PRESEASON OPENING BRINGS OPTIMISM, HEAT

The opening of preseason football practice usually brings two things: optimism and heat.

While it may be hard to muster up the former on the heels of four straight two-win seasons at UNLV, the latter is all but guaranteed at Rebel Park.

Monday morning was no exception as the first practice of the 2008 UNLV football season saw program newcomers take the field in helmets in temperatures near 100 degrees, with some humidity in the mix.

Beau Orth is accustomed to the heat. The freshman defensive back from Bishop Gorman has been around the Valley long enough to get acclimated, but the same can't be said for all of his teammates.

"Some of the California guys are having trouble getting used to that heat and some of the Arizona guys have had the heat, but we have a little more humidity here," he said. "But I thought everyone handled it well and we had a great practice. The turf does get really hot under your feet, though."

Orth and the rest of the players went through mostly positional drills as the team gets eased into the grind of preparing for a season.

The veterans have the benefit of practicing in the evening on the first day of the fall camp, giving Orth and the rest of the newcomers the chance to get in plenty of work as they get their first taste of college football.

"It's real exciting to play Division I football. It doesn't get any better," he said. "I know my chances of starting aren't great, but I want to go out and put my best effort forward for the team."

The veterans will take the field for the first time this evening.