After every Wolf Pack football spring camp, I write up a “Nevada football for dummies” post for fans who haven’t closely followed our coverage for a chance to get familiar with the roster heading into next season. Don’t worry: If you read this, you’re not a dummy. I stole the title from those famous books. With Wolf Pack football wrapping up spring camp last week, here’s a breakdown of Nevada heading into the summer before fall camp begins in July.

Wolf Pack at a glance

2024: 3-10 overall, 0-7 Mountain West (12th out of 12)

Coach: Jeff Choate (second season) – At Nevada: 3-10; overall 31-32

Offensive coordinator: David Gilbertson (first season)

Defensive coordinator: Kane Ioane (second season)

Returning starters: Four (three on offense; one on defense)

Players to watch: QB Cubba Purdy; WR Marcus Bellon; OL Andrew Madrigal; RB Herschel Turner Jr.; TE Jace Henry; DL Thomas Witte; LB Stone Combs; DB Murvin Kenion III

Primary strengths: Nevada doesn’t have much returning productivity, but you can see a path to success at the offensive skill positions with Purdy likely taking over the offensive reins with a solid WR (Bellon), TE (Henry), RB (Turner) and intriguing youngsters at wideout (Marshaun Brown, Nate Burleson II). On defense, the Wolf Pack’s linebacker corps should be solid and there’s experience at secondary via transfer additions. Nevada has raved about the team’s bond and unity.

Potential problems: Nevada has among the fewest returning productivity of any FBS program, especially on defense. The Wolf Pack lost its top passer, top-three rushers, top-two pass catchers, three starting offensive linemen and six of its top-seven tacklers, not to mention all of its interceptions and 82 percent of its sacks. Depth is a concern across the board, especially in the trenches. And there are no returning starters on the defensive back seven, with the secondary a complete rebuild.

Team overview

Offense

Nevada’s offense showed more signs of life last season but remained a below-average unit. The Wolf Pack’s 23.1 points per game, up from 17.3 ppg the year prior, ranked 105th out of 134 FBS schools and eighth out of 12 MW schools. Nevada’s 163.5 rushing yards per game were its most since 2016, a positive sign given Choate takes a run-first approach. That run game will again be the foundation of Nevada’s 2025 attack, which will have a lot of key personnel changes.

Gone is offensive coordinator Matt Lubick, who accepted a job at Kansas in the offseason with quarterbacks coach David Gilbertson promoted to coordinator, a role he’ll hold for the first time. QB Brendon Lewis transferred to Memphis, leaving Purdy and A.J. Bianco to battle for the starting job. Chubba Purdy is the favorite. He’ll have two security-blanket targets in WR Marcus Bellon (39/522/4) and TE Jace Henry, who scored two touchdowns in four games before breaking his foot.

Utah State transfer RB Herschel Turner Jr. (79/405/4) showed as a true freshman last season he can succeed in the MW. He’s expected to lead a running back room that will run behind an offensive line that returns two starters in C Andrew Madrigal and RG Josh Grabowski, although LT Isaiah World, a potential 2026 first-round draft pick, transferred to Oregon. The offense has plenty of questions but more returning continuity year over year than the defense. Purdy’s play (and health) will be key.

Defense

Nevada’s defense took a step forward in Choate’s first season but lacked explosive plays. The Wolf Pack cut its points per game allowed from 33.4 in 2023 to 28.8 in 2024, which ranked 95th in the nation and seventh in the MW. But Nevada produced just 14 takeaways and 14 sacks in 13 games while allowing almost 200 rushing yards per game, areas that must be improved in 2025 if Nevada is going to return to bowl contention.

The Wolf Pack brings back the entire defensive staff, although a number of position coaches are in new roles. The only returning starter is DT Thomas Witte, a former walk-on now in his sixth season at Nevada. That defensive line has its share of question marks and is embracing a more blue-collar approach. The group must be better against the run (5.1 yards per carry allowed) and get more consistent pressure on the quarterback. DE Dylan Labarbera has breakout potential.

The back seven is a complete rebuilt after losing starters LB Drue Watts (Memphis), CB Michael Coats Jr. (West Virginia), CB Chad Brown (Purdue) and S Tori Daffin to transfer with S Kitan Crawford a likely NFL draft pick. Out of the portal, Nevada added Sac State’s Murvin Kenion III, UTEP’s AJ Odums, Bowling Green’s Edward Rhambo, Weber State’s Zavien Abercrombie, Nebraska’s Cooper Wilson and Columbia’s Hayden McDonald. That secondary is the big question.

Special teams

Nevada breaks in a new starting kicker in Kian Afrookhteh, who got some work late last season as an injury replacement and made both of his field goals and all nine of his extra points. Freshman punter Bailey Ettridge, an Australian import, is expected to start. Marcus Bellon (8.2 yards per return last season) has all-conference potential as a punt returner. Ky Woods (24 yards per return) and Marquis Ashley (21.5 yards per return) both have kick return experience.

Schedule

After playing one of the hardest schedules in program history in Choate’s first season, things are more reasonable in 2025, although the season opener — at Penn State — is formidable. Nevada also plays two Conference USA teams (Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee) in non-league plus FCS foe Sac State. The Wolf Pack hosts rivals Boise State and UNLV, last year’s MW championship game teams, and plays six 2024 bowl teams in total. Three of the Wolf Pack’s four conference road games are against non-bowl teams, so the better teams are coming to Mackay Stadium.

2025 outlook

Nevada is coming off back-to-back-to-back 10-loss seasons, the Wolf Pack’s worst stretch since joining the FBS in 1992. Last year showed on-field improvements but a lack of discipline and late-game execution led to a 2-6 record in one-possession game. With only four returning starters, outside expectations are still relatively muted. But the Wolf Pack expects to take a jump to a bowl game in Choate’s second season in charge. That’d marked the first postseason appearance since 2021.

Extra points

Top newcomer

RB Herschel Turner Jr: Turner’s high school résumé is the stuff of video games. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back from Richmond, Calif., rushed for 3,027 yards and 42 touchdowns, both school records, as a senior, averaging 17.1 yards per game. he also had 67 tackles, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries on defense. As a true freshman at Utah State last season, he rushed 79 times for 405 yards (5.1 yards per attempt) and four touchdowns, catching 12 passes for 71 yards.

Trend to note

Nevada’s roster remains under construction. The Wolf Pack exited spring camp in need of cutting around 15 players to get down to the NCAA maximum of 105 players if the House settlement is approved. That’s before adding any players from the spring transfer portal. So, more roster changes are coming, largely on the bottom of the roster, after Nevada lost 21 players to the portal during the winter period. By the time the dust settles, the Wolf Pack roster should be around 80 percent constructed of players Choate recruited despite getting the job just 16 months ago.

Quote to note

“We’re really a unified group right now, and that’s something we have to invest in. It’s not going to happen organically. We have to create opportunities for us to grow as a team. Becoming unified as a team is one goal. The second thing is they’ve got to grind. The summer’s where it’s at. The offseason is great. Spring camp is great. But the culmination of your summer training is real football. That’s where you really have to make it happen. (Strength) coach (Jason) Loscalzo’s got his job in front of him. We’re taking the whistle off. He’s putting it on. And those guys have to grind in the weight room spending time together getting to know each other.” – Choate

Projected starting lineups

Two-deep depth chart on offense

Two-deep depth chart on defense

Spring MW power rankings

Coming next week!

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.