Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

UNLV trying to get the most out of young playmaker Tyleek Collins

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Steve Marcus

Fresno State Bulldogs defensive back Chris Gaston (2) breaks up a pass intended for UNLV Rebels wide receiver Tyleek Collins (9) during the second half of a game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Sam Boyd Stadium Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018.

It wouldn’t be completely accurate to say that wide receiver Tyleek Collins had a breakout year in 2018.

As a freshman, Collins actually had a breakout half-season, and that’s why he is such an intriguing piece to the Rebels’ puzzle as they continue into the second week of spring practice.

Aside from since-departed running back Lexington Thomas, Collins was UNLV’s most dangerous offensive skill player last season. He caught 31 passes for 422 yards and six touchdowns, and five of his receptions went for 20-plus yards. The issue for the Rebels is that all of that big-play production came with backup quarterback Max Gilliam throwing him the ball.

In the first four games of the season with Armani Rogers at QB, Collins caught just six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. When Rogers went down with a toe injury, the Rebels retooled their offense around Gilliam’s skill set, and that’s when Collins started to make plays. Over the next six games, Collins caught 23 passes from Gilliam for 365 yards and five touchdowns.

Rogers came back and shared time with Gilliam in the second-to-last game of the season at Hawaii, and the split was noticeable; Collins caught two passes from Gilliam, but none of Rogers’ 15 attempts were directed toward the freshman speedster.

Rogers took over for the final game of the season against UNR and played well, but Collins was shut out in the passing game. He didn’t catch a single ball, making it his only reception-free game of the season.

Rogers, a junior, is set to lead UNLV as the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback this season (and next), so how do the Rebels make sure that Collins and Rogers can combine forces more effectively? That groundwork is being laid now, during spring practice.

Collins has been limited at practice by the flu in recent days, but expressed confidence that he and Rogers will hit on some big plays in 2019.

“Armani, that’s my guy,” Collins said. “We will for sure get on the same page this season.”

Head coach Tony Sanchez said he is making it a priority to keep Collins involved as a core player in the Rogers-led offense.

“When Tyleek started coming into his own, Armani was shelved,” Sanchez said. “I think they’ll be fine there. A lot of it is going to be play design. There’s a lot of wrinkles you saw us add in the middle of the year, end of the year that I think led to getting him the ball a bunch.”

The Rebels used Collins as a receiver and a runner in 2018, and he was the only player on the team to accumulate 100-plus yards rushing and receiving. That versatility makes him dangerous, but receivers coach Cedric Cormier thinks improved route-running could make Collins a bigger part of the passing game with Rogers at the helm.

“Last year he was more of a playmaker rather than a polished receiver,” Cormier said. “So now we want to polish his game up while keeping that playmaking ability.”

Collins was UNLV’s top deep threat in 2018, catching touchdown passes of 46, 75 and 79 yards — all from Gilliam.

Collins believes he is getting better at running short and intermediate routes.

“It’s a natural progression for me,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep working on my craft and soon I’ll be able to do everything coach Cormier is talking about.”

After totaling 526 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns as a true freshman, it’s tantalizing to imagine what Collins could do once he’s fully integrated into the offense.

Cormier said that in the receivers’ room, the goal is to make that happen — no matter who is playing quarterback.

“He and Armani will get plenty of work together,” Cormier said. “He needs to get work with all the quarterbacks. The deal with us in our room is, we’re not worried about who’s throwing us the ball. It’s about when that ball comes, we’ve got to make plays.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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