Sanders returns home for shot at UNR

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999 | 9:52 a.m.

UNLV senior safety Quincy Sanders says he would like to look at Saturday's game at Nevada-Reno as just another game on the schedule. But he admits the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon is much more than that.

"It's my last chance," he says simply. "I'd really like to say it's just another game, but it's not."

A 1995 graduate of Reed High School, located on the outskirts of Reno in the town of Sparks, Sanders drew the ire of some Wolf Pack fans for shunning his local school in favor of arch-rival UNLV.

"I took a lot of grief," he said. "But I tried not to pay attention to it. I made a decision based on what I wanted to do with my life. That didn't involve anybody but my mom, my family and me.

"I got a lot of support from people up there but at the same time I had a lot of people who kind of changed on me, too. But that's life. You find out who your real friends are when you go through something like that."

So Saturday afternoon's game at Mackay Stadium is extra special for the former Nevada State Player of the Year. He's one of the few members on the squad who actually grew up around the Fremont Cannon rivalry.

"In high school I got to see (the cannon) get shipped back and forth between the two schools," he said. "But we haven't been able to bring it back to Las Vegas since I've been here."

So what would it mean to Sanders to finally bring back the Fremont Cannon this year in his hometown?

"I can't say it would be the equivalent of (going to) a bowl game," he said. "But it certainly would mean a lot to me. It would be a chance to achieve something that hasn't been done around here in a while."

The hard-hitting 6-3, 200-pound Sanders, who is third on the team with 30 tackles and also has three pass deflections, has some other goals he'd like to achieve this year.

"I've got some dreams of playing at the next level," he said.

He may get that chance if he can continue to improve this season, according to UNLV coach John Robinson.

"He's a good-sized guy with good speed," Robinson said. "If he plays a full season this year and keeps improving, I think he's going to get a chance. He's certainly the size you want and he's shown he's going to come up and hit you at the goal line."

Just ask Darrell Bush. He's the Baylor tailback who Sanders stood up on the final play of the game, enabling linebacker Tyler Brickell to come in from behind and strip the ball away. Rebel defensive back Kevin Thomas then scooped up the fumble and ran it back 100 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a 27-24 UNLV win and a comeback for the ages.

But Sanders is looking ahead, not behind, these days.

"It's a big thing --- Vegas vs. Reno," he said. "My first couple of years here I really didn't know exactly how much it meant. But I do now. And if we can win this week, it would be really big."

* REBEL NOTES: Despite its 0-4 start, Nevada-Reno opened as an 11-point favorite to make it five in a row over the Rebels. ... UNLV's Oct. 9 game at Wyoming will be televised by ESPN Regional Television and will be picked up in Las Vegas by KFBT-TV (Channel 33/Cable 6). It will also be shown nationally as part of the ESPN Game Plan pay per view. Kickoff will be at noon PDT.