UNLV vs Cal Postgame: Dan Mullen on Jackson Arnold, Explosive Plays and NDSU Next

UNLV picked up a major home win over Cal, and Dan Mullen’s biggest takeaway afterward was the toughness his team showed when the game turned against it. The Rebels built momentum, watched Cal erase it and take the lead in the second half, then responded instead of letting the game get away. Mullen repeatedly came back to the way UNLV handled the swings of the game, especially with both teams dealing with injuries and the result still coming down to the final possession. A major part of the offensive plan was creating explosive plays against a Cal secondary that Mullen clearly respected. UNLV used shifts, motions and formation changes to hunt favorable one-on-one matchups, while Jackson Arnold also hurt Cal when man coverage turned defenders’ backs and opened running lanes for the quarterback. Arnold also talked about how much more comfortable he feels in the offense after five weeks. Mullen said the growth is showing less in simply knowing the system and more in understanding how to use it, when to take a shot and when the matchup gives him an opportunity to be aggressive. That showed up throughout the game. Even after Cal broke up several early passes and later erased UNLV’s lead, Arnold said his focus was simply moving on to the next play. That became especially important after Cal went ahead in the second half and the Rebels had to regain control offensively. Mullen also praised Corey Dennis for helping create the matchups that produced UNLV’s two long touchdown passes. He described both as complete football plays: protection, route, throw and catch all working against tight coverage rather than relying on a blown assignment. Defensively, the fourth-down stops were enormous. Mullen described those plays as stolen possessions, especially in a game where special teams created extra opportunities for both sides. UNLV had some major positives in that phase, but also mistakes that Mullen knows cannot continue. Now the focus turns to conference play and North Dakota State. Mullen challenged UNLV fans and students to “double down” after the atmosphere against Cal and create an even bigger home-field advantage next week. More UNLV coverage: https://the-scarlet-standard.com/ YouTube:    / @ss_medialv   X: https://x.com/SS_MediaLV Instagram:   / ss_medialv   Facebook:   / the-scarlet-standard-lv-61577609316045   Vegas Varsity: https://vegasvarsity.com/ Use promo code SSM10 for 10% off your order. #UNLVFB #UNLVFootball #DanMullen #CollegeFootball #MountainWest