Blog Article
Nevada Football 2025 Season Preview: Jeff Choate’s Critical Second Year
Jeff Choate’s honeymoon period as Nevada’s football coach is over.
After a brutal 3-10 debut season that included an embarrassing 0-7 conference record, Nevada’s second-year head coach enters 2025 with a hot seat rating of .451. This number screams one thing: urgency. With conventional wisdom granting coaches three years to show progress, 2025 becomes make-or-break time for both Choate and the Wolf Pack program.
The mathematics are simple and unforgiving. Nevada has stumbled through three consecutive 10-loss seasons, going 7-30 from 2022-24 in what represents the worst stretch in the program’s FBS history. Choate inherited a roster decimated by coaching turnover, but year two demands tangible improvement, not just moral victories and “cultural progress.”
The Painful Reality of Year One
Two stories emerged from Choate’s first season.
The encouraging narrative highlighted competitive losses to ranked opponents, SMU and Boise State, suggesting that the program had stopped the bleeding of complete blowouts that had plagued previous years. Nevada played a better brand of football but went 2-6 in one-possession games, including losses to top-10 teams.
The harsh reality revealed deeper problems:
- Nevada’s 99 penalties tied for fifth-most nationally
- The Wolf Pack accumulated 935 penalty yards, also fifth-most among FBS teams
- These weren’t isolated incidents but a season-long pattern that cost Nevada winnable games against Georgia Southern, San Jose State, and Fresno State.
Even more concerning was the defensive collapse. The Wolf Pack allowed 391.5 yards per game and managed just 14 sacks—tied for the fourth fewest in the nation and the team’s least since having five in 2004.
Without a pass rush, opponents controlled games through methodical drives that Nevada’s penalty-prone defense couldn’t stop.
The Roster Revolution
Choate has essentially rebuilt Nevada from scratch.
He added 53 new players for 2025, effectively flipping roughly half the roster. This wasn’t subtle tinkering, but rather an acknowledgment that his initial roster construction had missed the mark.
“I think we made some mistakes last year because we hurried and we made it a point not to do that this year,” Choate admitted to Nevada Sports Net.
The coaching staff prioritized character and academic performance over flashy recruiting rankings:
- They examined academic history as a predictor of work ethic
- They evaluated family makeup and positive influences
- They signed 30 high school players compared to just five the previous year
- They emphasized Northern Nevada and Northern California recruits for better regional fits
This philosophical shift reflects hard-learned lessons about sustainable roster building versus quick-fix recruiting.
The Quarterback Conundrum
Brendon Lewis’s departure creates Nevada’s most pressing question mark.
Lewis accounted for 2,290 passing yards and 775 rushing yards, essentially functioning as the offense’s engine. His replacement likely comes from a group including Chubba Purdy, AJ Bianco, and newcomer Carter Jones, but none brings Lewis’s proven production.
The numbers tell a concerning story:
- Purdy managed just 239 yards in seven games last season
- Bianco totaled 173 yards in five appearances
- Both showed flashes but lack the sample size to inspire confidence
The quarterback uncertainty ripples throughout an offense that already lost top receiver Jaden Smith (849 yards, 7 TDs) and leading rusher Savion Red (687 yards, 8 TDs).
Defensive Reconstruction
Nevada’s defensive makeover aims to address the unit’s glaring weaknesses.
The Wolf Pack added six transfers to the defensive backfield, addressing a secondary that consistently broke down in coverage. “That was a major priority,” Choate said of the defensive backs additions.
The coaching staff also restructured the defensive line room, combining edge rushers and interior linemen under one coordinator to improve communication and technique. This organizational change acknowledges that Nevada’s pass rush needs systematic improvement rather than personnel Band-Aids.
Special Teams Overhaul
Perhaps no area received more attention than special teams.
Nevada’s failures in crucial moments contributed to several losses throughout 2024. The Wolf Pack completely rebuilt the unit, adding multiple specialists and dedicating additional coaching resources.
This investment reflects Choate’s understanding that field position and execution in crucial moments separate winners from those who settle for moral victories.
The Schedule Reality Check
Nevada’s 2025 schedule presents both opportunities and dangers.
The season opener at Penn State represents a guaranteed loss against a College Football Playoff semifinalist. However, subsequent games offer hope:
- Sacramento State (winnable home opener)
- Middle Tennessee (balanced opponent at home)
- Western Kentucky (road test but manageable)
The Mountain West slate includes crucial home games against San Diego State, Boise State, San Jose State, and UNLV. These provide chances to reverse last year’s conference shutout.
Road trips to Fresno State, New Mexico, Utah State, and Wyoming will test whether Nevada’s cultural changes translate to road toughness.
The Pressure Points
Several factors will determine whether Choate survives beyond 2025.
Conference Competitiveness: A 0-7 record in Mountain West play would likely seal Choate’s fate. The program needs at least 2-3 conference wins to demonstrate tangible progress.
Penalty Discipline: “I’ve never seen this before in my life,” Choate said about Nevada’s penalty problems during the 2024 season. If the Wolf Pack continues flagging itself out of games, it signals fundamental coaching failures.
Close Game Execution: Nevada lost multiple one-possession games through mental errors and poor situational execution. Converting just two of those losses into wins would dramatically alter perception.
Player Development: The roster overhaul only matters if newcomers improve throughout the season.
Stagnant development would indicate systemic problems beyond personnel.
What Success Looks Like
Realistic improvement for Nevada means 5-6 wins and 2-3 conference victories.
Bowl eligibility would represent a massive step forward, but even falling short while showing evident progress in penalties, defense, and close-game execution could buy Choate another year.
The hot seat rating of .451 leaves little room for moral victories. “I really feel like there’s a shift in our locker room,” Choate said, entering his second season, but shifts in locker rooms must translate to shifts in the win column.
The Deeper Reality
Choate’s situation embodies the modern paradox of college football.
Programs demand immediate results while acknowledging that sustainable success requires patience and development. Nevada’s administration and fan base understand the roster challenges Choate inherited, but hot seat ratings reflect results, not excuses.
The coach’s emphasis on character and culture suggests he’s building for long-term sustainability rather than quick fixes. However, this approach only works if accompanied by visible on-field improvement.
Too many college coaches have been fired while preaching the importance of culture and character development.
The Verdict
Jeff Choate has made logical moves to address Nevada’s 2024 weaknesses.
The roster overhaul targets specific problems, the coaching adjustments reflect honest self-assessment, and the recruiting philosophy emphasizes sustainable building rather than desperate transfers.
Whether these changes translate to wins remains uncertain:
- Choate’s hot seat rating of .451 reflects legitimate concerns about his ability to develop competitive teams quickly enough
- Year two will determine if he’s the right leader for Nevada’s rebuild
- The margin for error has vanished
Choate’s process appears sound, but in college football, results matter more than methodology.
Nevada needs wins, not explanations, and 2025 will determine if Jeff Choate can deliver both.
