One area of improvement became obvious as the game unfolded: the Tigers’ offensive and defensive lines manhandled the Rebels in the second half.
It also did not help that Rebels center Austin Boyd went down with a leg injury in the fourth quarter. From there, quarterback Jackson Arnold had no time to throw, which made him skittish, and running back Jai’Den Thomas struggled to make an impact by rushing for 44 yards on 12 carries. The Rebels managed to convert only one of three attempts in the red zone.
There’s something to be said about football games being won and lost in trenches. Coaches understand the importance of good line play since it sets up the quarterback and the running game to make plays. Arnold did well in the second quarter, largely because he had good protection, going 9-for-9 and with two touchdowns. He ended the half 17-of-21 for 203 yards.
In addition to second-half offensive struggles, the Rebels got little from their defensive line, as Tigers quarterback Marcus Stokes had plenty of time to throw, including a 48-yard touchdown pass to Stonka Burnside, tying the game at 14 in the second quarter. Later, he hit Jaylin Carter for a 36-yard score in the third, tying the game at 21.
The Tigers’ ball carriers supplemented Stokes’ 223 yards in the air, racking up 195 yards on 34 carries, led by Carter’s 97.
The bottom line was clear: on this night, at least, Memphis was the better team.
If we take a step back, perhaps there was truth in preseason rumors that Arnold was struggling to understand the offense, and that head coach Dan Mullen would use a two-quarterback rotation of Alex Orji and Arnold. But that possibility didn’t materialize on Saturday night; Orji’s cameo appearance came in the final play of the second quarter.
But in the end, Arnold was not the problem. The Rebs playing like a work in progress is.
Maybe UNLV eventually wins the Mountain West, but saying it’s a playoff team right now is a reach.
