Rebels responded the way Mullen hoped they would

LAS VEGAS — There isn’t a football coach in America, college or pro, that doesn’t preach the values of family.

It’s printed on T-shirts. It’s painted on the walls of locker rooms, weight rooms and meeting rooms. And to be honest, the importance of family isn’t the exclusive domain of football coaches. Coaches in every sport emphasize it.

In Dan Mullen’s case, family extends to four legs, not just two-legged souls.

The UNLV head football coach brought the family dog Wells to Monday’s weekly news conference at the Fertitta Football Complex as the Rebels straightened a lot of issues out Saturday with their 21-6 road win over Hawaii.

And while Wells was making friends with the assembled media, traversing up and down the row, Mullen was praising the team effort that got the Rebels to 1-1 in the young 2026 season and off to a successful start in Mountain West play.

And while all football coaches say “We want to get better each week” Mullen’s staff and players responded to the challenge after it had dropped their Week 0 opener at Allegiant Stadium to Memphis.  In doing so, UNLV perhaps saved its season even though it’s Labor Day weekend.

Mullen said his team had to fix some things in a hurry and they did. He said the Rebels needed to get into the end zone. They did. He said they needed to find ways to get running back Jet Thomas more involved in the offense. They did. He said the defense needed to tighten things up and yes, they did.

You can imagine how nice the flight back to Las Vegas was. The school sent out a social media post of Mullen next to the big Golden Pineapple Trophy, a giant chocolate chip cookie at his seat as he smiled.

I’m not sure if Wells was along for the ride. Although a romp over Waikiki Beach might’s made the pooch’s day.

There’s another lengthy flight on the horizon for UNLV as it travels to North Texas this Saturday to face a team that opened its season with a new coach against the defending national champions in Indiana and got waylaid 52-16. Monday, Mullen warned against complacency as the 1-1 Rebels look to build on their success against the Rainbow Warriors.

It’s going to be the Mean Green’s home opener. They figure to be fired up as they look to get to 1-1 themselves. A coach’s message resonates better with a team that’s 1-1 rather than 0-2.

For UNLV, Saturday is also important. You’re building an entire resume which you hope rewards you come December. You’re trying to grow as a program. You’re looking to develop two-way trust between Mullen and the staff and the players. And yes, momentum matters. Keep winning and the community will come out and support you.  

I want to give our coaches credit,” Mullen said, even though Paul Guenther, the team’s defensive coordinator probably deserved to be singled out given the defense allowed just six points, the fewest allowed against Hawaii in the series, which goes all the way back to 1969. “They came up with a really good scheme. The adjustments we made and our secondary did a great job matching all the different patterns they faced.”

Ultimately, the players get the credit for executing the game plan. Quarterback Jackson Arnold looked more comfortable running things despite the fact Austin Boyd, UNLV’s starting center and arguably its best offensive lineman, was not available. Boyd won’t play Saturday against North Texas and probably will miss the Sept. 26 game at Akron. But Griffin Scroggs and BJ Too did an excellent job filling in.

“Those guys did a great job,” Arnold said Monday of the O-line which allowed him to run for 89 yards and score two touchdowns. “Overall, I feel comfortable with the system. I have a lot of confidence in the game plan.”

It helps when Thomas is making big plays. His 53-yard TD run in the fourth quarter sealed the deal and he would finish with 143 yards on the ground. When he’s contributing, it opens things up for the others in the offense.

But if UNLV can continue to get stops face opponents into field goals rather than touchdowns, the Rebels are going to be in good shape. They’ve outgunned the opposition in both games so far and with the defense making enough big plays, it will lead to more success.

“I felt like the coaches had us prepared to be in the right spots,” said safety Tre Fulton, who a dozen tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in the end zone which saw him rewarded as the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Week. “I just went out and made the plays I’m supposed to make.”

Throw in the Freshman of the Week honor accorded defensive end Kai-El Togafau. who recorded a pair of sacks, and it’s an encouraging picture.

Yes, it’s just one game and a lot of football remains to be played. But we’re seeing signs that Mullen and his staff recruited depth in key areas, like the offensive and defensive lines and the development of players like Fulton and perhaps the Rebels can keep this recent trend of success going, get more people out to Allegiant and have another season that culminates with a run at a conference championship, a bowl appearance and a winning record.

That’s the true measure of family, though having Wells hanging around isn’t a bad start.