UNLV Football 2018 Preview
Opening Statement: This is a critical season for UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez, as the Rebels finished 5-7 last season, and once again, the Rebels missed out on finishing with 6 wins as they closed in on the mark late in the season. Sanchez enters his 4th season with the Rebels with an overall record of 12-24, and he can be found firmly on the hot seat as we move into a new year.
Sanchez has the tools, and the players, to now move into position to turn a corner that he has been unable to turn to date, and a schedule that sets up well to make that turn. With a relatively new AD, and an impatient local fan base, can this thing be saved? Can UNLV finally become a player in the college football market before moving into the Raiders Las Vegas stadium in 2020?
Breakdown Offense: This season, the pressure will be all in on sophomore QB Armani Rogers, who came into the job as a freshman in 2017. Rogers showed flashes at times of what he could be, but also played like a freshman on several occasions. He played in 10 games last fall, and passed for just 1471 yards with 6 TDs and 5 INTs. Those numbers have got to improve, but most people feel that he has the physical tools and the approach needed to finally take the reins and be the leader of this offense and football team in 2018. If he fails, the team fails with him. He completed just 52% of his passes, so accuracy is an area of needed work, but at the end of the day, he is one of the great strengths of this football team, while also being one of its worst weaknesses if he cannot improve.
The run game was a major strength for the Rebels in 2017, and it should continue to excel in 2018. UNLV has a thunder and lightning combo available in Lexington Thomas, who rushed for 1336 yards last season with 17 scores, and Charles Williams, who lost almost the entire season to injury last season. If Williams cannot return to form, Xzaviar Campbell steps up after rushing for 336 yards and 1 score last fall as a junior. Rogers was the second leading rusher last season, with 780 yards and 8 scores. RS freshman Daniel Godfrey is expected to win the FB job in fall camp.
The passing game should be helped by the return of key receivers Kendal Keys and and Brandon Presley, but Keys needs to amp up his game from a disappointing 27 receptions in 12 games last fall. Presley was a rising star last fall, as he posted a line of 34-552-3, as he also averaged 16.24 yards per catch. Gone is Devonte Boyd, who was the leading receiver last fall. Sophomore Andre Collins finished the spring as one of 3 starters at receiver, and is an unknown quantity heading into the fall. Darren Woods (30-366-0) gives the Rebels some depth, while freshman Tejchman Drew finished the spring on the second unit. Giovanni Fauolo is expected to replace the departed Tim Holt at TE, but caught just 4 passes last fall.
The line could be a work in progress this fall, as 2 sophomores (Julio Garcia, Justin Polu) are projected to start at the OG spots, and a freshman (Matt Brayton) could be starting at LT. Nathan Jacobson, a junior, is expected to step up and win the RT job, but is also projected to start at RT if not at C. If he moves to C, expect RS freshman Donovan Outlaw to start at LT, giving the Rebels a pair of freshman to protect the tackle spots.
Breakdown Defense: UNLV will need some upgraded performances from their defensive front in 2017 after allowing 5.42 yards per carry against the run last fall. Jameer Outsey will be back at DE, but picked up just 25 tackles in 12 games last season, with just 3 for loss. Salanoa-Alo Wiley is back at DT, and he fared no better last fall. Kalo Uasike, who played in 6 games last season as a freshman, left spring camp with the starting NT job in hand. Depth is not great up front, and is something that will have to be found in fall camp.
The LB spot has a big hole to fill with the loss of Brian Keyes, who had 71 tackles last fall. Roger Mann will line up in the REBEL spot this fall, and had just 19 tackles a year ago as a reserve. Gabe McCoy, who had a huge freshman season a year ago (81 tackles) is back at WLB, while Javin White, also a sophomore, will line up at SLB. He finished with 41 tackles last fall. Aaron Borg, who finished with just 2 tackles last fall, left spring ball with the starting MLB job. Again, there is not much depth behind this unit.
The secondary had a solid season last fall, and nobody really tore into the Rebels very well through the air, as they allowed just 16 passing scores in 12 games. Jericho Flowers and Jocquez Kalil will be manning the corner spots in 2018, and while neither did anything truly amazing, they are rock solid, at least. Kalil did force 3 fumbles a season ago. Tim Hough played 11 games a season ago, and returns as the 3rd corner, and will start in the Nickel spot. There will be new blood at Safety this fall, as freshman Greg Francis is holding onto the starting SS spot heading into the fall, while Dalton Baker will return at FS after forcing 2 fumbles a year ago while leasing the team with 99 tackles.
Breakdown Special Teams: Evan Pantels is back at PK, and is also listed as the starting Punter heading into 2018. He hit 17/22 FGs last fall, but backup Daniel Guttierez hit on 5/6. Pantels is a solid Punter, averaging 41.39 yards per punt last season, and if he were to specialize in punting only, Guttierez gives them a solid option to fall back on at PK.
Jericho Flowers is back as the primary PR, but averaged just 5.75 yards per return last fall. Darren Woods was also rather pedestrian in the kick return game, averaging just 16 yards per return, but he returns as the projected starting kick return man.
Final Assessment: UNLV suffers in football from lax expectations from a fan base that seemingly gave up a long time ago. A ton of money has been poured into the program, and improvements are being made to practice facilities. Tony Sanchez has a new AD in her second year, and expectations are rapidly increasing at this point. If this team is to turn the corner, it has to start at Rogers at QB on offense, and in the front seven on defense. If those two areas fold early, the Rebels will be in trouble and will struggle to get to 6 wins once again, and Sanchez could be shown the door at the end of the season. The schedule is set up for success, but the Rebels will have to win a couple of games that they are not expected to if they really want to make big progress, and they have to beat Nevada to get the fan base back on the train. 8 wins are possible, but seeing is believing.
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