UNLV inks players from far and near

Every year at this time, no matter what, every college football coach steps up to the podium and exalts his latest recruiting class.

"One day a coach is going to come out and say 'This is a horse---- class,'" UNLV's Jeff Horton said. "But it won't be me this year."

Today is the first day of college football's early signing period, and Horton is pleased yet again. The fifth-year Rebel boss expects to welcome at least 32 new players into his system.

Horton officially will announce the class today at a 2 p.m. press conference.

"I think we really helped ourselves in a lot of areas," Horton said. "You never get everybody you want, but we got a solid class. We're finding more people are saying 'Yes.'

"We tell them 'Hey, we're not on the top right now, but we're not on the bottom. We have a lot of teams below us that are levelling off. We're ascending. We'll pass a lot of teams along the way while you're here.'"

Horton's recruiting list is dominated by size and speed and includes just five junior college transfers.

"There were two areas we really needed to address," Horton said. "One was up front with a big emphasis offensively. We got some big kids, six high school and two J.C., that can come right in and push to start.

"I also thought we had to get more speed and we addressed that issue."

One of the top offensive line recruits is Silverado grad Glenn Pilarowski. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound tackle is transferring from Dixie, where he was a junior college All-American.

"We first noticed him in camp a few years ago when Silverado came over," Horton said. "He went away to Dixie and had a great career there. He's a big, strong, good athlete.

"We're very selective with junior college kids because we want them to come in and play right away."

The other juco offensive lineman Horton is high on is Robert Grundy, a 6-5, 310-pounder from El Camino College. His brother, Howard Grundy, is a lineman at Brigham Young.

Also on the offensive line: Ernie Calanche (6-4, 285) from Garland, Texas; Gabe Gurney (6-3, 280) from American Fork, Utah; Robert Jordan (6-5, 270) from Arlington, Texas; Shane Lockhart (6-5, 240) from Valley; Joel Menendez (6-3, 265) from Silverado; Marquez Ologbosele (6-8, 260) from Oakland, Calif.; Tony Terrell (6-3, 290) from Gardena, Calif.; Allen Williams (6-4, 270) from Fort Worth, Texas.

"It's the biggest class we ever got as far as the size of the players," Horton said.

"We've also recruited more speed than we ever have."

The track team features three preps who can run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. They are running backs Joe Haro of Clifton, N.J., and Steven Costa of Tulare, Calif., as well as wide receiver Nate Rydalch, a transfer from Ricks J.C. Running back Damien Newton from Grand Prairie, Texas, runs the 100 meters in 10.5 seconds.

Haro, who doubles as a return specialist, rushed for 1,451 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior. He also visited Virginia and Indiana after being rated as the 22nd best high school prospect on the East Coast by Super Prep magazine.

The Rebels also scored well within Nevada, landing arguably the state's top two players.

"It's great to get local kids," Horton said. "It's good to keep the state guys at home."

UNLV landed USA Today's state player of the year in Bill Cofer, a two-way star for McQueen High in Reno. Cofer will play linebacker and is expected to redshirt.

Also brought aboard was Valley's Dion Jackson, the reigning Southern Zone offensive player of the year. Horton is uncertain where Jackson will play, but it won't be at quarterback, where he shined for the Vikings. Jackson either will play wide receiver or defensive back for the Rebels as well as return kicks.

"He's an exciting player, and the people of Las Vegas will like to watch him play," Horton said of Jackson. "He makes things happen."

Toby Smeltzer won't play quarterback at UNLV either. Smeltzer, who guided the Spartans to the Southern Zone championship, will be converted to defensive back.

The Rebels also did well outside Nevada, signing players from eight different states and another from Germany: Dusty Pearce, who played club football as a prep, was a first-team All-J.C. linebacker at Ricks last year.

The Rebels were successful with their forays into the recruiting havens of the South.

"I think our name is getting well received out there," Horton said. "It was great to get back into that Texas and Louisiana area. We really missed that in years past. It's such a recruiting hotbed down there. It was great to get that re-established."

Louisiana provided a pair of players from current UNLV defensive end Talance Sawyer's alma mater of Bastrop High: receiver Troy Mason and defensive lineman Terrelle Stephens.

The Rebels' Hawaiian pipeline didn't pay off in bulk. A source close to the Rebels' recruiting effort stated they were going after several islanders, but they landed just one.

Horton, however, claims La'anui Correa is a good one. Horton calls the 6-3, 225-pounder from St. Louis High in Honolulu a "sack artist." One reason Correa chose UNLV was his father's friendship with defensive line coach Sam Papalii.

"Before it's all said and done, of all the kids that came out of Hawaii this year, this kid has a chance to be the best," Horton said. "He'll have a chance to be really, really special."

Extra points

* RODRICK TO PROS: UNLV head coach Jeff Horton said Tuesday his prize recruit from 1997 will not seek an additional year of eligibility. Instead, running back Rodrick Johnson will turn pro. "We talked about it and thought it was in his best interest to come out right now," Horton said. "I don't know if he'll get drafted, but he'll sign with somebody and make somebody's club. He has all the tools." Johnson was the junior college player of the year after rushing for 2,338 yards and 25 touchdowns for Dixie in 1996. He dislocated his hip in Week 3 against Hawaii and never returned, but UNLV considered petitioning the NCAA for a rare sixth year of eligibility. Johnson finished his Rebel career with 37 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

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