Last season was one to forget for Nevada.
Oregon State’s opponent on Oct. 12 went 2-10 a season ago, and over the past two years, has really struggled to get much going on both sides of the ball, going 4-20 in that time.
Changes were made in the offseason, bringing in a new coaching staff, so it’s rebuild time in Reno. But with the Beavers traveling down to Nevada in between two games against more formidable Mountain West opponents, it’s important to avoid the dreaded trap game.
AJ Bianco is one of the contenders for the starting quarterback spot at Nevada.
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI, Associated Press
That game will kick off from Reno at 4:30 p.m., and will air on CBS Sports Network.
Here’s a look at what to expect from the Wolf Pack this season.
Nothing to lose
Jeff Choate will enter his first season as Nevada head coach, joining the program after being Texas’ co-defensive coordinator since 2021. He does have head coaching experience, as he spent four seasons at the helm of Montana State from 2016-19, making it to the FCS semifinals in 2019.
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It’s a rebuilding year, with a lot of new faces, as Choate tries to bring the Wolf Pack up from the basement of the FBS. So why did he tell Nevada Sports Net at Mountain West media day that “This is going to be the easiest coaching job ever?”
Because as he puts it, “Nobody has any expectations, so we can just let it rip every day.”
They have nothing to lose, so against a more difficult opponent like Oregon State, they could throw the kitchen sink at them.
“I don’t need to worry about, ‘Hey, should we go for it on fourth down? Should we fake the punt?'” Choate said. “Yeah, 100 percent we should. When you’re playing us, know we’re going to empty the clip every single day. From that perspective, I’ve been on both sides of this. When there are low expectations, it’s easier to go coach. When you’re at the top and they’re selecting you at the top, the pressure is on you from day one. You can equate that differently, obviously, but I think it will be a blast. I think these kids are going to shock some people.”
QB battle
It’s an interesting competition to see who will take the job under center. There are returning guys and a couple of intriguing transfers who could shake things up.
Brendan Lewis is the returning quarterback and may have a head start in this battle, but his numbers in 2023 don’t automatically mean it’s a safe bet.
He averaged 109 passing yards per game, with only two passing touchdowns and six interceptions across 12 games. Most of his run came in the first half of the season, as he played sparingly in the second half. He was the team’s second-leading rusher with four rushing touchdowns, so he did help in that regard.
AJ Bianco is another returning player, playing sparingly across eight games. But it’s the transfers that could make noise.
Chubba Purdy is the big name, transferring from Nebraska. The brother of NFL quarterback Brock Purdy spent the last two years with the Cornhuskers after spending two years with Florida State. He’s only played in 16 games, but it could be an option to change things up.
Junior-college transfer Anthony Grigsby Jr. is also an option, as he impressed in the spring. Choate has viewed the nonconference slate as preseason games, so a lot of guys could take snaps under center before they settle on one to lead the team through Oregon State.
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Dylan Jacobs covers Oregon State men’s basketball, baseball and high school sports. Follow him on X at @DylJacobs.
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Publish date : 2024-08-09 01:16:00
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