Quarterback Jarrod Jackson, shown in drills at UNLV's practice on Monday at Rebel Park, hopes to win the No. 2 job, backing up Rocky Hinds. Photo by Craig L. Moran.

Two seasons ago, Jarrod Jackson was UNLV's starting quarterback.

Then last year, he watched as Rocky Hinds and Shane Steichen jockeyed back and forth for the job through the first half of the season. Jackson was on standby, redshirting as a senior.

It would have been too much for many players, who would have moved on with their lives and maybe to another school.

Jackson didn't. He's in spring practices competing for the backup job to Hinds, who is out until summer with a knee injury.

Why did he stay with it?

"I love football and coach (Mike) Sanford," Jackson said.

He said the experience has made him eager to make something of next season.

"Watching last year was tough, but everybody pays their dues and just be ready," Jackson said.

Jackson (6 feet 1 inch, 205 pounds) signed with UNLV out of Grossmont College in El Cajon, Calif. He was 21-2 at Grossmont and was expected to battle -- if not beat out -- Steichen for the starting job in 2005.

Steichen won the position, but an early season injury turned the reins over to Jackson for six games. He passed for 1,321 yards and six touchdown passes but threw 12 interceptions. The Rebels were 1-5 in his starts.

"I feel 1,000 times more comfortable and ready to play than I was when I first got here," Jackson said.

Sanford said he has noticed the difference.

"I think he benefited a lot," Sanford said. "He showed a lot of toughness and developed as a quarterback."

Now Jackson is trying to put that development to use as he competes with redshirt freshman Travis Dixon (6-1, 190) and junior Dack Ishii (6-2, 220), a transfer from Tennessee, for the No. 2 spot.

It's a competition that might not be settled until training camp in August.

"I'm just competing to compete, and whatever spot I get is whatever spot I get," Jackson said.

The No. 1 spot belongs to Hinds (6-5, 220), a junior who is on track with his rehabilitation to return this summer and go through voluntary workouts to reclaim his starting job.

Hinds suffered a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the second game last season. Even his teammates did not know the extent of the injury, and Hinds soldiered on to finish the season.

For now, though, he can only watch at practice.

"It's coming along real good," Hinds said of his rehab. "I'm doing it every day. The timetable right now isn't June or July, it's just summer."

• NOTES -- The team is doing a run-based drill in which the quarterback can be hit, a highly unusual tactic. Quarterbacks are almost exclusively off limits in practice.

Sanford said even Hinds would be "live" if he were healthy enough to practice.

"In that drill, we need to (make the QB live) because part of this offense is the quarterback running the football," Sanford said. ...

Sanford said sophomore center Joe Hawley (6-3, 280) and junior defensive end Thor Pili (6-3, 265) have been particularly impressive so far. ...

Freshman defensive end Daniel Mareko (6-2, 225) sustained an apparent sprained left knee and is awaiting an MRI exam.