Expert Phil Steele on 2021 Season

[Chris Yandek]

Longtime college football journalist Phil Steele gave his analysis on UNLV's upcoming season:

Dean of College Football Previews Phil Steele Discuss 2021 Season

We are less than two weeks from the beginning of the college football season. Phil Steele has been putting out a preview magazine on the sport for the last 27 years. Phil Steele’s 2021 College Football Preview is over 300 pages and has information on all 130 Division I teams. In keeping with...

cyinterview.com

 

[RebelScrub]

I doubt he’s ever seen our team in practice or on TV

 

[bcvegaspt]

I doubt he’s ever seen our team in practice or on TV

I doubt many outside of this board have seen our team in practice or on tv.

Too soon?

 

[Rebel1986]

This is why 99% of the media believe UNLV will be lucky to win 1 or 2 games. They do not follow a minor program like UNLV, and instead just repost the same stories based on the past history of UNLV football.

 

[LocoRebel]

This is why 99% of the media believe UNLV will be lucky to win 1 or 2 games. They do not follow a minor program like UNLV, and instead just repost the same stories based on the past history of UNLV football.

And yet they have been right almost every time.

Not sure how there could be speculation on this particular team winning more than 2 games. As bad as last year was and bad as UNLV has been, there is very little reason to think they will start jumping ahead of other MWC schools.

Hope they do! Would love for 2022 season to be predicted at going 7-5 coming off the heels of a 5-7 season with pretty much everyone returning.

 

[rebelzzz]

I doubt he’s ever seen our team in practice or on TV

Thing that is different between this magazine and others is Phil has supposed experts from each conference give him the info. So it isn't just his opinion.
Also look at this team and other than the scarlet and gray glasses why would you think we can win 2 games let alone 5 or 6 games? We didn't only a big goose egg but we weren't even competitive.

 

[Rebel1986]

You never know, UNLV could lose every game (the past history of UNLV leans towards winning 2 or less games), but there are reasons to think they can win some games:

First coach Arroyo deliberately made sure the freshmen class in almost every case didn't play enough last year to lose their eligibility which means UNLV was playing short handed. The same could be said for all of the teams, but with a new coach and scheme it would hit UNLV harder than most teams.

Several top impact players sat out last year to not lose a year of eligibility.

UNLV has several transfer impact players on defense that should make a huge difference this next season.

The fact is we will know quickly, by the end of the EWU game, if UNLV has improved or not! In three weeks we will know if things are looking up or if we will go back to the next year chant.

 

[Couev]

First coach Arroyo deliberately made sure the freshmen class in almost every case didn't play enough last year to lose their eligibility which means UNLV was playing short handed.

Edit: I"m a dummy, you're right and I'm wrong!

with a new coach and scheme it would hit UNLV harder than most teams.

Agree 100%, brand new coaches were in a tough spot last year. I think Silverfield at Memphis, Hafley at BC, Taggart at FAU, Dorrell at Colorado, and Graham at Hawai'i were the only 1st year coaches with winning records--though I might be forgetting someone. It's an uphill slog especially coming into what was basically a bad program. That's 2 strikes, and missing those that opted out for CoVid didn't help a ton.

Several top impact players sat out last year to not lose a year of eligibility.

Again, this is my misunderstanding, not yours! I completely didn't read further into the bylaws. An extra year is granted to their 4 in 5 clock, but not to their actual eligibility. Egg on my face!

UNLV has several transfer impact players on defense that should make a huge difference this next season.

I agree here as well. Some nice transfers and recruiting pieces. I'm a little concerned about pressuring the QB especially with Windmon moving to the middle but I'm hopeful.

The fact is we will know quickly, by the end of the EWU game, if UNLV has improved or not! In three weeks we will know if things are looking up or if we will go back to the next year chant.

I don't know that a W tells us anything, but I think an L tells us a lot and not much of it good. While EWU is a really solid FCS program and those have fared much better against FBS schools in recent history, I think even a close W will be solid grounds for concern.

I think right now the over/under of wins for UNLV is 1.5 in most of the online betting sites. I don't think Steele is a guy that doesn't do his homework and me as the realistic optimist have us winning 3 this year (EWU, UTSA, UState). I think this is going to be a season of moral more than actual victories.

 

[Couev]

Edited my post to clear up that I was completely wrong and had a core misunderstanding of the blanket relief of the NCAA. I'll try to be better about reading things all the way through!