(Photo Credit - UNLV Athletics)
UNLV’s defensive backs and safeties were tested heavily in the opening two weeks. Against Idaho State in Week 0, the secondary proved to be a liability, allowing explosive plays and missing tackles that nearly swung the game. By Week 1 against Sam Houston, the group showed meaningful progress: tackling improved, deep coverage was steadier (with one major bust), and several players rebounded from shaky openers. The numbers tell the story of a secondary learning under fire.
Player Stat Lines (Via - PFF)
Jaheem Joseph (#D03, FS)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 33 | RDEF 11 | PRSH 1 | COV 21
Grades: DEF 58.6 | RDEF 55.3 | TACK 44.6 | PRSH 60.0 | COV 66.1
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 5 | MIS 2 | MIS% 28.6
Impact: STOP 2 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 2 | REC 2 | REC% 100.0 | YDS -2 | Y/REC -0.7 | YAC 8 | LNG 5 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 1 | NFL 79.2
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 59 | RDEF 21 | PRSH 0 | COV 38
Grades: DEF 70.0 | RDEF 64.2 | TACK 83.1 | PRSH — | COV 70.3
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 3 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 3 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 1 | REC 1 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 7 | Y/REC 7.0 | YAC 1 | LNG 7 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 95.8
Jake Pope (#D07, SS)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 74 | RDEF 23 | PRSH 2 | COV 49
Grades: DEF 57.8 | RDEF 42.1 | TACK 51.0 | PRSH 60.0 | COV 63.2
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 6 | AST 4 | MIS 3 | MIS% 23.1
Impact: STOP 1 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 7 | REC 5 | REC% 71.4 | YDS 60 | Y/REC 12.0 | YAC 8 | LNG 24 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 1 | NFL 97.3
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 35 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 0 | COV 23
Grades: DEF 51.9 | RDEF 64.6 | TACK 76.2 | PRSH — | COV 48.3
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 4 | REC 2 | REC% 50.0 | YDS 13 | Y/REC 6.5 | YAC 9 | LNG 8 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 57.3
Kodi DeCambra (#D24, SS)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 1 | RDEF 0 | PRSH 0 | COV 1
Grades: DEF 60.0 | RDEF — | TACK — | PRSH — | COV 60.0
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% —
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 0 | REC 0 | REC% — | YDS 0 | NFL 0.0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 5 | RDEF 0 | PRSH 0 | COV 5
Grades: DEF 74.4 | RDEF — | TACK 77.8 | PRSH — | COV 72.7
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 2 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 2 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 2 | REC 0 | REC% 0.0 | YDS 0 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 2 | NFL 81.3
Tre Fulton (#D10, FS)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 60 | RDEF 18 | PRSH 1 | COV 41
Grades: DEF 50.5 | RDEF 34.9 | TACK 25.0 | PRSH 60.0 | COV 56.6
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 2 | AST 0 | MIS 4 | MIS% 66.7
Impact: STOP 2 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 6 | REC 4 | REC% 66.7 | YDS 96 | Y/REC 48.0 | YAC 32 | LNG 64 | TD 1 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 135.4
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 57 | RDEF 17 | PRSH 1 | COV 39
Grades: DEF 74.8 | RDEF 63.3 | TACK 80.6 | PRSH — | COV 74.1
Pressure: TOT 0 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 1 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 3 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 1 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 1 | REC 1 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 3 | Y/REC 3.0 | YAC 1 | LNG 3 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 1 | NFL 79.2
Laterrance Welch (#D00, LCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 52 | RDEF 14 | PRSH 0 | COV 38
Grades: DEF 66.1 | RDEF 62.1 | TACK 21.4 | PRSH — | COV 65.7
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 1 | MIS 1 | MIS% 100.0
Impact: STOP 1 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 3 | REC 3 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 43 | Y/REC 14.3 | YAC 21 | LNG 21 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 2 | NFL 79.2
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 33 | RDEF 11 | PRSH 0 | COV 22
Grades: DEF 63.0 | RDEF 60.9 | TACK 21.7 | PRSH — | COV 62.5
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 0 | MIS 1 | MIS% 100.0
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 2 | REC 1 | REC% 50.0 | YDS 59 | Y/REC 59.0 | YAC 0 | LNG 59 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 1 | NFL 135.4
Denver Harris (#D02, RCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 26 | RDEF 8 | PRSH 0 | COV 18
Grades: DEF 51.8 | RDEF 61.6 | TACK 76.6 | PRSH — | COV 50.9
Tackling: TKL 2 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Coverage: TGT 2 | REC 2 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 24 | Y/REC 12.0 | YAC 7 | LNG 24 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 116.7
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 34 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 2 | COV 20
Grades: DEF 56.1 | RDEF 65.1 | TACK 77.0 | PRSH — | COV 54.9
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Coverage: TGT 3 | REC 1 | REC% 33.3 | YDS 8 | Y/REC 8.0 | YAC -1 | LNG 8 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 42.4
Quandarius Keyes (#D05, LCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 31 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 0 | COV 19
Grades: DEF 81.5 | RDEF 61.6 | TACK — | PRSH — | COV 81.7
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% —
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 3 | REC 0 | REC% 0.0 | YDS 0 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 2 | NFL 39.6
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 42 | RDEF 11 | PRSH 0 | COV 31
Grades: DEF 63.3 | RDEF 62.0 | TACK — | PRSH — | COV 62.8
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% —
Coverage: TGT 6 | REC 2 | REC% 33.3 | YDS 23 | Y/REC 11.5 | YAC 11 | LNG 14 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 1 | NFL 45.8
Andrew Powdrell (#D04, RCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 59 | RDEF 18 | PRSH 0 | COV 41
Grades: DEF 61.7 | RDEF 47.9 | TACK 78.8 | PRSH — | COV 63.9
Tackling: TKL 3 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Coverage: TGT 5 | REC 3 | REC% 60.0 | YDS 19 | Y/REC 6.3 | YAC 1 | LNG 9 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 67.9
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 47 | RDEF 16 | PRSH 1 | COV 30
Grades: DEF 63.2 | RDEF 63.4 | TACK 27.3 | PRSH — | COV 59.6
Tackling: TKL 0 | AST 0 | MIS 1 | MIS% 100.0
Coverage: TGT 1 | REC 1 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 9 | Y/REC 9.0 | YAC -2 | LNG 9 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 104.2
Darrien Stewart (#D13, SCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 7 | RDEF 3 | PRSH 0 | COV 4
Grades: DEF 53.5 | RDEF 60.0 | TACK 76.2 | PRSH — | COV 52.6
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Coverage: TGT 1 | REC 1 | REC% 100.0 | YDS 17 | Y/REC 17.0 | YAC 10 | LNG 17 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 118.8
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 39 | RDEF 13 | PRSH 4 | COV 22
Grades: DEF 70.0 | RDEF 71.5 | TACK 81.3 | PRSH — | COV 68.4
Tackling: TKL 4 | AST 2 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Coverage: TGT 3 | REC 2 | REC% 66.7 | YDS 18 | Y/REC 9.0 | YAC 10 | LNG 16 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 82.6
Aamari Brown (#D09, SCB)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 79 | RDEF 23 | PRSH 4 | COV 52
Grades: DEF 71.0 | RDEF 61.4 | TACK 71.7 | PRSH 65.7 | COV 71.1
Pressure: TOT 2 | SK 0 | HIT 0 | HUR 1 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 7 | AST 0 | MIS 1 | MIS% 12.5
Impact: STOP 2 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 13 | REC 6 | REC% 46.2 | YDS 77 | Y/REC 12.8 | YAC 11 | LNG 34 | TD 0 | INT 1 | PBU 3 | NFL 33.2
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 39 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 5 | COV 22
Grades: DEF 66.9 | RDEF 71.5 | TACK 28.2 | PRSH 67.3 | COV 61.9
Pressure: TOT 2 | SK 0 | HIT 1 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 0 | MIS 1 | MIS% 100.0
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Coverage: TGT 1 | REC 0 | REC% 0.0 | YDS 0 | TD 0 | INT 0 | PBU 0 | NFL 0.0
Conclusion
The Week 0 opener exposed UNLV’s defensive backs: 8 missed tackles, 2 touchdowns allowed, and explosive plays highlighted breakdowns across the group. By Week 1, the improvement was clear. The unit cut its missed tackles to 3 total, gave up no scores, and limited damage outside of a single 59-yard deep ball against Welch. Fulton and Joseph rebounded with strong coverage, Stewart emerged as a steady option, and DeCambra contributed cleanly in limited work.
Still, inconsistencies remain: Pope’s coverage slipped, Welch was beaten again, and Brown’s slot production fluctuated. However, as a whole, the group is trending upward, and if they continue to reduce missed tackles and busted coverages, UNLV’s secondary may stabilize into a strength instead of a liability.