Rowe knows UNLV rivarly inside and out

RENO - It's safe to say that Jeff Rowe's ties with the Nevada-UNLV football rivalry are probably greater than any player on Nevada's team, and that means he has a greater appreciation for the annual game.

Rowe, the Pack's senior quarterback, grew up a stones throw away from Mackay Stadium, and his parents had season tickets for Wolf Pack games. So, every other year he got to see the battle for the Fremont Cannon in person.

"It's always been a huge game for me as a player," said Rowe, as he prepared for his fifth game against arch-rival UNLV Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium. "You always get pumped up for this game. I always look forward to it. It doesn't matter how the teams are doing.

"The UNLV game was always a lot of fun (growing up). My parents would take me all the time. I remember when I was in middle school there were always a ton of fights in the stands."

Rowe's performance in the UNLV games have been at both ends of the spectrum. He is 1-1 as a starter, losing 48-13 in 2004 and winning 22-14 last year.

It was the 2003 game, however, that Rowe felt was the turning point of his career as a college quarterback. It was also his last game he would play that year, too. He came off the bench to replace an ineffective Andy Heiser, and played well in a 16-12 loss, completing 11 of 24 passes. He suffered a separated shoulder on the second-to-last play of the game, and was later granted a medical redshirt year.

"I went head up on a linebacker," Rowe said. "I tried to take him on with my shoulder and I landed on it. Through the shoulder pad I felt something sticking me in the shoulder. I went to throw on the next play and it got picked off. When I pulled the shoulder pads off after the game, there was a big bump on the collarbone.

"I was seeing things well; seeing coverages and seeing the field for the first time. It was the turning point for me. I started being a college quarterback."

The 2004 game was one he'd rather forget.

On the Pack's first possession, Rowe drove Nevada down to the UNLV 16, but he was then sacked for a 9-yard loss, and Damon Fine kicked a 41-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. After a UNLV fumble, Rowe drove the Pack deep into UNLV territory. Joe Miklos stepped in front of Rowe's next pass, picked it off and returned it all the way to the Nevada 16, setting up a UNLV field goal which tied the game at 3.

Each team kicked a field goal, but the Rebels ran off 42 straight points and won easily.

The Pack quarterback enjoyed his best game ever against the Rebels last year, completing 21 of 33 passes for 265 yards and no scores.

"Our offense was a little sluggish," Rowe said. "We didn't score as many points as we would have liked. Our defense played really well, though. The crowd rushed the field after the game. It was great."

UNLV will be facing one hot quarterback this week. Rowe, who didn't play the final minutes of the Pack's 31-21 win over Northwestern, was back at practice Sunday and feeling good.

Rowe has been on fire in wins over Colorado State and Northwestern, completing 36 of 44 passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The yardage certainly isn't eye popping, but coach Chris Ault likes the way his quarterback is managing the game.

Ault has lauded Rowe for his decision making and the use of audibles the past two weeks, and the coach pointed out that it's critical in the pistol offense.

"He's a very good quarterback," Ault said. "He understands the game. That's what has gotten him to this level. He's grown with this offense."

Rowe makes as many plays with his feet as he does with his arm. He runs Nevada's bootleg package well, and he can scramble. His ability to run is another thing that opposing defenses have to plan for.

"That's part of the offense," Ault said in an interview last year. "In our offense, the quarterback is part of the running game. Jeff isn't a fluid runner. I think he's confident enough that if he thinks he can get a first down, he'll take off."

Rowe is hopeful of getting an opportunity to perform at the next level, and he admitted he may have been subconsciously thinking about that in the back of his mind, forcing him to press the first two games.

"Right now, I just want to win football games." said Rowe, who led Nevada to a co-WAC championship last year and a Hawaii Bowl win. "I have one semester left to be a college football player, and I want to make the most of it."

He has plenty of supporters, namely every WAC coach, and you can add Northwestern's first-year coach Pat Fitzgerald to that list.

"Jeff Rowe is an NFL caliber player," Fitzgerald said after the Pack's 31-21 win last week. "He can make big plays, and obviously his offense is built around him executing. He's a big-time player."

"He's very intelligent," Ault said. "He can run and he's got a terrific arm. Those are all important things to have in a quarterback. He feels more comfortable, no question about it. We're able to do some different things this year."

And, he's become a leader. That's not something he was always able to say about himself.

"When I got here two years ago, guys were saying that no way Jeff should be starting," wide receiver Caleb Spencer said. "He really started to take control in the middle of last year. I'll tell you what, there is nobody I'd rather have as my quarterback."

It's not surprising that Spencer feels that way. At times, he has been Rowe's safety net on the field. Whenever Rowe is in trouble, he is usually looking for Spencer to make a big play.

And, Rowe would like nothing better than to get Spencer heavily involved this weekend against the Rebels. Spencer has 25 catches for 248 yards, but he and Rowe have yet to get their vertical game going.