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Rebels settle for eighth
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PHOTOS By K.M. CANNON/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck, right, answers questions Tuesday during Mountain West Conference media days at Red Rock Resort. While Rebels fans hope Hauck can do for UNLV what he did at Montana, a strong schedule could prevent it from happening immediately. » Buy this photo
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UNLV football players Ronnie Paulo, left, and John Gianninoto wait for TV interviews Tuesday during Mountain West Conference media days at Red Rock Resort. The conference media predicted the Rebels will finish eighth in the nine-team league.
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UNLV first-year football coach Bobby Hauck shakes hands after an interview during Mountain West Conference media days at Red Rock Resort on Tuesday. The Rebels were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team MWC, but BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall thinks the Rebels might surprise some people.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Jul. 28, 2010 | 2:33 p.m.
All it takes is one glance at the treacherous schedule to know first-year UNLV coach Bobby Hauck could have a rough introduction to Rebels football.
"It's one of the most difficult schedules in the country," Hauck said at Tuesday's Mountain West Conference media days at Red Rock Resort.
So there was little surprise when the media picked the Rebels to finish eighth in the nine-team Mountain West, placing UNLV just ahead of New Mexico.
Texas Christian, which received all 31 first-place votes, was picked to retain the conference title. The Horned Frogs return 16 starters from a team that went 12-1 last season and finished sixth in both major polls.
Texas Christian dominated the preseason conference honors. Senior quarterback Andy Dalton (offense), junior linebacker Tank Carder (defense) and senior return man Jeremy Kerley (special teams) were named preseason players of the year.
Utah, which plays its final season in the Mountain West before departing for the Pac-12 Conference, was picked to finish second. The Utes went 10-3 last season.
UNLV returns 15 starters, so it might not seem a giant leap to expect the Rebels to improve on last season's 5-7 record.
But their 13-game schedule includes a date with Wisconsin at home and trips to West Virginia, Brigham Young and Utah. Nine of this year's opponents appeared in bowl games last year.
Hauck knows the Rebels have a daunting challenge, and he is concerned about a defense that was among the nation's worst last season.
The Rebels have some strengths offensively, such as junior wide receiver Phillip Payne, UNLV's only preseason All-Mountain West selection. Payne caught 58 passes for 661 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
The Rebels also have a talented group of quarterbacks and one of the conference's top offensive lines.
"I think that Mike (Sanford) did a really nice job," Brigham Young coach Bronco Mendenhall said of the previous UNLV coach fired last year. "I think he's got them close. Bobby will probably come in and say from what he sees that they're a long ways away, but I think after playing with those kids for a year, he'll realize maybe he's closer than he thinks."
In addition to the tough schedule, history is against the Rebels. They have failed to post a winning record or make a bowl appearance since 2000.
Hauck was brought in from Montana, where he went 80-17 in seven seasons and appeared in three national title games, to change UNLV's fortunes.
That could happen, but the conference media doesn't think UNLV will make the leap in 2010.
"I see it as motivation," senior linebacker Ronnie Paulo said of the poll.
Beginning Sept. 4 against Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium, Paulo and his teammates have a chance to use that motivation to their advantage.
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.
2010 Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team
Offense
| QB | Andy Dalton#* | Sr. | TCU |
| WR | Vincent Brown** | Sr. | San Diego State |
| WR | Phillip Payne | Jr. | UNLV |
| RB | Eddie Wide* | Sr. | Utah |
| RB | Jared Tew** | Sr. | Air Force |
| OL | Matt Reynolds#* | Jr. | BYU |
| OL | Jake Kirkpatrick** | Sr. | TCU |
| OL | Caleb Schlauderaff** | Sr. | Utah |
| OL | Marcus Cannon* | Sr. | TCU |
| OL | Zane Taylor** | Sr. | Utah |
| TE | Alston Umuolo | Sr. | San Diego State |
| Defense | |||
| DL | Johnathan Rainey** | Jr. | New Mexico |
| DL | Wayne Daniels** | Sr. | TCU |
| DL | Cory Grant** | Sr. | TCU |
| LB | Carmen Messina* | Jr. | New Mexico |
| LB | Tank Carder** | Jr. | TCU |
| LB | Brian Hendricks** | Jr. | Wyoming |
| LB | Mychal Sisson** | Jr. | Colorado State |
| DB | Brandon Burton | Jr. | Utah |
| DB | Reggie Rembert* | Sr. | Air Force |
| DB | Anthony Wright** | Jr. | Air Force |
| DB | Andrew Rich** | Sr. | BYU |
| DB | Chris Prosinski** | Sr. | Wyoming |
| Note: Five defensive backs were selected because of a tie in voting. | |||
| Specialists | |||
| P | Brian Stahovich** | Jr. | San Diego State |
| PK | Ross Evans* | Jr. | TCU |
| Ret. | Jeremy Kerley#* | Sr. | TCU |
| Offensive Player of the Year: | |||
| Andy Dalton, Sr., QB, TCU | |||
| Defensive Player of the Year: | |||
| Tank Carder, Jr., LB, TCU | |||
| Special Teams Player of the Year: | |||
| Jeremy Kerley, Sr., KR/PR TCU | |||
# - unanimous 2010 preseason selection
* - member of the 2009 All-Mountain West Conference first team
** - member of the 2009 All-Mountain West Conference second team
MWC PRESEASON POLL
The rankings for each team with their points (Texas Christian was a unanimous No. 1 pick):
1 -- TCU 279
2 -- Utah 242
3 -- BYU 207
4 -- Air Force 195
5 -- Wyoming 147
6 -- San Diego 128
7 -- Colorado State 96
8 -- UNLV 56
9 -- New Mexico 45
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I look forward to another year of TCU wagering!
The last two season on the TCU bandwagon have been pretty sweet. You pick your spots, dive in with all your weeks bankroll, and reap the rewards.
The Rebels will have a good season even though the schedule is very difficult
Best wishes for success to Coach Hauck! Just one request from the MWC at large- no losses to the WAC this year, please.
I'm not holding my breath for any improvements for UNLV football. Hauck has so far proven to be the southbound end of a northbound mule is certain details. When Coach Stripper Club got run, Hauck had the ideal chance to shore up his coaching staff. Greg Croshaw headed up the program at Dixie (St. George UT) for 24 years, didn't have a losing season among them, is a linebacker and defensive genuis, and still has his recruiting connections back east, the inter-mountain region, and the islands. Wouldn't even take the man's resume`. If Hauck is going to make this kinds of flubs with his staff, I don't even want to know how much further he can screw up come game time.
WHEREEVER THEY FINISH, HE'S A NEW COACH AND HOPEFULLY DOES WELL! GOOD LUCK!