2012-13 Football Previews – (Mountain West) – Nevada
Nevada moves from the WAC to the Mountain West this year, and the team hopes it will give them a chance for bigger things. Chris Ault’s Pistol system has recruits coming to the school to play in the exciting offensive system. The team went 12-1 two years with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, but they slid to 7-6 last season.
Mountain West 2012-2013 College Football Previews: Nevada Wolfpack
Head Coach: Chris Ault
2011 Record: 7-6
Nevada Gambling Odds from JustBet to win BCS Championship: (Part of Field) +1,800
Nevada Gambling Odds from 5Dimes to win Mountain West: +550
Chris Ault is 226-103-1 in his career and he is the only active coach in the College Football Hall of Fame. Nevada has played in nine straight bowl games. Clearly, Ault knows what he is doing as the head coach. The move to the Mountain West definitely gives the team tougher competition on a weekly basis. Let’s see how this team stacks up heading into 2012.
Team Strengths:
Cody Fajardo gives the team a terrific quarterback to lead the offense. Fajardo was the WAC Freshman of the Year last season. He completed 68.8% of his passes in 2011, and he rushed for 694 yards and 11 touchdowns. His quickness and athleticism make him perfect for this offense, and he should be able to accomplish big things in the year ahead.
Nevada generally has a good offensive line, and this year should be no different. The Wolfpack return three strong starters from last year’s offensive front. Chris Barker and Jeff Nady have been two extremely reliable big men for this team, and I expect them to be leaders of another strong line this year.
The secondary has lots of experience and depth, and it should prove to be the strength of the defense. Duke Williams and Khalid Wooten are senior leaders in this area. Look for Nevada to be much improved from last year in the secondary. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Team Weaknesses:
The entire front seven is a major question mark for the Wolfpack. The defensive line doesn’t have much depth at all, and that could be a major problem in the Mountain West. You really can’t point to any guy on the defensive line as a major play maker. The linebackers will be led by Jeremiah Green, but this isn’t a unit that has much depth either. Stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback could be an issue in 2012.
For the first time in several years, Nevada doesn’t have a star at the running back spot. Stephon Jefferson will get the most carries, but it remains unclear whether he can be a workhorse in the backfield. In order for the Pistol to work effectively, the team has to find a couple strong runners in the backfield.
2012-2013 Nevada Wolfpack Football Prediction: 8-5
Nevada has too many holes on the defensive side to be considered the favorite in the Mountain West. Still, Chris Ault’s teams always pile up the points, and I expect this year to be no different. Fajardo should become one of the better quarterbacks in the nation over the next couple years. Nevada will need to outscore opponents, because the defense won’t be shutting too many people down.
Look for a small improvement from last year, but this team doesn’t have the depth necessary to win 10 or 11 games.
2012 Nevada Schedule
9/1/12 3:00 PM ET @CAL
9/8/12 TBD SOFLA
9/15/12 TBD NWST
9/22/12 TBD @HAW
9/29/12 TBD @TEXST
10/6/12 TBD WYOM
10/13/12 TBD @UNLV
10/20/12 TBD SDST
10/26/12 8:00 PM ET @AIRFC
11/10/12 TBD FRSST
11/17/12 TBD @NMEX
11/24/12 TBD BOIST
