REBELS RECRUIT SOFTENS COMMITMENT

By all accounts, this has been UNLV football coach Mike Sanford's finest recruiting class, but it could take a big hit this weekend.

Linebacker Horace Miller, listed as a two-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com, is visiting Louisville this weekend. Scout, which ranks him as the nation's No. 105 weak-side backer, downgraded his commitment to a "soft verbal."

Miller, who made 29 sacks last season at Baltimore's Dunbar High School, told Scout his relationship with recently hired Louisville assistant Larry Slade prompted him to take the trip.

"After talking with my family, friends and coaches, I thought I should at least go on the visit," Miller told Scout. "Coach Slade has been very respectful of my situation and didn't try to push me into it. Because of the coaching change, an opportunity for me opened up, and I think in that case it is fine for a coach to contact a player, even if they are committed."

Previous questions arose about how solid Miller's commitment was to the Rebels, and now it's clear there was a good reason for such uncertainty. UNLV could lose out if the lure of playing close to home in the Big East Conference is too much for Miller to turn down.