UNLV practice recap: Rebels focus on short-yardage plays

After a scheduled off day Monday, when UNLV had a football team activity at Topgolf, the Rebels returned to fall camp Tuesday morning in full pads for their 13th of 29 practices at Rebel Park.

With the Sept. 1 season opener against Jackson Stateon fast approaching, UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said the team is progressing exactly as he’d hoped.

TONY’S TAKE: “The good thing is everything we’re doing, we’re doing for the second time. We did base stuff and short yardage and goal-line (situations). That’s our second short yardage and goal line so now we’re getting repeat plays and repeat situations. There’s not as much to install so you see it executed at a higher level.

“And then you’re starting to see separation, which incoming freshmen can help and which ones are going closer toward redshirting. … We’re at the point now, we’re almost two weeks from kickoff. The whole thing’s got to speed up a little bit. In another week, it’s all Jackson State.”

SECOND SCRIMMAGE SET: UNLV will host an intrasquad scrimmage open to the public at 8:10 a.m. Friday at Rebel Park. The team will then stage a closed mock game at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday before turning its attention to Jackson State.

“Saturday’s an interesting day. We’ll treat it like a game, go to the hotel and eat and do pregame and drive out (to the stadium),” Sanchez said. “The next day, we’re going to teach them what a Sunday would normally be like after a game, then (Monday) we’ll start working on Jackson State, so it gives us two weeks.”