UNLV line not letting down guard

All five starting offensive linemen were due to return to UNLV this season, providing the Rebels with perhaps the Mountain West’s best front.

But then guard Ron Scoggins left the team during spring drills, deciding he didn’t want to play anymore.

And on May 31, fellow guard Cameron Jefferson transferred to Arkansas because the Rebels at the time were ineligible for a bowl because of a low Academic Progress Rate score.

So it might not be the line the Rebels thought they would have, but senior left tackle Brett Boyko and senior center Robert Waterman made the preseason All-Mountain West team. No other team had more than one lineman selected.

“I like our offensive line,” coach Bobby Hauck said Wednesday at conference media days at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. “Our best players in the offensive line are with us and have played together, and I think we have a chance to be really good there.

“Certainly … whether it’s injury or academics or whatever, when you lose big guys, they don’t grow on trees, so your depth gets hurt. The thing that has me most concerned is if we were to sustain some injuries at a couple of different positions on our team, that could be really costly. In terms of opening-day lineup, I feel really good about it.”

UNLV’s line helped the Rebels average 4.4 yards per rush and 172.5 per game last season and was adequate in pass protection in allowing 26 sacks in 13 games.

Most of the line still returns from that group. In addition to Boyko (6 feet 7 inches, 310 pounds) and Waterman (6-2, 290), the Rebels bring back junior right tackle Andrew Oberg (6-7, 280). All three started every game last season.

Even at right guard, junior Nick Gstrein (6-4, 290) started the first four games last season before Scoggins took over.

“I feel like we’re still going to be a physical offensive line even with the losses,” Boyko said.

Both guard positions will be decided in training camp, which opens Aug. 6 at Rebel Park. UNLV opens its season Aug. 29 at Arizona.

Gstrein will compete with sophomore Charles Howard (6-4, 335) on the right side, and senior Brian Roth (6-5, 300) will go against sophomore Eric Noone (6-2, 300) on the left.

“Those guys will be fighting it out,” Hauck said. “We’re going to manufacture competition for Boyko and (wide receiver Devante) Davis, but everybody else (on the team) is competing for playing time.”

The Rebels conceivably could get back Scoggins, who has 19 starts the past two seasons and remains a UNLV student. But he isn’t listed in the media guide, so should Scoggins have a change of heart, Hauck would have a decision to make on whether to let him back on the team.

“He’s deciding what he wants to do,” Hauck said.

Jefferson, of course, is gone for good to Arkansas after starting 33 consecutive games at UNLV.

He took advantage of the NCAA rule that allows seniors to transfer and play immediately when a school is ineligible for the postseason.

The Rebels had been declared ineligible for a bowl appearance and Mountain West championship game because of a low APR, but worked to improve the number. They announced almost a month ago the number had risen enough to become eligible.

But that was too late to get back Jefferson.

So it’s not quite the line UNLV expected to take into the season, but for the Rebels, at least both personnel losses occurred before the summer. Unlike a knee injury in training camp, they have time to adjust.

“We were allowed to work in the summer with guys who may be going in their place,” Boyko said. “That allows us to get some camaraderie up front. It’s definitely helpful losing them early than later.”

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