JC transfers highlight Hauck’s second signing class, expected to provide immediate help

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

Members of the UNLV football team’s signing class will likely again be expected to make immediate contributions.

This year, however, it will be the junior college transfers instead of the freshmen getting their number called.

Second-year UNLV coach Bobby Hauck received letters of intent Wednesday on national signing day from 23 prospects, including eight junior college transfers who are expected to compete for playing time.

“You don’t take them to come in and be depth guys,” Hauck said of the JC transfers. “You take them because you think they can come in and challenge and get substantial playing time.”

UNLV only won two games in Hauck’s initial season last fall, often relying on freshmen from last year’s recruiting class to play crucial roles. Injuries and a lack of depth forced several to see action well before Hauck would have ideally liked.

This year’s class should more traditional for the freshmen, with the option to red-shirt more available.

“Playing 14 of those guys a year ago was far too many,” Hauck said. “But that was a good class, and I have maintained, really since last August when I saw them on the field for the first time, that if we can just equal the class we had last year each succeeding year, we have a chance to a really good football team. And I think we past it this year.”

Four of the junior college players come from the College of the Sequoias in California, making a pact of sorts to attend the same college. Offensive lineman Allen Carroll (6-foot-4, 300-pounds), defensive lineman Louvan Green (6-foot-2, 295-pounds), running back Eric Johnson (5-foot-8, 175-pounds) and defensive back Ken Spigner (5-foot-11, 190-pounds) will all be in contention for starting spots.

The speedy Johnson doesn’t fit Hauck’s formula of recruiting players with superior height and weight but is an explosive player who has the potential to score each time he touches the ball. Johnson enrolled in January and will take part in spring practice.

“I’m not into (recruiting) smaller guys, but this guy is dynamic,” Hauck said.

Green also had offers from the likes of Baylor, Iowa State and Oregon State but decided to stick with his junior college teammates at UNLV. Hauck was a little surprised to receive Green’s letter of intent in the fax machine this morning because he didn’t verbally commit.

“He never got on the phone and told me he was coming. His fax just came in today, frankly,” Hauck said.

Quarterback Sean Reilly, the first to verbally commit, is another junior college player who will be competing for playing time. Reilly is also already enrolled, earning praise from Hauck for his efforts in trying to learn the playbook.

“Sean is a really bright guy. He is hard working,” Hauck said. “He studies everyday trying to catch up.”

Reilly is one of two quarterbacks in this year’s class, bringing the total of scholarship signal callers in the program to four. Nick Sherry from Case Grande High in Petaluma, Calif., is the other quarterback to sign and is likely the quarterback of the future.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Sherry received late interest from big-time programs such as Arizona and Washington but stayed loyal to his verbal commitment to UNLV. Sherry, who passed for 2,623 yards and 25 touchdowns last fall, initially committed to Colorado, but the offer fell through after a coaching change.

In a story by the Press Democrat in Sherry’s native Northern California, Sherry tells a story of how UNLV offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie called 10 times Monday and Tuesday to make sure Sherry was still committed.

Yes, he had that much interest from other schools.

“I’m proud of that young man for staying with his commitment,” Hauck said.

Sherry signed his letter in the school’s gym early Wednesday morning then faxed it to Hauck, who had called Sherry to on his cell phone to make sure the letter was on its way.

Sherry relayed the conversation to the reporter: “When you get old like me you are going to look back and be proud of what you accomplished at UNLV,” he said Hauck told him. “When I get off the phone, I'm going to tell the media here that we just got a quarterback that is going to lead us to a championship.”

It will take more than a quarterback to win.

The class includes four offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, four defensive backs, three tight ends, two linebackers, two running backs, two quarterbacks a wide receiver and a kicker.

Most have the elite height and weight or top athletic ability common with a player Hauck typically recruits.

Wide receiver Devante Davis of North Shore High in Galena Park, Texas, for instance, is one of the nation’s top triple jumpers. Davis, who has numerous jumps of more than 50 feet, turned down multiple track offers from major programs to play at UNLV.

All in all, Hauck signed six recruits ranked as three-star prospects by Rivals.com on its scale of five stars. Rivals ranks the class as the sixth best out of eight Mountain West Conference teams.

Like most coaches, Hauck doesn’t put too much stock into evaluating services.

“I absolutely pay zero attention to it,” he said. “I don’t look at it. I don’t care about it. The only evaluation we care about is ours.”

When it is all said and done, Hauck knows the ultimate ranking will come in a few years and be determined by his team’s performance on the field.

“These guys, along with last year’s class, can really help get this thing going,” Hauck said.