Among the best football players, defense is all about getting the ball back. Forcing the other team to punt, or better yet, taking it away by force.
The best defender on Wyoming’s football team this season is John Flora, a senior defensive end from Arvada West who is making a habit of getting the ball back.
As the Cowboys (3-1) prepare to open a critical, three-game Mountain West Conference homestand with a game against UNLV on Saturday, Flora is not only leading the conference in sacks (four) but also forced fumbles (three). He also has batted down four passes at the line of scrimmage. And he’s still mad at himself for failing to hold onto a point-blank interception opportunity against Louisiana-Monroe three weeks ago.
Heading into his third year as a starter, the 6-foot-4, 267-pound Flora was regarded as a nice, steady player before the season. He has made a huge step this year, bidding for all-conference honors and what he hopes will be a shot at the NFL.
“I really worked hard in the offseason on my speed and on some of my pass-rush techniques, and it’s paying off some,” Flora said. “I’ve also been very fortunate to have a great secondary behind me and a great front line with me, and that’s helped put me in some good situations where I could make some big plays.
“But I went into the season with the idea that I really wanted to try to be around the ball more. I watched a lot of film on how some of the top pass-rushers in the NFL do it. I noticed that it’s mostly just hustle and staying after it. I really envy what they do, and I want to be like them. I’d love to get into that business.”
But until then, there’s the business of his senior season, which picks back up against UNLV.
“They’ve been struggling a little bit, but they’re a very talented team,” Flora said. “I think if we just go out there and play Cowboys football – limit the mistakes, get on them early and not let them get up – we’ll be successful.”
UNLV (1-3) comes into the game without its most important player, junior quarterback Shane Steichen, who suffered a broken finger on his nonthrowing hand last week.
In his place will be Jarrod Jackson, a junior college transfer from Grossmont College who will be facing the best defensive team in the Mountain West Conference.
With Flora as the catalyst, the Cowboys are ranked No. 1 in the conference in total defense (313 yards) and scoring defense (18.5). Those numbers represent a remarkable turnaround in the two-plus seasons since Joe Glenn and his staff arrived from Montana.
“They’re not giving up big plays,” said Mike Sanford, the former offensive coordinator at Utah who is in his first season as UNLV head coach. “They’re very sound. Their guys are a year older, and I think they’ve improved as players and that makes a big difference. They don’t take a lot of chances and they don’t put themselves in bad positions.”
After UNLV, the Cowboys face TCU, the surprise early-season MWC leader, and New Mexico. Win all three, and Wyoming will be in position to make a run at the conference title.
“It’s been a great year so far,” Flora said.
UNLV vs. Wyoming
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UNLV (1-3): The stars shining down on Cowboys coach Joe Glenn must be lined up right again. For the second consecutive week, his league-leading defense will face a backup quarterback. This time it’s Jarrod Jackson, a transfer from Grossmont College, who’s subbing for the injured Shane Steichen (hand). That probably means a lot of handoffs for Rebels running back Erick Jackson. Defensively, the Rebels are led by 6-foot-2, 210-pound safety Joe Miklos.
Wyoming (3-1): One of these days Cowboys cornerback Derrick Martin is going to break out with a monster game. If the Wyoming defense cheats up to stop the run against a Rebels team playing with a backup quarterback, Martin and safety John Wendling could be in for a lot of fun, especially in the late stages of the game. As usual, the Cowboys have an excellent corps of receivers, led by Jovon Bouknight, who also serves as their star kick returner. They also have a quarterback who can get them the ball in Corey Bramlet.
KEY STAT
0-3 – UNLV’s road record this year. On the plus side, UNLV has won three in a row at War Memorial Stadium and leads the all-time series 8-5.
KEY FOR WYOMING
If the Cowboys can get some scoring and a clean game out of their offense, their defense should be able to control the game.
KEY FOR UNLV
The Rebels are probably going to have to take some chances on defense to try to force the Cowboys into some mistakes. They probably can’t win this game only with their backup quarterback.
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
