Sanchez, Rebels await boost in manpower, talent

One of the big questions toward the end of UNLV's football season was whether coach Tony Sanchez would remove the redshirt from quarterback Dalton Sneed.

Sneed wasn't the only freshman the Rebels were keeping on the sideline.

Sanchez wanted to win this season, but he also wants to build a program for sustained success, and seven incoming freshmen redshirted.

"Unfortunately, we did not get to redshirt our offensive linemen," Sanchez said. "We wanted to, and we got about midseason, and we were beat up there. We had three guys starting the last game of the season that were under 270 (pounds). I bet you that's a national record."

Four players who did redshirt — Soli Afalava, Evan Austrie, Jericho Flowers and Javin White — were in the secondary. UNLV didn't need those players to contribute right away, and now they will be integral parts of what's to come.

"There are going to be some major battles in spring ball this year," Sanchez said.

UNLV went 3-9 in Sanchez's first season, and though he didn't like the record, he wasn't surprised. He knew when he took over that the Rebels were a long-term fix, though Sanchez is going heavily after junior college players for the 2016 recruiting class.

It speaks to the immediate help UNLV needs, but Sanchez doesn't plan to make bringing in loads of JC players a yearly habit.

UNLV could use the help throughout the lineup, and having those four freshmen ready to play next year in the secondary will be important. It won't be easy replacing safeties Peni Vea and Blake Richmond, but cornerbacks Torry McTyer and Tim Hough return and are coming off promising seasons. Also, nickelback Darius Mouton started five games as an incoming freshman.

Elsewhere, wide receiver Darren Woods Jr. and defensive lineman Gabe McCoy also redshirted, and both could make significant impacts next season. Woods will supplement an already talented receivers unit, and McCoy will be counted on to boost a front that badly needs it.

And there is the quarterback position, where Sanchez and his assistant coaches resisted the temptation to play Sneed while starter Blake Decker dealt with injuries and backup Kurt Palandech struggled to throw the ball downfield.

"I think (redshirting Sneed) was a good thing," Sanchez said. "Based on what we saw in practice, he would not have made an impact to the point where it would've affected any games. It really benefited him in the long run."

Decker is gone, and Palandech isn't guaranteed to win the job. Sneed will have a lot to say about that this spring, as could Kevin Thomson, a redshirt freshman who didn't play because of elbow surgery.

Plus, the Rebels hope to sign a junior college quarterback and could receive a commitment from one today or Monday.

If Sanchez is to move the program forward, he will need a quality quarterback to get it done. He also needs improved play by the offensive line and throughout a defense that allowed 33.7 points per game.

The Rebels do return their running backs from a ground game that averaged 193.2 yards per game, their highest since 2002. Sophomore wide receiver Devonte Boyd was second-team All-Mountain West for the second season in a row, and he and Kendal Keys form a strong 1-2 combination.

On defense, all three starting linebackers return, including Tau Lotulelei, who made 11½ tackles for loss. Hough intercepted four passes and broke up four others.

Plenty is still unknown about what the lineup will look like next season. UNLV has 11 commitments for the current recruiting class, with room for 13 more.

There's the immediate help, but with Sanchez, he also must keep an eye on the big picture.

"You think about football and what we could do for this university and this city when it comes to generating revenue, it's huge," Sanchez said. "So it's not just invest in us so we go beat our chest and be great at football. Invest money in us so we can recruit at a high level, so we can be championship caliber."

UNLV 2015 REPORT CARD

Offense: C-

The Rebels certainly made strides, improving their averages over last season by 6.7 points and 17.3 yards per game. When Blake Decker was at quarterback, the offense operated more on a B to B-plus average, but his numerous injuries limited what UNLV was able to accomplish. Backup quarterback Kurt Palandech is a talented athlete, but his inability to stretch the field allowed opponents to focus on stopping UNLV's running game. The fact the Rebels still averaged 193.2 yards on the ground was remarkable.

Defense: D

This side of the ball had good moments early in the season, playing a physical brand that made opposing offenses work hard for they got. But the Rebels were always thin on defense, and time was not on their side. By the end of the season, after injuries and general wear had set in, the Rebels had trouble stopping anyone. They allowed a 39.4-point average over their final seven games.

Special teams: B-

Until missing two chip shots in the season finale at Wyoming, kicker Nicolai Bornand had been having a strong season in making 12 of 15 field goals. Logan Yunker averaged 42.5 yards per punt and parked 18 inside the 20-yard line. Kickoff return and kick coverage teams were adequate, but the punt return and punt coverage teams were lacking.

Coaching: C+

UNLV was more competitive than in many previous years, at least for the first part of the season. The second part, it was much more like the old Rebels. That wasn't entirely the coaches' fault, as a lack of depth kicked in. But the coaches also failed to find ways to win at Fresno State and Wyoming, games in which the Rebels were favored. They did capture the Fremont Cannon in Reno, the clear highlight of the season.

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