UNLV vs NIU Preview: Can the Rebels Fix Their Problems and Take Control of the Mountain West Race?

The bye week gave UNLV another opening in the Mountain West race. Now the Rebels need to show they can do something with it. Mike Cooper previews UNLV’s matchup with Northern Illinois and breaks down what needs to improve after the Air Force loss: run blocking for Jet Thomas, protection for Jackson Arnold, tackling and defensive communication. Plus, the availability concerns on both sides, NIU’s pressure packages, its offensive threats and the conference games that could shape UNLV’s championship path. 00:00 The opportunity coming out of the bye 02:25 Wyoming, New Mexico and the Mountain West race 04:45 What went wrong against Air Force 09:37 Jackson Arnold, Jet Thomas and the running game 14:28 Handling NIU’s pressure and availability concerns 19:16 Supporting receivers and sustaining drives 21:37 Screen-game problems and offensive adjustments 24:05 NIU’s defensive personnel 28:48 Stopping the run and defending NIU’s receivers 35:58 Pass-rush discipline and finishing stops 38:22 Why NIU’s problems keep following it 40:49 Penalties, possession and special teams 43:13 Around the Mountain West 46:16 Closing remarks More UNLV coverage: https://the-scarlet-standard.com/ Subscribe to The Scarlet Standard for Rebel Daily Drive, game analysis and coverage throughout the season. #UNLV #UNLVFootball #MountainWest