UNLV opens spring football hoping Armani Rogers is the real deal

It’s the unknown that fascinates us, and nothing captivates a football fan’s interest more than the heartbeat of any team. The game might require things like perseverance and hard work and sacrifice, but none of that means squat without a capable quarterback.

The time of many expecting nothing from UNLV so as to avoid an annual dose of disappointment could be nearing its end, the result of a redshirt freshman who to this point has been all hype and whispered potential.

Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a program that has managed two winning seasons over the past 17 years, because sometimes hope can be enough of an elixir to ignite the fire of even the most indifferent of fan bases.

Armani Rogers sure looks the part. If anything is going to suggest better days and more wins are close enough to see, it’s the portrait of a 6-foot-5-inch, strong, ultra-athletic quarterback with a big arm and even bigger upside.

The Rebels began their third spring practice under coach Tony Sanchez on Wednesday, and yet not since he arrived from Bishop Gorman High has there been this much intrigue around his team’s most important position.

The most talked about quarterback at UNLV last season didn’t take a snap, as Rogers arrived from Hamilton High in Los Angeles and spent his first year on campus watching the Rebels struggle to a 4-8 finish.

“If this would have been the expectations last year and we had played him (as a true freshman), it could have crushed him,” Sanchez said. “But he gets it. He saw some of the tough things we went through. He saw some of the hurt and pain. He knows there are going to be some tough days, that this isn’t easy.

“But he also knows all of us believe in him. He’s not a peacock guy — he’s a great kid on and off the field, in the locker room. He never thinks he’s better than the situation. A lot of guys do, and when things go bad, where do they go? This team will rally around Armani because of the person he is.

“It’s on us to manage expectations. As long as he’s not worried about the outside peripheral stuff and he’s only worried about expectations within the locker room and team, he will be fine.”

Sanchez is playing it smart in that he has said spring ball will include a competition at quarterback among Rogers and returning seniors Kurt Palandech and Johnny Stanton. There is one, and yet there isn’t, and there really shouldn’t be.

Rogers took 50 percent of the starter’s snaps Wednesday, and the veterans split the other half. UNLV not only wants Rogers to separate himself quickly but also needs him to for all sorts of reasons on and off the field.

Quarterback hasn’t been a position of strength for the Rebels — certainly not to the level of all-conference type ability — since Jason Thomas in the early 2000s. Caleb Herring had a nice season in 2013. That’s about it.

When you consider the depth of skill that exists at running back and wide receiver for the Rebels, along with a defense that is sure to again allow its share of big plays and points, UNLV can’t continue to offer below-average play at quarterback and expect to be in the neighborhood of bowl eligibility.

There are also tickets to sell and a program to market. Look. Fair doesn’t get a vote here. UNLV has hardly inspired the masses to spend Saturdays at Sam Boyd Stadium. It needs to pique the interest of those deciding whether to support the Rebels, and nothing does so better than the promise of a young, exciting, dynamic quarterback.

Even as he struggles — and he absolutely will at times — Rogers can act as a bridge for doubting fans to cross and support UNLV as they experience the growing pains and learning curve with him.

Too much pressure too soon for him? Perhaps.

But that’s where UNLV is. This kid needs to be good.

“You can’t be overwhelmed with the situation,” Rogers said. “I can’t worry about what everyone says. I just have to be mentally tough. When stuff hits the fan, I can’t put my head down. Stand tall. Do my best every day. Be prepared. I had four older brothers growing up. I had to fight for everything.”

They’re going to make him fight for the starting role at UNLV, and they should, but know that unless something crazy occurs to alter the plan, he will be named the guy out of spring ball and have the summer knowing he will be behind center against visiting Howard on Sept. 2.

Until now, Armani Rogers has been the unknown, and that can be fascinating in some ways, but what reality proves to be is an entirely different matter.

For his part, Rogers will get every chance to prove he is as special as all the hype and whispered potential suggests he can be.

Contact columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.