Quality depth elusive commodity for UNLV

Here is the origin: It comes from a 1738 play by a French fellow named Leonor Jean Christine Soulas d'Allainval, which I dare you to say 10 times fast and not sound like Gilbert Gottfried ordering breakfast from a cafe in Paris.

Leo first wrote about an embarrassment of riches, the idea of having an overabundance of something. You know, like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and automobiles. Donald Trump and ego. Taylor Swift and lyrics about playing the victim.

Roger Goodell and humiliating losses.

It also exists for some college football teams, or perhaps you didn't see the runaway train of talent Ohio State dressed for its season-opening laugher of a win at Virginia Tech on Monday night.

I don't have a clue who the fourth-string quarterback is for the Buckeyes, but 100 or so teams nationally sure could use him.

It's reminiscent of the NFL Draft factory that Pete Carroll used to feature while coaching Southern California, when you would sit and watch and scratch your head weekly as to how he persuaded so many terrific players to accept backup roles when they could have started and starred at countless major programs.

It's even more impressive today, when a coach such as Urban Meyer can build his Ohio State power in a me-first society of coddled teenagers and their overbearing handlers, those who fill young minds with narcissistic views of self-importance. Everyone wants to be The Man in 2015.

It's true that few can create the rosters of depth a team such as Ohio State has this season and Carroll once did with the Trojans. Many of the country's top programs come close. Then there is everyone else, including a certain local team hoping to discover a path that leads to some form of success.

Don't take this as a comparison in any manner. When it comes to talented two-deeps and beyond, UNLV is as close to Ohio State as Las Vegas is to Madagascar.

Only farther.

But if the Rebels are to ever compete within the top tier of the Mountain West, first-year coach Tony Sanchez must overcome a few glaring weaknesses.

1. Hope the administration finds a way to build a football complex that would attract a much higher level of player.

2. Sign lots of those players.

Quality depth and the Rebels haven't been friends forever, which is why things occur as they did at Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Rebels played an inspired first half against a three-touchdown favorite, led 17-10 at intermission and wore down thereafter before dropping the season opener 38-30.

We have it seen it time and again with UNLV the past decade.

Most weeks, it just can't keep up for 60 minutes.

Here's the thing: As the Rebels coach, Sanchez probably will never compete against the Ohio States of the world in recruiting, but he needs to find a way to stay even and eventually start winning his share of battles against the Boise States and San Diego States and Colorado States of the Mountain West.

That's how you build necessary depth in this particular non-Power 5 conference.

"There is no reason we can't compete with the best (Mountain West) teams on the recruiting trail," Sanchez said. "Right now, we are just too young in certain areas. We have some great older players, but we don't have enough of them. We had three offensive linemen play 91 snaps (Saturday). That's too many. But it's where we are at right now, and I'm proud of the guys for fighting."

You play to your strengths in a living room and sell those points that would most open the eyes and ears of recruits. Meyer has the advantage of walking into a home and blinding families with his national championship rings and impressing them with a long list of those NFL players that learned under him.

It's not so easy for the guy pushing UNLV and one winning season in 11 years.

But there are worse things to offer when building a program than immediate playing time to kids who are seeking it, which means every kid you recruit. The Rebels played nine true freshmen on Saturday, far too big a number against a quality opponent such as Northern Illinois and yet a sign to those who might be considering UNLV that Sanchez and his staff are not fearful of giving first-year players a chance.

"We're not going to play (freshmen) just to get them an opportunity," Sanchez said. "We're playing the guys we think give us the best chance to win.

"I just think you have to be really honest with kids when recruiting. Tell them what you're about. Kids want to be pushed. They want to be developed. They want to be in a competitive situation. That's exactly what we're going to offer here. That's how we're going to build that depth."

A select few have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talent.

And then there is everyone else.

Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on "Seat and Ed" on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Twitter: @edgraney.