Maybe deep down in their soul, if they were strapped to a polygraph machine, Nevada football assistant coaches Nigel Burton and James Ward would tell you they wished that -- somehow, some way -- the next game on the Wolf Pack's schedule would dry up and blow away -- or at least fall back six or eight weeks on the calendar.
But they are football coaches. And when the horizon looks its bleakest there is this: There is plenty of coaching and teaching to be done. Besides, what better way to find out where you're at than by taking on the best?
"As a competitor, it is what it is. You can't control those things," Ward, the Pack's first-year cornerbacks coach, said Monday, referring to Saturday's game at Mackay Stadium against 12th-ranked Texas Tech and its nation's-best passing attack. "It's a great test for us. I'm excited to see how much our kids have grown from week one to this week."
Here's what the 12th-ranked Red Raiders bring with them:
# The nation's top passing attack in 2007 (470.3 yards per game; Hawaii was second at 439.5);
# Quarterback Graham Harrell, who led the nation in passing yards (5,705), completions (512, 124 more than second place) and touchdown passes (48);
# Wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who as a freshman led the nation in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962, 356 yards more than second place) and touchdown receptions (22).
Other accomplishments of note include leading the nation in passing in four of the last five seasons, being bowl eligible for a Big 12 Conference-record 14 straight seasons and scoring at least 40 points 45 times since Mike Leach (66-37) became the head coach in 2000. That would include last week's 49-24 win over Eastern Washington in which Harrell threw for 536 yards, which, by the way, leads the nation.
So it's easy to understand how this is a busy week for Ward and Burton, Nevada's first-year defensive coordinator who also coaches safeties.
"They've got two Heisman hopefuls (Harrell and Crabtree) and a great offensive line with two All-America candidates (guard Louis Vasquez and tackle Rylan Reed) ...," Burton said. "So the challenges are aplenty."
Throw into the mix the fact that the Wolf Pack has not one cornerback who entered this season with any Division I experience and you've got a dicey situation. The Pack, though, is taking its usual approach -- control what you can control.
"Obviously, they're good at what they do," Ward said. "What I'm trying to impress upon the kids is it's about what we do. Opponents change week to week. We can't control who we play. We have to control how we play."
The message is being received.
"Right now I'm just focused on practice," said sophomore Mike Evans, who transferred from El Camino College in Carson, Calif., and quickly earned a starting role. "I'm just trying to get my technique right. The game will come. It happens all right here in practice. We've got to play hard here first and it'll go to the game."
There were some breakdowns in coverage in the win over Grambling State, something the unit is working on.
"We've talked about it," Evans said. "We're trying to get more communication and chemistry so when we're out there we'll be more comfortable with each other."
Ward is pleased with the progression in some areas.
"We started stressing angles on deep balls," he said. "We gave up big balls but not because of our angles. Those were some of the biggest issues early on. The kids have adjusted real well. And the attention to detail with technique. For all, I don't know, 70 snaps (against Grambling), they really tried to play with technique. So that made me happy. Now we've just got to get better at playing the ball and see if we can make some plays."
But they are football coaches. And when the horizon looks its bleakest there is this: There is plenty of coaching and teaching to be done. Besides, what better way to find out where you're at than by taking on the best?
"As a competitor, it is what it is. You can't control those things," Ward, the Pack's first-year cornerbacks coach, said Monday, referring to Saturday's game at Mackay Stadium against 12th-ranked Texas Tech and its nation's-best passing attack. "It's a great test for us. I'm excited to see how much our kids have grown from week one to this week."
Here's what the 12th-ranked Red Raiders bring with them:
# The nation's top passing attack in 2007 (470.3 yards per game; Hawaii was second at 439.5);
# Quarterback Graham Harrell, who led the nation in passing yards (5,705), completions (512, 124 more than second place) and touchdown passes (48);
# Wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who as a freshman led the nation in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962, 356 yards more than second place) and touchdown receptions (22).
Other accomplishments of note include leading the nation in passing in four of the last five seasons, being bowl eligible for a Big 12 Conference-record 14 straight seasons and scoring at least 40 points 45 times since Mike Leach (66-37) became the head coach in 2000. That would include last week's 49-24 win over Eastern Washington in which Harrell threw for 536 yards, which, by the way, leads the nation.
So it's easy to understand how this is a busy week for Ward and Burton, Nevada's first-year defensive coordinator who also coaches safeties.
"They've got two Heisman hopefuls (Harrell and Crabtree) and a great offensive line with two All-America candidates (guard Louis Vasquez and tackle Rylan Reed) ...," Burton said. "So the challenges are aplenty."
Throw into the mix the fact that the Wolf Pack has not one cornerback who entered this season with any Division I experience and you've got a dicey situation. The Pack, though, is taking its usual approach -- control what you can control.
"Obviously, they're good at what they do," Ward said. "What I'm trying to impress upon the kids is it's about what we do. Opponents change week to week. We can't control who we play. We have to control how we play."
The message is being received.
"Right now I'm just focused on practice," said sophomore Mike Evans, who transferred from El Camino College in Carson, Calif., and quickly earned a starting role. "I'm just trying to get my technique right. The game will come. It happens all right here in practice. We've got to play hard here first and it'll go to the game."
There were some breakdowns in coverage in the win over Grambling State, something the unit is working on.
"We've talked about it," Evans said. "We're trying to get more communication and chemistry so when we're out there we'll be more comfortable with each other."
Ward is pleased with the progression in some areas.
"We started stressing angles on deep balls," he said. "We gave up big balls but not because of our angles. Those were some of the biggest issues early on. The kids have adjusted real well. And the attention to detail with technique. For all, I don't know, 70 snaps (against Grambling), they really tried to play with technique. So that made me happy. Now we've just got to get better at playing the ball and see if we can make some plays."
