CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 7:00 pm
His offense is making the transition from being in the steady hands of a quarterback drafted by the pros to putting its faith in either a third-year sophomore or redshirt freshman.
His starting center wouldn’t be where he is had it not been for a fall camp injury followed by a heated moment in practice that cost the backup his spot on the team.
But things could be worse for University of Nevada coach Chris Ault. At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
“I think our offense is going to be exciting,” Ault said. “Now, we might be going the wrong way some times, but it’s going to be exciting because I think they’ll find a way to turn around and go the other way.”
Ault has been around the game, and the Wolf Pack, long enough to expect plenty of back-and-forth action when his team opens the season at Nebraska on Saturday.
Maybe things would be different if Ault, in his third stint as Nevada’s coach in a 23-year career, still had Jeff Rowe as his No. 1 offensive option. But Rowe, a three-year starting quarterback, is now with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Without him, the Wolf Pack will turn to 6-foot-1, 220-pound Nick Graziano, the only quarterback on the team who’s thrown a pass, or Colin Kaepernick, a 6-6, 215-pounder.
Ault has said he’ll name a starter Wednesday, but maintains both players, more dangerous runners than Rowe, will see action against the Huskers.
In the first two scrimmages of the fall, Graziano, who played in eight games last season, completed 29 of 45 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns. Kaepernick was 12-for-21 for 174 yards and two scores.
After the second scrimmage, Ault talked optimistically about how both players had made big jumps from the opening scrimmage, and called it a neck-and-neck battle for the starting job.
But following a third and final scrimmage, a session that was closed to the public, Ault said his team had a long way to go to be ready for its opener.
With a crowd in excess of 80,000 expected at Memorial Stadium, Nevada will have its largest stage ever to try and show it’s ready to take further steps under Ault.
Two years ago, the Wolf Pack shared the Western Athletic Conference championship and then beat Central Florida in the Hawaii Bowl. Last year, they overcame a 0-2 start to go 8-4 before losing to Miami, 21-20, in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Yes, Miami, Fla.
“What we’ve tried to do the last three years is create an environment in which the players demand and expect from one another,” said Ault. “And I think we’re certainly getting a better concept of what we’re expecting.”
Briefly
Nevada is down to a third center because second-team All-WAC performer Dominic Green is out at least two games with a broken foot, and his replacement, Kyle Robertson, was dismissed not long after he took a swing at offensive line coach Chris Klenakis during an Aug. 9 practice.
Josh Catapano, a 6-3, 285-pound junior, is expected to be in the opening lineup against Nebraska. While the junior college transfer wouldn’t be alone as a first-time starter, he might have the biggest role. In Nevada’s ‘Pistol’ offense, the ball is snapped three yards to the quarterback on all plays but goal-line formations.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.