On Nevada football's Jay Norvell, fourth downs and a new-found aggressiveness

Nevada football fall camp update for Aug. 14, 2018. Duke Ritenhouse, dritenhouse@rgj.com

(Photo: Jason Bean, Reno Gazette-Journal-USA TODAY N)Nevada football coach Jay Norvell loves his kicker, Spencer Pettit, and his punter, Quinton Conaway, so much so he’s awarded both walk-ons scholarships.

But his preference is to use Pettit and Conaway as little as possible. No offense. Like we said, he likes the guys. But he also likes going for it on fourth down. How much?

Last season, Nevada ranked ninth out of 129 FBS teams in percentage of fourth downs attempted, going for it 29.79 percent of the time. The season prior, which was Brian Polian’s last at Nevada, the Wolf Pack went for it just 16.05…