Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Rebels Football:

Decker-Boyd connections highlight UNLV’s Spring Showcase

Football Spring Showcase and Rummage Sale

L.E. Baskow

UNLV football QB Blake Decker (5) looks to pass under pressure during the Spring Showcase, the last official gathering for the Rebels and coach Tony Sanchez before August on Saturday, April 18, 2015.

Football Spring Showcase and Rummage Sale

UNLV football player Devonte Boyd (83) pulls in a touchdown pass over Charles Henry (34) during the Spring Showcase, the last official gathering for the Rebels and coach Tony Sanchez before August on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Whether it’s a wink or a nod coming out of the huddle, sophomore receiver Devonte Boyd is finding himself on the same wavelength as senior quarterback Blake Decker more and more often these days.

“It’s to the point where I know how he thinks,” Boyd said.

That certainly appeared to be the case this afternoon at Peter Johann Memorial Field, where Boyd hauled in four catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns, two of those scores coming from Decker’s arm at the Rebels’ Spring Showcase. Excitement from the 3,000 people in attendance could certainly be tempered by the opponent — UNLV’s own less-than-vaunted defense — but those looking for optimism could find it.

With his weight up about 15 pounds from the end of last season, Decker diagnosed the defense, made necessary changes and overall looked very comfortable in the pocket. He was also efficient, completing all five of his passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns while junior Kurt Palendach and freshman Kevin Thomson went a combined 6-of-20 for 94 yards and a score.

“At this point, Blake’s by far ahead,” coach Tony Sanchez said.

Last season, Decker’s first in the program, got progressively worse as the quarterback was repeatedly on the run and absorbing big hits behind an offensive line that never congealed as expected. That led to even more mistakes “because I was sitting back there a little hesitant of taking shots and shots and shots,” Decker said.

Injuries to his elbow, knee and ankle limited his practice reps and made it hard to lift weights during the week, hence a dramatic weight loss as the losses piled up. Most of that muscle mass is back, and when given time in the pocket, Decker has looked capable of taking on a new offensive system, something he’s doing for the fifth time in his career.

That all starts up front, where Decker’s former teammate Will Kreitler (they both played at Scottsdale Community College) appears to be the guy at center. Sanchez said he wants everyone on the line to match the toughness of Kreitler, who had the best spring of the group.

Decker said there are a lot more options in different protections or alignments that he and Kreitler can audible into, as Decker did on a 55-yard touchdown to Boyd. That will lead to more blowups if everyone’s not on the same page, but it’s all part of the monumental process of trying to build UNLV into a winner that Sanchez has compared to eating an elephant one bite at a time.

“We’re chewing our tail off right now,” Sanchez said. “It’s a big elephant.”

For the showcase, which wrapped up UNLV’s spring practices, the Rebels worked on some goal-line formations and kicking drills before scrimmaging for two 25-minute halves. Junior Keith Whitely scored the first touchdown on a 5-yard run, and then it was four passing touchdowns that included three to Boyd and a 60-yard connection from Decker to senior Anthony Williams.

There were a few defensive highlights, but it was mostly a day won by UNLV’s first-team offense. After being named Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Boyd looks capable of filling some of the void left by his mentor, Devante Davis.

“I’m looking to play that role even better than Devante,” Boyd said.

While it might be ambitious to say Boyd can do that already in his sophomore season, it doesn’t seem impossible either. Few clear answers emerge from scrimmages, but Decker found one that everyone in attendance would agree on.

“It’s never a bad option to throw to 83, right?”

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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