Freshman Greg Burrell making instant impact for UNLV offense

Before the season, UNLV newcomer Greg Burrell aimed his sights on the program record for rushing touchdowns by a freshman — a mark that was set just a year ago, when Jai’Den Thomas found pay dirt 12 times.

It was a lofty goal, but Burrell’s pursuit picked up on Saturday when he surged across the goal line for a 5-yard touchdown in UNLV’s 72-14 win over Utah Tech.

In addition to his first career touchdown, Burrell also impressed by rushing for 101 yards on just 11 carries, making him the first UNLV running back to hit the century mark this season. Following his breakout performance, Burrell was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week.

Through two games, Burrell has been the most productive back in a crowded backfield, distinguishing himself by averaging an eye-opening 7.8 yards per carry.

At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Burrell has all the physical attributes to succeed in UNLV’s go-go offense. As a junior at Desert Pines High in Las Vegas, he rushed for 960 yards and 10 touchdowns at a clip of 9.8 yards per attempt. His numbers dipped to 307 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior, but Barry Odom was thrilled to land a commitment from the local bruiser.

“I think he can be special player,” Odom said. “He’s got size, he’s got speed, he’s got good body lean when he runs with the ball. He is good in protection when we use the backs in that area. He’s got good hands out of backfield. He’s a strong runner. He’s just starting to figure it out, and he gets better every single day. I think he can have a monster year for us, I really do.”

Burrell was rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports, ranked as the No. 131 running back in the nation. He was pursued by BYU, Colorado State and Fresno State before pledging to the hometown team.

Burrell graduated early from Desert Pines and enrolled at UNLV in time to participate in spring practice. Since joining the program, Burrell has thrown himself into the process of learning the playbook, collaborating with his teammates and running backs coach Cornell Ford to get up to speed.

Senior receiver Ricky White, a superstar and team captain, vouched for Burrell’s work ethic.

“He’s definitely bought into the culture,” White said. “He’s got one of the best running backs coaches that he could be coached by in coach Ford. Coach Ford does a great job preparing the running backs each and every week. I feel like if he continues to better his game, go over the details and the small things, he could be one of the best backs in the nation.”

Senior linebacker Jackson Woodard, another captain and the Mountain West preseason co-Defensive Player of the Year, has had an entire offseason of experience in trying to tackle Burrell in live practice situations. According to Woodard, it’s no easy task.

“He’s really physical,” Woodard said. “He doesn’t act like a freshman and he doesn’t run like a freshman.”

Burrell’s powerful style should make him a go-to option in goal-line situations, but Odom also pointed out his ability to see holes develop and burst through openings with urgency. Burrell showed his speed by breaking away for a 42-yard gain against Utah Tech, giving him UNLV’s longest run of the day.

The next step for Burrell will be mastering the ancillary aspects of his position. As he gets more comfortable blocking and understanding his assignments, Odom and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion will be more confident sending him out there against top competition — like on Friday, when UNLV travels to take on Kansas in what is one of the biggest games of the season for the Scarlet and Gray.

Odom thinks his young star-in-the-making is on the right track.

“No. 1, you’d better take care of ball,” Odom said when asked how a young running back can gain more playing time. “That goes into knowing your assignment, playing physical, carrying out your fakes when you don’t have the ball. Being able to protect, whether it’s odd fan, whether it’s slide protection [when] you’ve got the defensive end or the blitzing linebacker, and then doing it consistently.

“Those are all things Greg has shown,” he continued. “He’s a long way from where he’ll end up as a player, but it was a really good start for him the first two weeks.”

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