Trotter has good day after difficult week

It hadn’t been a good week for UNLV tailback Channing Trotter, who struggled with allergies and with holding on to the football.

Because the punishment for a fumble is a lap around the practice field, Trotter did his share of jogging.

Coach Bobby Hauck told Trotter on Wednesday he expected more from his senior back, and Trotter responded in today’s scrimmage at Rebel Park. He rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, sometimes displaying his signature of running through tackles.

“I had to come out here and be a leader and run hard and show coaches I’m for real and I’m not just going through the motions,” Trotter said.

Hauck downplayed his pep talk to Trotter.

“Pep talks work for a brief period, but habits are what we need,” Hauck said. “He, like all of our players, is working hard to develop good practice habits.”

Trotter’s scrimmage performance came at a good time. Redshirt freshman Bradley Randle was starting to assert himself, and he rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries today.

“(Randle) learning his plays and getting everything down is only going to help us,” Trotter said. “It gets me motivated to know that we’re going to be a lot better having two or three running backs that can come in and soften up the load for me, and everybody’s going to contribute.”

FEELING NO. 1 — Most starting positions in spring are based on merit, but at quarterback, Hauck knows he needs to give junior Mike Clausen similar opportunities as senior Omar Clayton.

So Clausen ran the first-team offense this week.

“At the quarterback position, it’s not great to analyze off one practice,” Hauck said. “So if we move somebody up to give them some work with the (starters), generally we give them a day or two. We don’t just throw them in for a day and then blow it out. But we’ll evaluate after today, and then see next week again.”

In the scrimmage, Clausen completed 8 of 12 passes for 67 yards. Clayton was 4-of-10 for 34 yards.

“I think I have a pretty good feel of what the offense has and what I have to do,” Clausen said. “I definitely had a good day today.”

MAKING THE SWITCH — Sophomore David Blair was considered a top linebacker prospect when he signed in 2008, but he seems to have made a smooth transition to fullback, even showing nifty moves for a 7-yard reception that could have gone for a loss.

“He looks like he’s got a lot of enthusiasm for it,” Hauck said. “He probably has some aptitude for it as well.”

HIGH STANDARDS — Hauck said he refuses to ever be satisfied with a team's progress, but "with that being said, I do like the work that we’ve got done.”

The Rebels finished their third week of spring drills. They conclude with four practices next week, including the spring scrimmage at noon April 17 at Sam Boyd Stadium.