Despite a 6-1 record, UNLV’s defense has struggled with communication, a problem head coach Dan Mullen aims to solve through simplification.
“You get into two plus two equals four,” Mullen said, drawing a parallel to mathematics. “That doesn’t take much thought. But what’s the square root of 5,642? That might take a little bit of thought. We have to make sure for the defense that we’re simple enough that when a play is called, all 11 guys know what’s going on and exactly where they should be.”
Mullen hopes for improved execution when UNLV (2-1 Mountain West) hosts New Mexico (5-3, 2-2) at noon Saturday at Allegiant Stadium. Coming off their third bye week, the already bowl-eligible Rebels face a five-game conference stretch to close the regular season.
However, their record has often relied on outscoring opponents. UNLV ranks 11th in the Mountain West in both total and scoring defense, with only Air Force—a team the Rebels defeated 51-48—ranking lower.
“I know there has been a lot of talk about the defense not doing so well, but we also played two very good offenses the last two games,” said cornerback Andrew Powdrell, referencing matchups with Air Force and Boise State. “We just have to communicate and play with energy, because when we do that, we play our best. We’re going to be better.”
The defense, featuring several new players learning a new system, is still in its early stages of development. Mullen invoked the “10,000-hour rule” to illustrate their progress.
“You want to be an expert at something, you have to do it 10,000 times. Well, we’re at 1,000,” he said. “We’re a long way from being experts, so we have to teach it and rep it and communicate it and walk it through over and over.”
Mullen believes the issue isn’t players overthinking but a need for greater trust and discipline. He emphasized that a player’s role on a given snap might be to hold a gap to allow a teammate to make the tackle. Adapting to different offensive schemes weekly, from a run-and-shoot to a triple option, has further complicated the learning process for the new unit.
Anticipating that New Mexico will introduce new formations and plays, Mullen stressed the importance of fundamentals.
“There are going to be variations, and it’s on us to really understand what’s going on and make sure we’re confident and following our rules,” he said. “Our defensive guys are trying to make plays. They just need to be where they’re supposed to be, and it will all work out. In the end, that’s coaching and teaching, which is completely on me.”
While aware of external criticism, Mullen welcomes the engagement, seeing it as a sign that the program matters to people. He noted that the team spent the bye week refining its schemes to build confidence.
“For us, it’s about the defense holding them to one point less than we score, and the offense scoring one more point than we give up,” Mullen said. “If we do that, we have a chance.”
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