No grand entrance for Rebels

DALLAS — UNLV offensive left tackle Brett Boyko got to the customs line in Toronto and began to panic. The line was so long, he wasn’t sure he would make his connecting flight to Dallas.

“I was getting scared,” said Boyko, who is from Canada.

Fortunately for Boyko, his layover was 2½ hours, just enough time to accommodate the two-hour wait at customs.

He was one of five Rebels to arrive Friday in the Metroplex for the Heart of Dallas Bowl. UNLV faces North Texas at 9 a.m. PST Wednesday at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

The rest of the team made it to town Saturday, including linebacker Tau Lotulelei and safety Peni Vea, who landed at about 5:45 a.m. after flying overnight from Honolulu.

UNLV had quite a logistical challenge trying to fly players into Dallas from various destinations on commercial flights. The players were allowed to go home for Christmas, and they will return home after the New Year’s Day game because UNLV’s classes don’t begin until Jan. 22.

Because players trickled into the team hotel at the Hyatt Regency, the Rebels didn’t have a grand entrance heralding their first bowl appearance since 2000. No banners were visible making it clear this would be UNLV’s home for nearly a week or that the hotel had any tie to the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Being back together also meant a return to game mode for the Rebels, who haven’t played since beating San Diego State 45-19 victory on Nov. 30. UNLV is practicing at Southern Methodist’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

“This takes me back a little bit,” coach Bobby Hauck said. “When I was at Colorado, we played in the ’96 Cotton Bowl. It’s the same hotel, same practice site. So I’m excited for our guys to show up and get back on the practice field. Everybody’s refreshed and ready to get back out there.”

Hauck will take the same result his Buffaloes experienced in beating Oregon 38-6.

But the presence of families at the team hotel was another hint this wasn’t a typical Rebels road game. Hauck pulled up to the hotel with his wife, Stacey, and four kids with him.

Like most college teams, the Rebels charter flights during the regular season.

“It was kind of weird to be on a plane with a baby on the way to a game,” said quarterback Caleb Herring, who flew in from LA/Ontario International Airport in Southern California. “She passed out when I passed out.”

Cornerback Kenneth Penny, who is from the Dallas area, has been in town since Dec. 22, so the 20-minute drive to the hotel was easy. He’s had a more difficult time distributing about 35 tickets to friends and family.

Penny figures he will serve as his teammates’ tour guide, but he’s also looking forward to participating in some of the activities organized by the bowl.

“I know they’re going to show us a couple of spots I haven’t been to before,” Penny said.

This might be an easy trip for Penny, but other Rebels had a much longer distance to cover. Lotulelei said he took advantage of the seven-hour flight from Hawaii to sleep, and he’s used to making long treks from the islands.

“This was longer, but it was all right,” he said. “It was like another flight to me.”

Boyko’s 12-hour adventure began Friday morning in the Canadian city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He flew from there to Toronto to change planes, where he encountered the lengthy U.S. customs line.

After finally reaching Dallas at 9:30 p.m. CST Friday, Boyko at least could sleep in until most of the rest of the team arrived the following day.

“That was nice,” Boyko said. “There was no rush. There was no anxiety about missing a flight this morning. I basically slept as long as I can sleep.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.