Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

New coach David Lockwood tasked with improving UNLV’s secondary

Former Arizona assistant emphasizing details to key turnaround

UNLV Edges Out Wyoming

L.E. Baskow

Wyoming’s Jacob Hollister (88) hurdles UNLV’s Tim Hough (13) as teammate Darius Mouton (21) moves in during their game at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016.

UNLV Football Spring Practice

UNLV offensive lineman Sid Acosta (70) looks to the field as the football team conducts their first spring practice of the year on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Launch slideshow »

The UNLV football team’s offense posted some of the best production in program history last season.

The Rebels averaged 31 points per game, the most in 36 years, and 241 rushing yards per game, which is only four fewer yards than Alabama.

Despite those numbers, the Rebels limped to a disappointing 4-8 record largely because of their inability to get off the field on defense.

“No doubt about it,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said. “We’ve done a substantially better job at stopping the run since I’ve gotten here … Now on the flip side we have to get much better on the back end. Getting off the field on third down is huge, and last year we struggled with the deep ball.”

Insert new defensive backs coach David Lockwood.

Lockwood has more than 25 years of coaching experience including stops at West Virginia, Notre Dame, Minnesota and Arizona. Sanchez hired him in December to replace J.D. Williams.

“I’ve known David for a while and he’s really articulate and a really good person,” Sanchez said. “He brings a toughness out here and an accountability that was sorely needed at that corner position.”

Last season, UNLV gave up 243 passing yards per game and forced only five interceptions — fourth fewest in the nation.

“He’s got his work cut out for him but there are some young talented guys that hopefully he can get over the hump and get them going,” Sanchez said.

During spring practices, Lockwood has started molding UNLV’s corps of young but experienced cornerbacks.

“He’s a great coach that came in with great ideas,” said senior cornerback Robert Jackson. “We have just been focused on technique — turning our heads when the ball is in the air, playing through hands and all around the board technique.”

Lockwood was Minnesota’s defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2006, but most recently coached cornerbacks at Arizona for four years under coach Rich Rodriguez.

Through all of his years coaching, he believes details are the key to winning.

“We have to come out here and pick something to get better at each day,” Lockwood said. “We can’t do it all in one day so we just pick one thing. These guys are learning more about the game, and knowing not only what they are doing but what the guy next to them is doing as well.”

One of the biggest issues for UNLV’s secondary over the last couple of seasons was inexperience. Due to lack of talent at the position, freshmen and sophomores were thrust into starting duties far before they were ready.

“That was just the nature of the situation that they were in,” Sanchez said. “All of that experience is going to benefit them down the road. As much as all of that stuff hurts when you’re going through it, it really helps you later.”

Darius Mouton, for example, enters his junior year having completed two full seasons of playing time. Despite their struggles, UNLV’s cornerbacks have come together and embraced the coaching change.

“It didn’t break our bond one bit,” Mouton said. “We hang out outside of football and it really helps us communicate on the field. Coach (Lockwood) is getting us better mentally on the field.”

Lockwood’s work with the team has been brief, but he can already see potential for improvement.

“We obviously got some things to work on but they’ve accepted me with open arms and that’s a big thing,” Lockwood said.

He also knows there’s a lot of work to be done before fall camp and eventually the season opener against Howard University on Sept. 2.

“We’ve got some talent but it all starts with technique,” Lockwood said. “If your technique isn’t good I don’t care how talented you are or how much potential you have. We are focusing on the details.”

Jesse Granger can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Jesse on Twitter at twitter.com/JesseGranger_.

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