Nevada evened it’s record at 2-2 on the year and started 1-0 in MW play for the second straight season … Nevada is now 519-448-33 overall in its history … Brian Polian is now 2-2 as a head coach and 2-2 at Nevada.
1,000th GAME: Saturday marked the 1,000th game in Nevada history. With the victory, the Wolf Pack improved to 519-448-33 all-time.
Nevada’s first game was in 1896 against Belmont, a 70-0 loss. The Pack’s first ever win came in 1898 against Stewart Indian School, a 34-6 win.
STEWART STARTS: Redshirt freshman Tyler Stewart made his first career start at quarterback on Saturday and had a good night.
Stewart completed 14 of 20 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
HEKKING STARS: Junior defensive end had one of the strongest individual defensive performances in recent memory. Hekking had three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception, to go along with six total tackles (2.5 for a loss).
PICK CITY: Nevada notched four more interceptions and the Pack now has seven on the year through four games. In 2012, Nevada didn’t get its first interception until the fourth game. And the first were created by pressure on Hawaii backup quarterback Sean Schroeder.
The first pick of the game was the first of Brock Hekking’s career. With Nevada up 17-9 in the third quarter, Rykeem Yates batted a Schroeder pass in the air and Hekking made the pick to set up a Nevada touchdown.
Markus Smith’s first interception also came in the third quarter and it came on a floating duck as teammate Ian Seau crushed Schroeder and caused the ball to flutter. It was Smith’s second interception of the season.
Smith later got his second pick of the game — first time since Isaiah Frey against Hawaii in 2011 that a Nevada player had two in a game — and Nigel Haikins recorded his first pick.
WIM STREAK: Senior wide receiver Brandon Wimberly extended his nation’s-best streak of consecutive games with a reception to 44 straight – all 44 games of his career.
WIM STREAK, PART II: Wimberly has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games. And each of the scoring receptions has come from a different quarterback. He caught his first TD of the year against UC Davis on a throw from Cody Fajardo. Last week, Nevada’s lone touchdown against Florida State came from the right hand of Devin Combs. This week’s score was from Stewart.
QB LUNCH/RADIO SHOW: Monday marks the third Quarterback Club Luncheon of the year. Doors open at the Peppermill at 11:30 a.m. and lunch is $17. Coach Polian will introduce key players, recap tonight’s game and preview the Florida State contest.
The Wolf Pack Coaches Show rolls on this Wednesday with the fourth edition of the season from the Little Wal at 7 p.m.
EXTRA POINTS: Hawaii won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half … Nevada received the opening kickoff and Hawaii defended the north … Quarterback Cody Fajardo did not play for the second consecutive game … Nevada is now 2-0 all-time at Chris Ault Field at Mackay Stadium since the field was renamed … The 57-yard reception by Chris Solomon in the first half was the first catch of his career … True freshman Travis Wilson saw extended playing time at linebacker after mostly serving on special teams thus far … Nevada opened in a three-tight end set with Jarred Gipson and Randy Horton starting along with Kolby Arendse … It was the first career start for both Gipson and Horton … Gipson also had his first career reception – a nine-yarder that set up a touchdown in the first half … Nevada’s streak of six straight games with a 100-yard rusher came to an end.
