Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Ray Brewer:

If this UNLV player succeeds, other locals might follow to Rebel program

UNLV Defeats Hawaii in Homecoming Game

L.E. Baskow

UNLV’s Devonte Boyd (83) streaks towards the end zone past Hawaii’s Nick Nelson (11) during their game at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

The Rebel Room

2016 Football Season Preview

Kickoff is almost here, so Sun sports editor Ray Brewer and reporters Case Keefer and Taylor Bern get together to diagnose the Rebels' quarterback situation, the improvements from last season and their chances of going over the 5.5 win total at most sports books.

UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez calls it the “all-Las Vegas line.”

When the Rebels open the season Thursday against visiting Jackson State, redshirt freshman offensive guard Justin Polu from Silverado High will make his first career start. And the backup linemen — Zack Singer, J’Ondray Sanders, Julio Garcia, Donovan Outlaw and Jaron Caldwell — each hail from Las Vegas high schools. Three are freshmen, one is a sophomore and the other is a junior.

In a few seasons, when Sanchez suspects the program will be a perennial bowl-contender, his entire starting line could be from Las Vegas. There are four others — fullback Marc Philippi, wide receiver Devonte Boyd, defensive back Tim Hough, and defensive lineman Mike Hughes Jr. — scheduled to start on Thursday.

That’s by design.

Sanchez has long said that he wants to build a winner using local players. It’s a simple philosophy: More local players, more local fans.

“Our Vegas guys up front are going to have a whole lot of success,” Sanchez said. “At one point it could be an all-Vegas line, you never know.”

Boyd and Hough each will be four-year starters when their careers end and have a legitimate chance of playing on Sundays if they continue to progress. Polu, who used his redshirt season last fall to get slimmer and faster, could work his way into the same conversation.

They have a few things in common. First, each was lightly recruited out of high school. Second, and most important, they each played as freshmen at UNLV.

More than 20 locals will sign with Division I scholarships in February from the class of 2017. They have been recruited by major conferences schools such as Ohio State, USC, Florida and others. UNLV has offered a scholarship to most. None, at least not yet, wanted to stay at home. UNLV has two locals verbally committed for 2017 in quarterback Marckell Grayson and linebacker Farrell Hester, but neither had major offers.

The lure of a national program, everything from better facilities, tradition and exposure, are too tempting to pass up. Nobody can blame them. But sooner or later UNLV will look attractive because it gives athletes the No. 1 thing they desire: a chance to play. And play immediately.

Forget about all that a big-time program can offer. The most important selling point should be playing time. Come to UNLV, get on the field. Come to UNLV, showcase your talents to professional scouts. Come to UNLV and be a hometown hero.

OK, I’m a UNLV grad, so my judgement could be considered slanted. But wouldn’t you rather play at UNLV than be a backup elsewhere? For every Ronnie Stanley, who went from Bishop Gorman to becoming four-year contributor at Notre Dame to first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, there are numerous others who don’t see the field.

Click to enlarge photo

Justin Polu

Polu may become Sanchez’s poster boy. He came to UNLV out of shape but used his redshirt year to shed fat and add muscle. He went from losing his breath during practices to dominating them. He went from redshirting to starting.

“There’s a good body and a bad body,” Sanchez said. “He came in and he had a little bit of a bad body.”

Polu’s debut this week comes with some pressure. He was the first local to sign with Sanchez’s Rebels, the first player who agreed with Sanchez’s recruiting pitch that you could live out your college football dreams at home. If he succeeds, it could open the door for others to follow.

He, after all, is a freshman expected to be a fixture in UNLV’s turnaround. It went 3-9 last season but is expected to contend for a bowl game berth this fall.

“Just being part of this program is very exciting,” Polu said. “Look at the past, (UNLV) hasn’t been that great. But I think the new era is ready to step up to that challenge.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21

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