Brumfield is finally the unquestioned top guy for UNLV football

For the first time in his four years with UNLV football, this is Doug Brumfield’s team.

Though Brumfield has earned the starting quarterback job in each of the last two seasons, he never had the luxury of going through an offseason as the unquestioned No. 1. That has changed this year, as new head coach Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion are putting the ball in Brumfield’s hands and trusting him to be the man.

At Mountain West media day on Wednesday, Brumfield took to the podium as the face of the program and said he’s embracing his newfound status by exerting himself not as a leader, but as the leader.

Brumfield has always tried to set a tone with his practice habits and sideline demeanor, but he’s noticing a difference in the way his teammates respond to him now that he’s the top dog.

“This year being my first season not really having a quarterback competition, it has definitely helped me out with my leadership role,” Brumfield said. “For a team, it is hard for them to really hone in to a leader if you have multiple guys speaking from the same position and saying the same thing. It can be confusing on who to really listen to. But this year it’s been pretty seamless with the guys. They take in everything I say.”

Brumfield’s talent has always garnered the utmost respect from his teammates. His electric play was a key driver in UNLV’s 4-1 start last season, and when injuries knocked him out of the lineup and slowed him down late in the year, the team stumbled to a 1-6 finish. For the season, the 6-foot-6 lefty passed for 1,898 yards and 10 touchdowns and ran for another six scores.

Brumfield laid claim to the starting job in spring practice; shortly after the team’s spring showcase, No. 2 QB Harrison Bailey got the message and transferred to Louisville.

It took a while longer for Brumfield take control of the team from a leadership standpoint. He said he really got comfortable making his voice heard during the player-led practices that he helped organize in the weeks after spring ball.

Coaches are not allowed to put players through on-field workouts during that time, so Brumfield spearheaded the sessions. He would type up a script of plays that had been installed in the spring, then direct a group of offensive skill players against the defense in 7-on-7 drills.

Once that portion of the practice concluded, the defense would head inside the practice facility and Brumfield would keep the offense on the field to walk through and correct any mistakes they had made.

Running those sessions not only helped Brumfield earn the respect of his teammates, they helped convince himself that he was ready to be in charge.

“We were doing our player-led practices and there were no coaches out there, so I was the sole voice they were listening to,” he said. “It was like, okay, I can handle this.”

Though he always categorized himself as a quiet, lead-by-example type, Brumfield understands that his new role requires him to be more vocal. When a teammate isn’t quite grasping some aspect of the offense, Brumfield will jump in and make sure everyone is on the same page.

“Being the sole quarterback, guys in the offense are really looking to you to know every play,” Brumfield said. “You definitely have to put in those extra hours to be able to take that same time that you have with those receivers, but know that much more to where I can coach you on your assignments and coach a left tackle or coach a running back and still know my assignments.”

In recent years, the start of training camp would have marked the final stage of a back-alley brawl between Brumfield and his competitors to earn the top spot on the depth chart. When Odom blows the whistle to start that first practice two weeks from now, however, Brumfield will call the shots and the rest of the quarterbacks — and the rest of the team — will line up behind him.

Though his message hasn’t changed, Brumfield is ready to lead.

“It’s about how I say it,” he said. “I feel I have a lot more conviction and confidence in my words. Basically, it’s easier for me to get my points across to the guys, because they know when I say it, I mean it. And that’s final.”

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