Kreitler at center of UNLV’s push to play with killer instinct

By Taylor Bern

Thursday, April 7, 2016 | 2 a.m.

If you were asked to name a group as outsized as an offensive line after a group of animals, you could do worse than whales. UNLV senior center Will Kreitler agrees, though it has little to do with either crew’s relative rotundness.

Position groups in football tend to take after their leader, and in this case that means the largest group on the team has taken on the mentality of a pack of killer whales.

“They’re the most savage animals, and yet they’re so calm and smart and work as a perfect team,” said Kreitler, lead orca and a possible preseason All-Mountain West pick.

Not only does Kreitler lead the offensive line — at Wednesday’s practice he loudly implored the unit to put some swagger into their jog to the next drill — but second-year coach Tony Sanchez thinks everyone on the roster should look up to him.

“You could argue that he’s the best player on our team,” Sanchez said.

As expected, Kreitler declined to back that up, pointing instead to teammates like receiver Devonte Boyd or linebacker Tau Lotulelei who could be in that mix.

“You could make that case for a lot of players but it’s good to have that praise from Tony. It’s definitely uplifting,” Kreitler said.

It didn’t take long for Kreitler to come in and make an impression with the Rebels. A Gilbert, Ariz., native, Kreitler spent his first two years at Scottsdale Community College, including one season with former UNLV quarterback Blake Decker.

As the Rebels looked to replace stalwart Robert Waterman, who started the previous 51 games at center, Kreitler quickly moved up to the No. 1 spot last spring and has only further entrenched himself there. And while Kreitler says the role doesn’t always feel like it fits, he’s played the leader well ever since stepping on campus.

“I’ve always been a leader everywhere I’ve gone but I would say it’s not really natural for me,” Kreitler said. “I definitely need to get comfortable before I do it.”

He’s definitely found that comfort zone in Las Vegas, and entering his final season Kreitler’s only going to embrace that more. There isn’t a lot new for him to learn schematically this spring, so it’s been about trying to perfect the technique while making sure that all of the orcas are going in the same direction.

“I want to be kind of a coach to these guys,” Kreitler said.

Listed at 6-foot and 300 pounds, Kreitler is the shortest offensive lineman on the roster and the second shortest in the entire Mountain West. But height isn’t as important up the middle as it is on the ends, where a guy like 6-foot-7 junior left tackle Kyle Saxelid needs the wingspan to cover more space.

Perceived physical limitations may have led bigger programs to overlook Kreitler, which Sanchez would count as a huge victory for UNLV. Last season he graded out as the Rebels’ top lineman by far and he was also an honorable mention all-league pick.

“He’s an absolute grinder, smart guy and he’s got enough of a goon personality that the guys love and they can laugh with him and follow him,” Sanchez said. “He’s a tough guy. I tell you what, it’s going to be a sad day when he leaves because he’s a stud.”

There are at least 12 games between now and that day. Twelve opportunities for UNLV to show that there really was a lot more going right last season than the 3-9 record would indicate.

Getting to that point is going to take a lot of elements going right, but none may be more important than the offensive line. Whether the quarterback ends up being junior Johnny Stanton, redshirt freshman Dalton Sneed or someone else, getting to a record of 6-6 or better is going to require better and more consistent play up front.

Kreitler and the Rebels know this, which is why he’s trying to get the entire unit up to his level. Only when they accurately attack as one will outsiders see the offensive line as Kreitler does.

“I want people to think big and nasty,” Kreitler said. “When you see those guys, you don’t mess with those guys.”

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