nevada Football Faces Offensive Struggles, Looksโค toโค Offseason Fixes
Nevada football is grappling with significant offensive challenges, as โฃacknowledged by head โcoachโข Jeff Choate. The team has struggled to secure key recruits,notably at the receiver position,and believes โa lackโ of surrounding talent is a primary issueโ for their quarterback. Choate noted difficulties in recruiting battles, specifically mentioning a top receiver from San Jose who โฃchose โฃanother program.
“We weren’tโ able to win those battles,” choate stated, emphasizing the need to “dig a little deeper” in recruiting to bolster the offensive roster. While acknowledging the global challenges faced by offensive lines at the collegiateโ level -โ “nobody’s gonna go in there and โขsay,โฃ ‘Hey, we’ve got a โgroup of five-star guys playing across the board'” -โค the broader issueโ is building a supportive cast for the quarterback.
Financial constraints, specifically related to Name, image, andโ Likenessโ (NIL) opportunities, are โขbelievedโฃ to be a contributing factor. Nevada’s NIL offerings are notโข considered as competitive asโฃ other Mountain West Conferenceโ schools, potentially leading to โคthe departuresโ of players like Scudero and, prior to the season, quarterback Diego Pavia, who committed to Nevada before ultimatelyโ transferring to Vanderbilt where he has become a triumphant SEC player.
Further complicating matters, the Wolf Pack experienced an unexpected coaching change just weeks before the season opener with the dismissal of run game coordinator and offensive line coach Brian Armstrong. David Gilbertson,โฃ previouslyโ the quarterbacks coach, was promoted to offensive coordinator. However, Choate hasโ defended Gilbertson’s play-calling, stating โhe โฃhas “made some really good calls that haven’t been executed”โข and that โขstrugglesโ often stem from execution breakdowns, particularly on longer-yardage situations.
“I examine that very,very closely,both in game โฃand week โby week,”โ Choate said.He added he โขanticipates โongoing changes within the coaching staff as โฃpart of program evaluation.
Following a โ1-4 start, โฃthe team turned to true freshman โquarterback AJ โฃJones. While showing flashes of potential, Jones has struggledโ with turnovers, throwing seven interceptions to just one touchdownโ in hisโข four โstarts.โค Despite these difficulties, โNevada โฃintends toโ continue developing Jones, with Choate expressing confidence in his future: “I โfeel like this kid โis going toโ be an extraordinary player, and we’re working through some growing pains right โnow.”
This season marks the fourth consecutiveโข year ofโ offensive struggles for Nevada, the second under โchoate’s leadership. The coach recognizes theโค needโ for complete improvement.
“It’s not any one thing in particular,” Choate explained. “It’s kind of everything โin general on that side of โthe ball.โ First-time play caller, lack of talentโ around the quarterback, โnew quarterback, new guys working with โthe offensive line.” He stressed accountability, stating, “It’s not good enough, right?โค but there areโ some real reasons whyโฃ that’s happening, โคtoo.”
Choate believes the lack ofโฃ “continuity and rhythm” has been the defining issue โฃfor the offense this year and is prioritizing a significant overhaul during the offseason.โฃ The team’sโ inability to โreach bowl eligibilityโข this โขseason will allow for immediate attention to these issues.