Palandech poised to finish off UNR for second time

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 | 2 a.m.

With a minute left in the first half of last season’s matchup at UNR, UNLV starting quarterback Blake Decker was splayed on the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain, obviously done for the day. It may have seemed like a devastating blow for the Rebels, who were holding a surprising 7-0 lead over their in-state rivals, but for backup Kurt Palandech, it was an opportunity.

Palandech had no earthly reason to be confident — three weeks earlier he had played in relief after Decker suffered an injury at UCLA, and he didn’t exactly set the world on fire, completing 4-of-15 passes for four yards, with a long completion of three yards — but no one on the UNLV sideline was surprised when he seized the moment.

On the second play after his insertion, Palandech hit receiver Kendal Keys down the left sideline with an arcing touch pass for 25 yards. The next play was a designed quarterback keeper, and Palandech took it 12 yards to the end zone to give the Rebels a 14-0 lead going into halftime.

“That was really the first time he got thrown in, that Reno game,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said. “In a pivotal situation, he completed a really nice ball and we end up scoring a touchdown right away. He created a spark.”

Palandech finished the game with a pedestrian line, completing 6-of-8 passes for 48 yards, but UNLV won, 23-17, and the Rebels painted the Fremont Cannon red and brought it back to Las Vegas. For a backup quarterback, that’s about as good as it gets.

It’s been a long year-plus for Palandech since then. Decker was in and out of the lineup for the rest of the 2015 season, and Palandech was uneven when given regular playing time. He appeared in 11 games, started three and finished the year 75-of-152 (49.3 percent) for 794 yards, with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

Heading into fall camp this year, he was battling newcomer Johnny Stanton for the starting quarterback job until a bicep tear for Palandech ended the competition. Palandech fell behind Stanton and freshman Dalton Sneed on the depth chart, and when Stanton went down in Week 4, Sanchez tabbed Sneed as the starter for the next five weeks.

It wasn’t exactly how Palandech envisioned his junior season going. And yet, when his number was finally called in the second half of the Week 9 game at San Jose State, he was ready, nearly leading a big comeback before falling short on the final drive.

And that, more than any physical trait, is what Palandech’s teammates and coaches respect most about him. No matter what happens on the field (or on the depth chart), they know Palandech has put in the work necessary to be prepared for it. And that’s why Palandech will once again be leading the Rebels as the starting quarterback when they defend the Fremont Cannon against UNR in Saturday’s season finale.

“I’m really proud of him because he worked so hard in the offseason,” Sanchez said. “It was a battle in camp about who was going to start, and then he gets this shoulder injury and it kind of seals the deal. He could have easily gone in the dumps and not been a good teammate and ‘woe is me,’ and he just didn’t do it. He kept showing up, he kept working.”

Like a true backup quarterback, Palandech spent most of the season motivating himself by repeating the mantra that his next chance could come on any play, without a moment’s notice.

“It was frustrating knowing I couldn’t go in there and play,” Palandech said. “I could have easily fallen into frustration or getting a little down on myself. But times like that, I just try to be optimistic. How can I make myself better even though I’m not getting the physical reps? I think just having the attitude of trying to make the most of every situation has led me to this opportunity where I can finish up the season for us.”

Palandech is a better player now than he was when he took over the huddle against UNR last year. He’s completing 53.3 percent of his passes, and he has upped his yards per attempt from 5.22 last year to 7.01 this season. He’s also averaging 87 rushing yards per game on 7.7 yards per carry, compared to 26 yards per game on 3.6 per attempt last year.

He played like an absolute superstar in his first start of the season, leading UNLV to a 69-66 win over Wyoming in triple overtime on Nov. 12. In that wild affair, Palandech hit on 20-of-32 passes for 252 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and he ran for a team-high 157 yards on 16 carries, including a go-ahead 76-yard touchdown sprint in the fourth quarter.

That performance earned him Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.

“The biggest difference from last year is my defensive recognition,” Palandech said. “I spend a lot of time studying film and learning what defenses are trying to do and understanding coverages and responsibilities. That, and just getting a year of timing with the receivers. Anticipating where guys are going to be and being on the same page has made a huge difference for us.”

Since regaining the starting job, Palandech’s top priority has been fostering chemistry with the Rebels’ makeshift group of receivers. Freshman cornerback-turned-wideout Jericho Flowers is now the top target in the passing game after just five weeks of playing the position, and Sneed moved to receiver two weeks ago in order to provide further replenishment for the injury-riddled unit.

Despite the trying circumstances, one thing Palandech refuses to be is unprepared.

“The guy is a worker,” said Will Kreitler, the Rebels’ starting center and Palandech’s roommate. “I live with him. All he does is study film and do homework. He’s so comfortable with the offense now. He’s put in the work, and that’s going to help him be successful.”

As the Rebels prepare for Saturday, they know how much is riding on the outcome. Winning five games and going 4-4 in Mountain West play would represent significant improvement over Sanchez’s first year, and the rebuilding process would receive a nice boost from claiming the cannon for the second year in a row.

Sanchez believes Palandech is ready for this moment.

“He’s done a tremendous job of helping us compete and leading us to some victories, so we’re very comfortable with his intellect in regards to running the offense, his decision making, his competitiveness. I think he’s the right guy, right now, for us.”