Vaughan says he's not worried about competition from heralded Thomas

Jason Vaughan has yet to start a football game at UNLV.

Heck, the strong-armed 6-4, 205-pounder from Middle Georgia JC has yet to really play in his first major scrimmage for the Rebels. That will come Saturday afternoon at 11 a.m. at Rebel Park.

Yet already the talk around Las Vegas is about another quarterback named Jason.

That would be USC transfer Jason Thomas, a 6-5, 230-pound left-hander from Compton (Calif.) Dominguez High School, who will be making an official recruiting trip to UNLV this weekend and is expected to enroll at the school by next fall.

Thomas, one of the most decorated and talented athletes to come out of California in a decade, is trying to obtain a residency release from USC which would make him eligible this fall at UNLV. More than likely, the former Parade All-American will have to sit out the 1999 season and then would have three years to play three seasons of football for the Rebels.

So just what does Vaughan think about all the attention already being afforded the other Jason?

"I don't know much about that, really," Vaughan said after UNLV's 10th of 15 spring practices. "It doesn't really matter to me who they sign or bring in. God puts you in situations for certain reasons. It doesn't matter. Whatever happens, happens. I love competition. I think it makes you better. So it's no big deal."

"I don't think Jason Vaughan worries about that stuff," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "He's going to be the quarterback. I'm sure he'll say, 'Bring him on.' I have a lot of respect for Jason Vaughan's competitiveness and what he's doing."

* CENTER OF ATTENTION: It's not often when the starting center is the focal point of a football team. But UNLV junior Danny Pacheco, the favorite to assume Bubba Gonzalez's starting center job, is considered so instrumental that Robinson actually moved some spring practices around to fit Pacheco's class schedule.

UNLV was supposed to practice on three Tuesdays during the spring. However, because Pacheco, an all-WAC academic football choice last season, has two afternoon classes that day, Robinson decided to move those workouts to Wednesday.

"The backup center, Joel Menendez (a true freshman from Silverado High School), is just learning," Robinson said. "And we only have two centers right now. We'll get another one (Greg Hulett of Los Angeles Valley JC) in the fall. Danny had class on Tuesday, so it wasn't worth practicing with just one center, particularly an inexperienced center."

Robinson called the play of the 6-2, 290-pound junior from Honolulu's Kamehameha High School one of the bright spots of the spring.

"Danny's a really good player," Robinson said. "He can improve some from a conditioning standpoint ... he has some more weight to lose ... but he's a very smart player and very strong. He's got great leverage. We want to try and get him to start playing a little lower. If he does that, then he'll have sensational leverage on people and will be a physically dominant guy. I love his competitiveness and his intelligence."

Pacheco was grateful to get the extra practices under his belt this spring.

"It's good for me because I need the practice," he said. "Jason (Vaughan) and I are getting more and more comfortable with each other the more we're out there."

* NEWEST REBELS: There's been a fair share of cigar smoke circulating around the Lied Athletic Complex football offices recently as UNLV assistants Rob Boras and Joe Barry both became fathers for the first time in the last two weeks.

Boras, the Rebels' new offensive line coach, and wife Amy became the parents of a baby girl, Abigail Rose, on March 29.

Meanwhile, Barry missed Wednesday's practice when wife Chris gave birth to a baby girl, Cameron, that afternoon.

You can bet young Cameron Barry will be well-versed in football growing up. Her grandfathers are Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive line coach Rod Marinelli and offensive line coach Mike Barry of defending national champion Tennessee.

* FLU TIME: Talented JC running back Jeremi Rudolph missed Thursday's practice with the stomach flu, something that has been circulating among the team.

In fact, Vaughan, showing signs of a true leader, practiced despite throwing up on the field several times Thursday.

Earlier in the week, freshman linebacker Austin Allen was taken to the hospital with what was first thought to be food poisoning.

* SHOW TIME: Fans who can't wait until UNLV's Sept. 18 home opener against Iowa State to get a look at the Rebels may want to stop by Rebel Park on Saturday at 11 a.m. for a scrimmage.

Sponsored by Lotus Broadcasting and the UNLV Rebel Football Foundation, the event, called "Kick Off '99", will include the school's band, cheerleaders and mascot. Prototypes of the newly designed Rebel football helmet and uniform will also premiere. And the first 1,000 fans attending will receive a commemorative team mini-poster.

Following the scrimmage, fans will be invited to take part in a barbecue on the field. Catered by Big Dog's, the cost will be $5.

The best part of the scrimmage, however, figures to be the sometimes lighthearted commentary of Robinson.

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