The selection of Nevada's Colin Kaeprnick for WAC Offensive Player of the Week was a definite no-brainer.
Kaepernick ran for a career-high 240 yards and passed for 176 in the Pack's 49-27 dismantling of in-state rival UNLV over the weekend. Kaepernick had a hand in five of Nevada's seven scores in the game.
Kaepernick became the first Nevada quarterback to rush for more than 200 yards.
As head coach Chris Ault has stressed ever since his post-game press conference, the numbers were great, but it was the intangibles that impressed the veteran coach.
"He managed the game so very well much like he did in the first half of the Missouri game," Ault said during the weekly WAC teleconference. "He did a good job of controlling the ball and getting to audibles. He has a pretty good feel for what people are going to do."
Jeff Rowe was the first Nevada quarterback to run the pistol, and he proved to be a solid runner out of the mini-shotgun formation.
"Jeff certainly doesn't have the speed of the two guys now (Kaepernick and Nick Graziano), but he averaged around seven yeards a carry. He (Kaepernick) has a pretty good feel for what people are going to do."
KEO HELPS WHILE INACTIVE
Shiloh Keo suffered a sprained shoulder two weeks ago against Utah State, and he's not likely to play when Nevada comes to town on Saturday.
On the positive side, it gives the Vandals an extra coach on the sidelines, according to coach Robb Akey.
The Vandals' defensive coordinator Mark Criner moved upstairs to the press box, and Shiloh donned a headset and relayed information from Criner to coaches and players.
"It allowed Mark to focus and see what he can see up there, and get extra information to call plays," Akey said. "When safeties come off the field, he (Shiloh) is able to talk to him. They can hear the same thing from one of their peers. It's a positive thing."
Akey said that Criner will be upstairs again this weekend for the Nevada game.
BENSON ON THE WAC
Commissioner Karl Benson said that since Boise State and Fresno State are in the top 20 that both could move into BCS contention if either goes on an extended winning streak.
Benson would like nothing more than to see a WAC team represent the conference for the third straight year in the Bowl Championship Series.
Benson pointed out that the WAC was 1-7 against Pac-10 schools last year and is 2-4 thus far this year with the Washington State-Hawaii game stil to come.
When asked about entering into agreements with opposing conferences on a regular basis, Benson said he leaves scheduling to member schools. He does urge them to schedule Pav-10 and Mountain West schools.
In fact, in 2010 Nevada's entire nonconference schedule will be against MWC schools - BYU, Colorado State, San Diego State and UNLV.
BOISE IN TOP 20
Boise State, 3-0, is 17th in the initial Harris Poll of the season, but BSU coach Chris Petersen said it doesn't mean much.
"We don't even kind of pay attention," Petersen said. "It's good for newspapers. As a coach, it means very little until the end of the year. There is so much football to be played."
OTHER POW HONOREES
San Jose State won the other two player of the week awards.
Justin Cole was named the top defender after racking up two tackles for negative yardage and two sacks. His 13-yard tackle for loss forced Hawaii to try a 55-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Strubeck was the top special teams player after kicking 50 and 47-yard field goals in the fourth quarter. He tied the game with his career-long 50-yarder and then won the game with 1:49 left with his 47-yarder.
"He hit both balls in the middle," SJSU coach Dick Tomey said. "They couldn't have come at a better time."
- Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281