Wolf Pack puts national ranking on line against underdog San Jose State

Chris Ault hasn't had to worry about motivating his Nevada Wolf Pack football team this year.

The motivation over the first five games came in the form of the season opener (Eastern Washington), revenge (Colorado State), a Pac-10 team (California), winning on the road against a big-name school (Brigham Young) and the Fremont Cannon (UNLV).

At first glance, though, it would seem like some obvious, built-in, room-service motivation is missing from this Saturday's (7:30 p.m., ESPNU) game against San Jose State at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack, after all, is nearly a 40-point favorite against a banged up and demoralized opponent they beat by 55 (62-7) a year ago on the road.

Nothing to get excited about, right?

Wrong.

"It's the (Western Athletic Conference) opener and it's homecoming," Ault said. "That's motivation enough. Homecoming is special. It's like I tell the players. Homecoming is when tradition comes back to see you play."

And what will the Wolf Pack alumni see Saturday night? Well, they will see an undefeated (5-0) Wolf Pack team that is ranked No. 21 in the nation (by the Associated Press) that knows where to look for motivation.

A good place to start looking is with that national Top 25 ranking.

"We have a lot of motivation to keep climbing in those rankings," senior running back Vai Taua said. "And this is the start of conference. These are the ones that count."

The Wolf Pack tied a NCAA record last year against San Jose State as four players (Colin Kaepernick, Taua, Lampford Mark and Luke Lippincott) each gained over 100 yards rushing.

That game last November was also the start of a stretch where the Pack attempted fewer than 20 passes for three consecutive games, the first time that has happened since the Pack entered Division I in 1992.

Ault all but promised that won't happen this year.

"We want to throw the ball a little more this week," he said. "We really do."

That might be difficult to do, especially if the Pack averages 8.8 yards for each rushing attempt like it did last year on 59 carries against the Spartans as Kaepernick threw just 14 passes.

"For me, it's never about how many passes I throw," Kaepernick said. "It's all about keeping drives alive, whether that's running the ball or throwing the ball."

Wide receivers, though, are becoming an afterthought in the Pack offense already. Rishard Matthews leads the team with just 18 catches. Brandon Wimberly has just 15, Tray Session 11 and Chris Wellington 10. The wide receivers have caught just three touchdown passes combined in the first five games.

"We all want the ball more," Session said. "But we also know if we're running the ball so well, why throw it?"

Session, though, fears the coaching staff is losing confidence in the wide receivers.

"When we throw the ball, we throw it very well," Session said. "I think we'll throw more when the coaches start to have more confidence in us that we can do the job. We can do the job. I think we'll show that this week. You'll see."

San Jose State will be limping into Mackay Stadium on Saturday night, both literally and figuratively. The Spartans are coming off a devastating 14-13 loss to UC Davis at home (on their Homecoming) in which they blew a 13-0 lead. The Spartans also have lost nine starters this year to injury, seven of which were seniors.

"It's very disheartening," San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre said this week of all the injuries. "You walk down the hallway and we have all the seniors pictures up (on the wall). And all of them are now on crutches or out."

Or both.

The Spartans might have nobody to blame but themselves for their bad luck. San Jose State has played arguably the toughest schedule in the nation, going on the road to play Alabama, Utah and Wisconsin. The next three weeks they will have to play Nevada, Boise State and Fresno State.

"We played the hardest September in America and we're probably going to play the hardest October in America," MacIntyre said.

The result has been a ton of injuries and a bushel load of losses with likely more of both on the way. The Spartans' list of players lost to injury doesn't even include starting senior quarterback Jordan LaSecla, who might miss the Pack game because of a rib injury suffered last week. If he's not able to go, Matt Faulkner will take over.

"Their schedule has been more than brutal," Ault said.

San Jose State is trying to run the Wolf Pack's Pistol offense this year. LaSecla has thrown for 735 yards and two touchdowns and running back Lamon Muldrow has gained 237 yards and scored one touchdown.

The results have been mixed at best.

"The Pistol offense takes continuity and because of their injuries they haven't had any continuity," Ault said.

The Spartans are last in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) in total offense (249 yards a game) and points scored (9.8 a game). They are also one of the worst defensive teams in the nation, allowing 403 yards a game.

"We have to be concerned about us," Ault said. "We have to continue to do what we do well."

The Wolf Pack is its own motivation.

"There has got to be a sense of urgency within our football team to get better and better each week," Ault said.