REBELS OFFENSE

X—1 Kyle Williams 6-0 185 Jr.

F—6 Jeff Weimer 6-2 215 Sr.

LT—72 Brandon Logan 6-6 280 Jr.

LG—55 Preston Nichols 6-2 290 Sr.

C—79 Leif Fautanu 6-2 305 Jr.

RG—60 Amani Trigg-Wright 6-4 305 Sr.

RT—71 Daviyon McDaniel 6-3 300 Sr.

TE—88 Shelton Zeon III 6-4 250 Sr.

Z—11 Ricky White 6-1 195 So.

QB—2 Doug Brumfield 6-5 225 So.

RB—9 Aidan Robbins 6-3 230 Jr.

The Rebels played three quarterbacks in the opener, including Saint Louis School and Kailua High alumnus Cameron Friel, but it was apparent left-handed Doug Brumfield was QB1. Brumfield, who played in five games in his first two UNLV seasons, completed 70.5% of his passes in leading the Rebels to a 4-1 start this year before suffering a concussion against San Jose State. Since the ailment, which forced Brumfield to spend two weeks in concussion protocol, the Rebels have lost five in a row, without a win in October or November. In two games since his return, his accuracy is 58,3% with one TD and two interceptions. But Brumfield’s scrambling is intact. He averages 5.1 yards per non-sack rush. The Rebels’ dedication to a hurry-up offense is exemplified in their one-word plays. “Just get on the ball, snap the ball and play fast,” center Leif Fautanu said. “Coach tries to emphasize going as fast as humanly possible. But at the same time, we want to be fast without being wrong.” With Brumfield in the shotgun, the Rebels attack with a blend of run-pass option, play-action, vertical routes off Air Raid concepts, and tight ends who disrupt pass rushes. Tight ends Shelton Zeon III and Kaleo Ballungay set up attached to the line, in the slot or as part of a four-receiver set. Zeon is skilled on pulls, absorbing a nickelback on 7-yard routes, and check-down patterns (60% of catches resulted in first downs). Wideout Kyle Williams is fast and elusive (7.0 yards-after-catch average). Michigan State transfer Ricky White has the most catches (46) and drops (10). Louisville transfer Aidan Robbins, who has healed from a knee injury, has three 100-plus rushing games, including 227 yards and three TDs against North Texas.

REBELS DEFENSE

Rush—7 Adam Plant Jr. 6-5 260 Sr.

DT—50 Jalen Dixon 6-0 265 So.

NT—8 Darius Johnson 6-3 295 Sr.

SLB—42 Elijah Shelton 6-2 240 Sr.

MLB—27 Austin Ajiake 6-2 230 Sr.

WLB—44 Kyle Beaudry 6-1 240 Sr.

NB—23 Jerrae Williams 5-10 185 Jr.

CB—2 Nohl Williams 6-0 185 Jr.

S—25 Jordyn Morgan 6-0 190 So.

S—3 Johnathan Baldwin 6-0 190 So.

CB—21 BJ Harris 5-10 165 Jr.

It makes sense the leader of the D-line — rush end Adam Plant Jr. — has his own clothing line. There are jersey T-shirts, crewneck sweatshirts and the very popular, “It’s an Adam Plant Jr. Thing” tee. Plant, who often aligns as a stand-up end for better traction, is 20th nationally with 11.5 backfield tackles, including six sacks. But he also can flex to impede an inside receiver’s route, set the edge or launch a time-released pass rush. Plant prepped at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High, played in 12 games as a TCU freshman in 2019, then transferred to UNLV. Plant is among the leaders under defensive coordinator Keith Heyward, who has coached at five Pac-12 schools. Head coach Marcus Arroyo’s offense went against Heyward’s unit daily when both were at Oregon, leading to the hire in March. Interior tackles Jalen Dixon and Darius Johnson are the gap cancellers. The Rebels can adjust with 6-2, 290-pound Tavis Malakius joining in a big package, or linebacker Elijah Shelton moving up as an edge defender. Mike linebacker Austin Ajiake and will linebacker Kyle Beaudry each can play in the box or on the perimeter. Ajiake averages 10.5 tackles per game. Beaudry, who helps communicate the pre-snap alignments, said his mechanical-engineering studies have principles that apply to football. “With math and science, if you skip a step, the rest of it is going to be wrong,” Beaudry said. “It goes with most things in everyday life — in school, in football. You can’t skip steps.” Of UNLV’s 13 interceptions, cornerback Cam Oliver has run back two for TDs.

REBELS SPECIALISTS

PK/KO—32 Daniel Gutierrez 5-11 220 Sr.

P—90 Marshall Nichols 6-1 210 Fr.

LS—59 Walker Hardan 6-1 235 So.

H—46 Charlton Butt 6-3 220 So.

KR/PR—Nohl Williams 6-0 185 Jr.

Before he was “Daniel Boom,” Daniel Gutierrez was a soccer player who learned to kick footballs from watching YouTube videos. Gutierrez joined the Rebels as a walk-on, then earned the point-scoring kicker’s job in 2019. Last year, he was placed on scholarship. This season, he has converted on all 12 of his field-goal attempts, including a 50-yard drive. His range is said to be up to 60 yards. For his six-year career, he has converted 35 of 36 FGs from 39 yards or closer.

RAINBOW WARRIORS OFFENSE

WO—1 Jonah Panoke 6-2 190 Jr.

SB—9 Dior Scott 5-9 175 Sr.

LT—75 Ilm Manning 6-4 295 Sr.

LG—69 Stephan Bernal-Wendt 6-1 325 Sr.

C—61 Eliki Tanuvasa 6-2 300 Sr.

RG—71 Micah Vanterpool 6-6 315 Sr.

RT—77 Austin Hopp 6-6 310 Sr.

TE—85 Caleb Phillips 6-5 230 Sr.

WO—6 Zion Bowens 6-1 185 Sr.

QB—13 Brayden Schager 6-3 215 So.

RB—31 Dedrick Parson 5-8 205 Sr.

Strength/conditioning coordinator Kody Cooke’s reps of single-leg squats have been helpful for the running backs and offensive tackles. The routine has provided lower-body strength and balance for 5-8 Dedrick Parson and 5-7 Tylan Hines, both of whom can stoop to elude linebackers’ radars. In this offense, the tackles are in a two-point crouch. Left tackle Ilm Manning credited the single-leg workouts for his balance and burst. “Drive off the knees,” Manning said. “That’s one drill that helps get you out of the stance so quick.” The tackles have worked on showing the same pre-snap look for runs and passes, much like how a pitcher throws a fastball and change-up off the same motion. “It’s all a comfort thing, a feel thing,” right tackle Austin Hopp said. “For me, it’s what I’ve done in the past (at Western Illinois). You feel comfortable with it, with your base, and you’re able to pass or run out of the same stance.” In the past two games, the line has amassed a combined 70 knockdowns. Last week, Manning led the way with 11 pancakes. “And a ‘nasty,’” Manning said of an extraordinarily ferocious block. UH has to decide whether to use slotback Koali Nishigaya, who is approaching his four-game limit to preserve a redshirt season. Nishigaya, who has played in three games, can be used Saturday or saved for next week’s finale against San Jose State. Dior Scott, who did not play last week, was back in the rotation this week. Wideouts Zion Bowens and Jalen Walthall have improved in their choice routes of running go patterns or sit downs in which they hit the brakes while a cornerback keeps retreating. The play depends on Bowens and quarterback Brayden Schager reading the corner the same way. “If we’re both right, that’s a win for us,” Bowens said.

RAINBOW WARRIORS DEFENSE

DE—96 Andrew Choi 6-1 250 Sr.

NT—55 Blessman Ta‘ala 6-2 305 Sr.

3T—90 John Tuitupou 6-4 300 Sr.

Dog—42 Jonah Kahahawai-Welch 6-2 230 Sr.

MLB—1 Penei Pavihi 6-3 245 Sr.

WLB—16 Logan Taylor 6-1 215 Jr.

NB—9 Malik Hausman 6-0 180 Sr.

CB—3 Hugh Nelson II 6-2 205 Sr.

S—33 Peter Manuma 6-0 190 Fr.

S—28 Meki Pei 5-11 170 So.

CB—23 Virdel Edwards 6-2 210 Jr.

Earlier in the week leading to the previous game against Utah State, there were doubts safety Meki Pei would be able to play because of a turf toe. But he declared himself fit and logged 67 plays against USU. Pei showed his versatility by notching two sacks and allowing only two receptions. In the box or as part of an umbrella zone, Pei is a heat-seeking safety. “It’s a mindset for me,” Pei said. “I’m going to come down as hard as I can. Sometimes I might not get the better end of the stick, but I’m going to come down regardless.” Pei, who transferred from Washington, and freshman safety Peter Manuma are first-year Warriors who work well in tandem. “Our lockers are right next to each other,” Pei said. “We built that connection between each other.” While the Warriors’ overall scheme and approach have not varied this season, there have been tweaks to the formations and personnel. When the Warriors go from a 4-2 to a 3-3 front, 6-foot-3, 240-pound Ezra Evaimalo often is summoned as a second 3-technique tackle. Nickelback Malik Hausman, who often moves up to the second tier, hits like a linebacker. “We trust him in the box, out of the box,” will linebacker Logan Taylor said of Hausman. “He’s an all-around player.” Hausman is listed as a senior, but he will seek an exemption that will allow him to return in 2023. Taylor also will be back next season. He did not play against Western Kentucky and was used in 43 snaps in his first five games. He has played 314 snaps in the five games since linebacker Isaiah Tufaga suffered an injury. Taylor is averaging 13.3 tackles in four starts. Defensive coordinator Jacob Yoro said Taylor’s diligence begins at the start of the week. “It’s not OK with him to make a mistake in practice,” Yoro said. “He gets pissed about it, and I love it. That’s why he can go out there and play the way he plays.” Taylor said: “I just like hitting. It’s like legal violence. There’s nothing like putting people on their pockets.”

RAINBOW WARRIOR SPECIALISTS

PK/P—2 Matthew Shipley 6-1 180 Jr.

KO—46 Kyler Halvorsen 6-0 175 Fr.

LS—44 Solomon Landrum 5-11 215 Jr.

H—86 Ben Falck 6-6 230 Jr.

KR—24 Tylan Hines 5-7 170 Fr.

PR—89 Nicholas Cenacle 6-3 190 Fr.

Special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield, a self-styled perfectionist, promises improvements in the return-game results. “Some of that is on me,” he said. “Some of that is just teaching it to where we need to get it.” Excluding out-of-bound penalties, the Warriors’ average drive starts at 23.8 yards following 71 kickoffs. They have opened a drive on the opponent’s side once in 34 kickoff returns. But tight end Kamuela Borden has been on a standout as a semi-deep blocker on returns. “There’s one a game where he’s putting someone on their rear end,” Sheffield said. “I love seeing that. And the kids love to see that in the film room.”