By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Spear Reporter | Junior quarterback Walker Eget prepares to throw a pass. (photo by Nick Orozco – Co-Executive Editor of The Spear)
The biggest issue of the game was the lack of a passing offense.
In San Jose State’s (6-5, 3-4 MW) 27-16 loss to UNLV (9-2, 5-1 MW) junior quarterback Walker Eget went four for 22 for 81 yards while battling heavy rain.
Senior wide receiver Nick Nash has been the main source of offense for the Spartans this season but in he had only one reception for nine yards Friday night. His lowest receiving yard total since he had 90 yards against Air Force on Sept. 7.
“We’re a passing team and they’re a running team,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “Some of the boxes they were giving us gave us the opportunity to run the football but give them credit up front we couldn’t block them.”
SJSU struggled to get much offense going even with the run game as junior running back Floyd Chalk IV had 18 carries for 56 yards.
SJSU running back Floyd Chalk IV storms through the rain in a 27-16 loss to UNLV Friday at CEFCU Stadium. (Photo by Nick Orozco-Co-Executive Editor of The Spear)
“I feel like we were fighting some adversity with the rain,” Chalk said. “We stuck to our game plan that we came to but we just didn’t execute it.“
The biggest play of the game for the Spartans came in the second quarter when junior cornerback Isiah Revis got a pick-six.
“I just disguised (my coverage),” Revis said. “They had run that on film so I was anticipating it.”
Big issues for the Spartans came on the special teams unit. The Spartans had two roughing the kicker penalties that kept UNLV’s drives alive.
“Those are things that can’t happen,” Niumatalolo said. “They made it tough for us offensively too.”
On the defensive side of the ball the Spartans did a good job of limiting the Rebels’ production in the first half. The defense limited UNLV to 25 yards of total offense in the first quarter.
SJSU held UNLV to a field goal after sophomore punter Trent Carrizosa hit a 13-yard punt into the wind.
But in the second half UNLV’s run game got going and sophomore running back Jai’Den Thomas finished the game with 135 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The weather had a big impact on SJSU’s offense and as a pass heavy team they never seemed to get adjusted. SJSU had -1 total yards of offense in the first quarter and finished the game with 112.
“We have to finish better on offense,” Eget said. “It puts a lot of stress on the defense.”
Sophomore wide receiver Matthew Coleman was the teams leading receiver as his one catch in the game went for a 33-yard touchdown. This was the first receiving touchdown of his career.
UNLV senior wide receiver Ricky White III had seven receptions for 98 yards including a big third down grab in the fourth quarter to extend the UNLV drive which led to a seven-yard rushing touchdown run from senior running back Kylin James.
This was the worst offensive game of football that the Spartans put on display all season.
SJSU will look to bounce back in their final regular season game against Stanford (3-7, 2-5 ACC) at CEFCU Stadium on Nov. 29 at 1 p.m.
“We want to send our seniors out the right way,” Niumatalolo said. “There’s a bad taste in all of our mouths and we got to get rid of that.”
