Dan Mullen hopes UNLV football can be more selective in transfer portal

Dan Mullen hopes this is the way things are moving forward as UNLV’s football coach. That when it comes to the transfer portal, the Rebels can be more selective in their numbers and the talent they pursue.

That it’s more about plugging holes here and there.

“We essentially had to build an entire roster at this time last year because there were so few players left in the program from the previous staff,” Mullen said. “You’re kind of scrambling all over the place, where this year we have a lot of guys coming back and sticking with the program.

“We had some who weren’t going to be back for whatever reason — we had guys who weren’t good enough to play at this level and needed to find a level they could play in. We had guys offered big money to leave.

“I’m guessing we took 45 players last year and this year it’s 18 to 20. In today’s world, you’re always going to have portal pieces.”

When deciding who to pursue, Mullen does everything by a count.

Running backs solid

The Rebels took one quarterback out of the portal in Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold. Most running backs returned, including leading rusher Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas, so Mullen felt the Rebels were fine there.

There was one tight end on the roster last year, but Mullen brought back some from this season’s team and grabbed one from the portal. They took seven wide receivers last year and three this one.

UNLV had to rebuild its offensive line when Mullen arrived and is still trying to fill the positions up front with capable bodies. The Rebels took a bunch of defensive linemen his first go-around and not as many this time.

“I think this is where we’d like the norm to be,” Mullen said. “I think our coaching staff did a great job retaining players. They wanted to stay and be part of this.

“We’re still in the early program stages. We want to keep building. So the (portal) numbers drop when you have that stability. You’d like to stay in that same range every year of kids from the portal.”

He sat down with several players following this past season — UNLV went 10-4, made the Mountain West championship game for a third straight year and played in the Frisco Bowl — to gauge where they stood on things.

Mullen told each where he saw their future in the program. He’s big on the ‘Why?’ of such matters. Like, why would you choose to enter the portal? What are the reasons behind it?

“Hey, maybe it’s all about money, and I understand that,” Mullen said. “Is it about development? Is it about your career? But you’re also in a great position and don’t need to risk it. You’re having success. You’re happy. I ask them their ‘Why?’ Don’t make an emotional decision. Everything needs to be educated in the decisions they’re making.

“Some kids are just going to go into the portal. I don’t know if it’s empty promises from agents or handlers or people at other schools or what it is.”

Then he tells them about his own ‘Why?’

Loving Las Vegas

Schools with open jobs called on Mullen. They wanted to know his interest in departing UNLV after just one season for perhaps a bigger school in a bigger conference for more money.

He didn’t leave.

“I know why I came to UNLV and I’m sure there are a lot of people wondering why I’m still here,” Mullen said. “I enjoy it. I enjoy the program. I love the city of Las Vegas. We get great support from the administration and we have great alignment. So, I enjoy being here.

“I just try and help the kids understand to really evaluate their decisions before making them.”

Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.