahead score with just 1:08 to play.
UNLV brought so much pressure on the play that the convoy of linemen in front of Ervin had nobody to block.
Head coach Tony Sanchez said he was fine with the decision to blitz on the play.
“I like every call that our coaches make. Sometimes they work out better than others,” Sanchez said. “Sometimes the other guy makes the right call at the right time. Coach Baer has done a great job and I love all his calls.”
The Rebels were still able to force overtime on a 49-yard field goal by Nicolai Bornand in the closing seconds, but a stop on that fourth down play would have sealed a regulation victory.
Instead, San Jose State came away with a win in overtime.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.
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