Jericho Flowers stepping up at cornerback for UNLV
So many UNLV wide receivers got hurt last season that Jericho Flowers had to switch sides of the football and help out on offense.
He wound up catching 10 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown, but now is back at cornerback.
The experience was invaluable because Flowers learned what goes through the mind of a receiver.
“It helped my footwork,” he said. “It helped my eyes. It just helped me mentally, and the physical part is all on me, how much work I put in the game.”
The sophomore has been running first team in training camp as UNLV prepares for its Sept. 2 season opener against Howard at Sam Boyd Stadium.
“I cannot tell you how many times you get a great player and they never reach their full potential because they’re not coachable,” coach Tony Sanchez said. “They think they know it all. They don’t want to be coached hard. They don’t want to be pressed. Jericho relishes in that. He wants to be coached. He wants to be taught. And everything he does, he does a million miles an hour.”
The Rebels are using three corners in the rotation at the two spots, and they hope a fourth emerges. Flowers (5 feet 10 inches, 175 pounds) is doing his part to increase the competition.
“We push each other to the limit,” he said.
Position breakdown
Linebacker
Strongside
1. Gabe McCoy, So., 6-2, 215
2T. Soli Afalava, So., 6-2, 205; David Tate Jr., Fr., 6-1, 220
Middle
1. Brian Keyes, Sr., 6-1, 250
2T. Farrell Hester II, Fr., 6-1, 240; Jacob Rominger, Jr., 6-2, 230
Weakside
1. Bailey Laolagi, Jr., 6-1, 220
2T. Aaron Borg, Jr., 6-1, 240; Kyler O’Halloran, Sr., 6-0, 225.
It’s a largely inexperienced group but an athletic one. The ideal situation would be to establish a strong rotation at each spot, and at this early point in camp, it looks as if the Rebels are on their way to doing that.
“The whole group has done a nice job working hard,” defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kent Baer said. “That position has more to learn than probably any of them in terms of alignments and assignments. They’ve gotten better. I think we’ll be OK once we get started, but we still need three weeks of practice before we play.”
Notes
— Redshirt freshman quarterback Armani Rogers threw a 50-yard touchdown pass in practice Wednesday at Rebel Park on a line in stride to senior wide receiver Devonte Boyd of Basic High School. It was an NFL-quality pass.
“At the end, that’s really where you see him at his best,” Sanchez said of Rogers. “He’s a run threat, he’s a pass threat, and you can go play action. His arm strength’s unbelievable. It’s funny, when he’s thinking about it, he doesn’t do it. But when he’s not thinking about it and flips that wrist, that’s 60 yards in the air no problem with an absolute line. Those are the things he’s going to be able to do, so I’m excited about him.”
— Sophomores Darren Woods Jr. and Brandon Presley and junior Tim Hough of Desert Pines are competing at kick return. At punt return, Flowers and Presley and junior Lexington Thomas are battling for that spot.
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Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.
