LAS VEGAS — Dan Mullen has three games of film with Jackson Arnold now, and UNLV’s bye week is giving him time to decide what should stay in the offense.
The Rebels are 1-2 after scoring six points in a 44-6 loss at North Texas, their second loss in three games. Arnold has started all three and handled nearly every meaningful quarterback snap, but Mullen said Tuesday that the first month of the season has given the staff a better idea of what Arnold is comfortable executing once the game starts.
“There’s things we’re learning about Jackson,” Mullen said. “That’s the first three games I’ve seen him, coached him in a game, and going back and looking at what is he comfortable with. Are we putting our guys in situations to succeed?”
Arnold completed 18 of 27 passes for 194 yards at North Texas without an interception, but he was sacked four times, lost a fumble and was called for intentional grounding after UNLV reached the North Texas 13. The Rebels finished with 301 yards, turned the ball over four times and did not score a touchdown.
The performance followed two very different games for the offense. Arnold completed 17 of 21 passes for 203 yards before halftime against Memphis, but the Tigers recorded all six of their sacks after the break in a 27-21 UNLV loss. A week later at Hawai‘i, the Rebels leaned on heavier personnel and the run, finishing with 248 rushing yards in a 21-6 win. Arnold ran for 89 net yards and two touchdowns while throwing only 18 passes.
North Texas held UNLV to 98 rushing yards and forced the Rebels back into a game that required more from the passing offense. The result left Mullen reviewing not only the protection and execution around Arnold, but which calls the quarterback sees best.
“I might like a play, but if he’s not comfortable running it, it really doesn’t matter what I like,” Mullen said. “I’m standing on the sidelines. No one’s coming to hit me and I don’t have to throw a ball.”
Mullen said the staff can see a throw on film that it believes Arnold should have made and still have to determine why the ball did not come out.
“I could look out there and say, ‘I would have ripped that ball right in there in that window,’” Mullen said. “I’m like, you didn’t. Well, okay. Why? Not comfortable with the play? Not comfortable with that read? Okay, let’s find the things you are comfortable with, and we’ll do more of that.”
The quarterback review also includes Alex Orji.
Mullen carried the competition between Arnold and Orji through much of the offseason before Arnold became the starter. Orji has had little role through three games and did not receive extended work against North Texas until the Rebels were well behind in the fourth quarter. He ran twice for 32 yards and completed 1 of 5 passes for 9 yards with an interception.
Mullen said he still wants Orji involved more often.
“Alex does some really good things,” Mullen said. “So I’d love to get him on the field and there’s some little packages. We’ve got to get into a better flow offensively and make sure we’re getting all of the stuff called we want in the course of a game and getting those packages on the field for him.”
Mullen did not suggest that UNLV is reopening its starting-quarterback competition. His focus was finding a way to use Orji without waiting until a game is already decided.
“I would like to see him get on the field a little bit more,” Mullen said.
The receiving corps is also part of the offensive work during the bye. UNLV has spread the ball among several players through three games without replacing the explosive production it had last season, and Mullen said the group has missed opportunities both as receivers and blockers.
Taz Reddicks led UNLV with five catches for 75 yards against North Texas, including a 35-yard reception. The Rebels have gone two straight games without a receiving touchdown, and Mullen said some potentially large gains have ended early because of missed blocks on the perimeter.
“We’ve got to be much better blocking on the corner,” Mullen said. “You go look at it, there’s plays we’d have that would be huge explosive plays out of the backfield. A receiver blocks, turns a six-yard play into a 60-yard play.”
UNLV has still been able to create some usable gains. Mullen wants more of them to turn into the plays that force a defense to cover the entire field.
“We’ve had a lot of six-yard plays, right?” Mullen said. “And we’ve had opportunities to have 60s, but all of them end up only being six.”
The same applies when UNLV gets receivers isolated in the passing game. Mullen said the staff has to create those chances and the players have to win them.
“We’ve got to take advantage making one-on-one plays,” Mullen said. “Shots one-on-one, we’ve got to win those one-on-one opportunities whether it’s before or after the catch to create explosive plays. And we as coaches gotta make sure we’re putting the guys in position to go do that, but the guys also have to take that on as responsibility to go do it as well.”
UNLV does not play again until Sept. 26 at Akron, giving the staff more time than a normal game week to review the first three games before moving fully into an opponent plan. Mullen said the Rebels now have a better understanding of what their players do well, what they do poorly and how those strengths and weaknesses work together once they face another team.
For the offense, part of that work starts with the player taking every snap.
“Let’s find the things you are comfortable with,” Mullen said, “and we’ll do more of that.”