Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

REBELS FOOTBALL:

Matured Chandler back in contention for starting job in UNLV secondary

Junior cornerback, relegated to special teams duty in 2009, again is in starting mix

Will Chandler

Ryan Greene/Las Vegas Sun

UNLV junior cornerback Will Chandler listens to instructions during 7-on-7 drills at practice in Ely on Monday, Aug. 16, 2010. Chandler is in contention for a starting job this season after spending much of the past two years playing special teams.

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ELY — It was UNLV's fall camp in Ely in August 2008, and freshman cornerback Will Chandler clearly was frustrated.

At the same time, then-freshman wide receiver Phillip Payne was emerging as a potential star during team drills — at Chandler's expense.

During that trip, Chandler was the victim of several of Payne's touchdown catches in red-zone drills. One day, some of the veteran receivers even pulled Chandler aside after practice and went through defending the drill properly with him over and over until dusk.

Two years later, Chandler has figured out what his problem was.

"Being able to relax," he said, recalling his days of trying to please the coaching staff as a wet-behind-the-ears freshman. "I know the speed now. I know how things work, how quarterbacks work, how receivers run routes. Being able to slow the game down a bit helps out a lot."

Following a prep career in Los Angeles, where he was a standout as a defensive back, receiver and sprinter, Chandler started the 2008 opener against Utah State. From there, he only slipped down Mike Sanford's depth chart, and last season largely was relegated to special-teams duties. He's registered 27 tackles in part-time duty during the past two years.

Since the end of last season, though, things have changed drastically, and his collegiate career suddenly has a second wind.

Chandler became a father roughly 16 months ago to a baby girl, Anahi, is now engaged and is rediscovering the talents that brought him to UNLV in the first place.

His spring camp was so impressive that he entered the fall with the No. 1 defense, and so far has firmly held down his spot.

"I think we breathed new life into him," said first-year defensive backs coach J.D. Williams. "I imagine that when the other staff recruited him, they saw some talent in him. Now it's about getting that talent out and letting him grow to the expectations."

The talent and play-making ability are beginning to ooze out.

Chandler's biggest highlight this fall came Sunday, during an 11-on-11 drill. On a deep ball from senior quarterback Omar Clayton, he worked for position in front of Payne and came down with an interception.

He attributes his increasing success not just to hard work, but also to a completely different set of priorities, thanks to his new family and his desire to do right by them.

"It helps a lot with moving onto the next play and getting past adversity," he said. "It made me grow up a lot. I've got a lot more responsibility now."

Added Williams: "You start putting things in perspective with what's really important. He's got a beautiful daughter, and that's the most important thing in his life. Him going to school and playing football, I think those follow a close second. It's nice to see that he's matured, and football's become a little more important."

That maturation is also helping Chandler realize that just because he came into fall camp with the No. 1 defense and has lived up to that so far, he's far from made it.

"I'm not done yet," he said. "We're still practicing and have a few weeks to go before the first game, but it means a lot. I've tried to work hard, show the coaches that I can run with the ones and make plays."

Injury updates

Again in blue jerseys for Monday's two practices in Ely and watching from the sidelines were freshman receiver Marcus Sullivan (undisclosed), sophomore receiver Mark Barefield (knee), junior linebacker Beau Orth (undisclosed) and redshirt freshman defensive backs Cedric Coleman (ankle) and John Therrell (head).

A new addition to the injured group was redshirt freshman defensive back Courtney Bridget, who was not in pads and had his right arm in a sling.

Aaitui dominates padded session

During a full-pads Monday afternoon practice, senior defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui made the biggest impression of anyone on the field.

On top of blowing through the offensive line a handful of times and forcing plays to be blown dead in the backfield, he deflected three passes from his post in the middle of the line.

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