(Photo Credit - UNLV Athletics)
UNLV may be undefeated at 4–0, but for head coach Dan Mullen, the real test begins this week. With non‑conference play and two byes now behind them, the Rebels open Mountain West play on the road at Wyoming.
“I told the team, the season really kind of starts today,” Mullen said Monday. “Now it’s eight games in nine weeks, all in the Mountain West. This is going to be a very different stretch, a very different routine and these games are critical.”
Making Use of the Time Off
UNLV approached its early byes as opportunities, not vacation.
Coaches drilled on fundamentals, addressing costly lapses from the Miami (OH) game including a pick‑six and a misfit kickoff coverage that led to touchdowns.
Ahead of conference play, the Rebels mixed in reps versus option looks (Air Force‑style) and power sets they haven’t faced yet.
“When we followed our plan, we were really successful,” Mullen said. “It’s about doing it right every time, not just once.”
Wyoming: Toughest Test Yet
The Cowboys boast one of the Mountain West’s top defenses, holding teams to just 16–17 points per game and frustrating Utah in a narrow contest earlier this season.
“They’re stout, they’ll give you multiple fronts and coverages to confuse a quarterback,” Mullen said. “If you have hiccups, they’ll shut you down.”
It’s UNLV’s first trip to Laramie since 2019. At 7,200 feet of elevation, the Rebels have used elevation masks and conditioning runs post‑practice to get ready.
Colandrea’s Growing Command
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from Virginia, has drawn praise for composure and efficiency. Against Miami (OH), he helped UNLV convert nine straight third downs, a stat that has the Rebels among the nation’s best in that category.
Mullen said Colandrea is steadily gaining more freedom at the line.
“He checks us into the right protections, flips run to pass or pass to run, and he’s handling that really well,” Mullen said.
Colandrea credits the coaching staff:
“At my last school I didn’t have that freedom. To check into what I like and know the coaches trust me, that’s big time. But 4-0 doesn’t mean anything yet. We haven’t played a league game. The season starts this week.”
Conti: “The D‑Line Has to Set the Tone”
Defensive lineman Lucas Conti echoed his coach’s focus on consistency, stressing that the defense must open sharper than in earlier games.
“We consider ourselves the front line of the team. We’ve got to set the tone with aggression and toughness,” Conti said.
On the Mountain West:
“It’s full of hungry teams trying to prove themselves. At the end of the day it’s survival of the fittest, who wants it more when it matters?”
Hungry and Unsatisfied
Even with a perfect start, neither Mullen nor his players are celebrating. The roster, rebuilt with more than 60 transfers, has carried a week‑to‑week mentality.
Colandrea: “Nobody here is satisfied. We hate bye weeks — we just want to play football.”
Mullen: “Our goal is to play the perfect game. I don’t know if one exists, but if we execute at a high level, we expect to win. If we don’t, we put ourselves in position not to.”
UNLV’s first true test of that philosophy kicks off Saturday in Laramie, where execution, consistency, and toughness will matter more than the 4-0 record that brought them there.
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