Rebels’ football depth chart a work in progress
UNLV’s depth chart was photocopied and handed out to media members Monday morning.
But it was more of a snapshot in time rather than a sacred text.
That’s why even though senior Blake Decker is listed as the starting quarterback coming out of spring practice, it doesn’t mean he will be No. 1 coming out of training camp in August.
Rebels first-year coach Tony Sanchez said he wanted Decker (6 feet 2 inches, 210 pounds) and sophomore backup Kurt Palandech (6-1, 190) to continue to fight for the job as if the position was still wide open.
“I want to keep the battle going for as many games as we play next year,” Sanchez said. “We need to compete. We want guys who want to come out here every single day through the whole season and fight and fight and fight.
“If we do that, that becomes a mentality. Then that competition naturally occurs. We don’t want to be real comfortable every day.”
Redshirt freshman Kevin Thomson (6-1, 185) is No. 3 at quarterback, and Sanchez said incoming freshman Dalton Sneed (6-0, 180) will be given every chance to compete for playing time when camp opens Aug. 6.
Those incoming recruits will make the current depth chart look considerably different when UNLV’s season opens Sept. 5 at Northern Illinois.
Sanchez singled out freshman wide receivers Brandon Presley (6-0, 175) and Darren Woods Jr. (6-0, 210), running back Lexington Thomas (5-9, 170), defensive tackle Salanoa-Alo Wily (6-0, 290) and defensive back Darius Mouton (5-10, 170) as those most likely to make an immediate impact next season.
Of the receivers, Presley is the one most likely to find his way onto the depth chart. He caught 88 passes for 1,467 yards and 21 touchdowns last season at Great Oak High School in Temecula, Calif. Thomas could find himself playing at running back and wide receiver to take advantage of his speed. He recently was clocked at 10.68 seconds in 100 meters.
“Kind of a hybrid guy,” Sanchez said. “We don’t have that kind of guy on our roster right now. He’ll by far be the fastest guy on our roster at any position. Guys like that need to come in an add some explosion.”
Another newcomer, junior college transfer cornerback Jay’Onn Myles (5-8, 175), also is expected to contribute immediately and perhaps even start. He chose the Rebels over Baylor and was the headline name of Sanchez’s first recruiting class.
Sanchez knows it’s going to take more than one recruiting class to plug the holes on a roster coming off a 2-11 year, the Rebels’ eighth two-win season in the past 11 years.
“We don’t have a lot of luxury saying, ‘Let’s go ahead and take these 12 guys and redshirt them,’ ” Sanchez said. “We’re going to have to push some of these guys.”
He’s also trying to move the program forward in other ways and wants to establish Sam Boyd Stadium as a true home-field advantage, something it hasn’t been in many years. Some preseason practices even will take place there, including at least two at night to get used to competing under the lights.
“I don’t like the fact we only go there on game day,” Sanchez said. “Our kids need to have a level of comfort when they’re in there. It needs to be a place where they feel, ‘Hey, this is our house.’ ”
In an effort to add members to that household, the assistants hit the road today and will begin recruiting Wednesday.
As they focus on UNLV’s future, they also haven’t forgotten about the present.
“We may not be as talented as we want everywhere right now, but I haven’t heard one guy say, ‘Oh, man, this is going to be tough,’ ” Sanchez said. “There is not a woe-is-me guy in the building right now. We know it’s not going to be easy, but we’re really excited to get out recruiting and meet that next crop of guys. We’re excited to get back and start working with this group, too.
“Fall’s coming fast.”
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.
