Rebels’ Hauck won’t take shortcuts in recruiting

The temptation would be to take shortcuts, after back-to-back two-victory seasons and with a UNLV football program that for many years has known far more losing than winning.

Coach Bobby Hauck could go heavy on junior college recruits, as some longtime followers of the program prefer.

He also could follow the Miami approach to building a program and take chances on players with questionable character but unquestioned ball skills.

Hauck acknowledged it's tough to resist wanting to pursue such measures, but insisted he is committed to winning with mostly high school players and those he could send into the Las Vegas community without worrying about being awoken by 3 a.m. calls.

His philosophy on building with high school recruits: "As a group, you have to have some discipline, some mental toughness, and you've got to endure the fact you're going to go through some things that are pretty trying. It's just the way it is. That's a decision that you make, and I've never been a believer that switching horses in midstream works very well. ... If you have a sound plan, then you have a sound plan. But you've got to see it through to the end."

Hauck's belief on building with players with high character: "It's great to take chances on guys. Everybody deserves chances. But you can't have a locker room full of those guys. You have to have a locker room full of good guys that will encourage and not tolerate people not doing things right. That's what we're moving toward."

Quarterback is high on his recruiting priority list, especially with Taylor Barnhill -- who started two games at QB -- possibly moving permanently to tight end.

The Rebels will sign one and maybe two quarterbacks to try to improve a passing game that averaged 109.6 yards per game, third from last nationally.

One possible answer is Nick Sherry, a former Colorado commitment who redshirted and will vie with Caleb Herring and Sean Reilly for the starting job.

"I think Nick's definitely got a chance to compete, and I'm excited about his abilities," Hauck said. "Certainly, we need our quarterback play and our production at that position to improve.

"If we're going to be who we want to be on offense and be as productive as we want to be on offense, we've got to be able to throw the ball effectively. We want balance, so if we can't throw it 50 percent of the time, we're not who we want to be there. That's not where we are right now. That is going to be a major point of emphasis."

UNLV is looking at 12 to 15 running backs, but given the depth and talent at that position, Hauck said the Rebels will sign just one unless a second is too good to pass up.

The Rebels plan to sign two wide receivers and should get back Marcus Sullivan and Eric Johnson, who were academically ineligible.

"We've got finals week coming, but they've had a good semester academically," Hauck said. "They had a good fall in practice, and I'm excited about those guys. It would've helped (this season) to have that speed on the field, certainly."

UNLV hopes to sign four or five linemen each on the offensive and defensive side, with the emphasis on high school players, and maybe three linebackers. Hauck said he might sign a junior college defensive lineman and a juco linebacker.

As for the secondary, Hauck said he would like to sign two safeties but is happy with his cornerbacks and might not bring one in. If Dre Crawford, who originally signed with Minnesota after previously playing at Yuma's Arizona Western College, becomes academically eligible, that further would boost the defensive backfield.

"The young secondary guys look the part," Hauck said. "Spring ball is going to be big for them. If Dre can get it done in terms of progress to degree, that would be good to have a veteran presence in there."

Hauck said recruits are paying attention to the coaches' pitches despite UNLV's recent and long-term struggles, and he hasn't experienced as much negativity as he expected on the trail.

"It's been good so far, and I'm excited about the class we've got coming together and the guys we've got scheduled to visit," Hauck said. "It's a good-looking group, and we're slowly but surely transforming the way our team looks in their uniforms."

How much recruits are listening will be revealed on signing day, and Hauck said not to expect much recruiting news until closer to that Feb. 1 date, in the hopes of landing talented players caught in a numbers game at bigger-name programs.

"That's how it's going to be for us," Hauck said. "We're not afraid to go well into January to get some guys."

■ NOTE -- Spring practice begins March 12, with three practices per week over five weeks, not including spring break. The spring game tentatively is scheduled for April 20, to create what Hauck hopes is a "Friday Night Lights" atmosphere.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.