UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen Says The Boise State Broncos 'Have Set The Standard' In The Mountain West

The UNLV Rebels will look to get the monkey off their back this week and go into Boise and beat the Boise State Broncos on their blue turf. The Broncos have been a thorn in their side, knocking them off in back-to-back Mountain West Conference Championship games, and now the Rebels will look to knock them off on a field where they have won 15-straight games. With this game looming in Week 8, Rebels' head coach Dan Mullen spoke about their upcoming opponent.

UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen On The Boise State Broncos

“We’ve got a very good football team we’re playing this week," Mullen said. "The team that has set the standard in this league … probably since they joined the league.”

Mullen On Broncos Head Coach Spencer Danielson

“It’s a program that’s done it. Spencer is a really good young football coach, up-and-coming guy that has taken this program (to new heights), but it’s also the program, it’s the players. They have a certain buy-in, a certain belief in that. Because several different coaches have come, and the standard in that program never seems to drop.”

Mullen On The Broncos Playmakers Helping Them Overcome Their Struggles On First Down

“For everybody, first down is a critical down. I think the one benefit for them when you look at them and the success that they’ve had, they have some explosive guys on the outside and they have a veteran quarterback. If you’re really successful on first down, your problems are pretty minimal offensively. If you’re not successful on first down but have some playmakers and a veteran guy pulling the trigger, making decisions, it’s a lot easier to overcome.

It’ll be really interesting because I think defensively, we’re going to have to be a lot better. Talking to (defensive coordinator Paul Guenther), that’s a big deal. We’ve got to be better on first-down defense. I guess that’ll be an interesting part of this battle.”

Mullen On Going To Idaho For The Second Time

“Never been (to Albertsons Stadium). The states you’ve been to, my wife and I went over to Utah right before camp started a while ago, we weren’t even married yet. … But we went up to Yellowstone, and on the drive home you can come out the backside of Yellowstone in Wyoming, and you can kind of go through Montana and Idaho to come back through Utah, does that sound about right? I think it is.

We had lunch at one spot and gas at another, so I can check them off that I’ve been to those states. But that was my experience. I don’t remember if Idaho was the lunch or the gas station, but I got out of my car and was like ‘Boom, I’ve been to this state!’ So this will be my second trip to Idaho.”

Mullen On Boise State's Blue Turf

“It is what it is. That’s their deal. They like it, and it’s kind of cool. We’ll see. I’ve never seen it, so I have no idea if it does anything.”