Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Talk of the town

It would appear the worst-kept secret around the UNLV football program these days is who will be the starting quarterback for the Rebels' 2000 season opener at Iowa State on Sept. 9.

After all, Jason Thomas, a highly touted sophomore transfer from USC, already has made his way onto the inside cover of the school's media guide, and is also one of eight Rebels pictured on a schedule poster. And the talented 6-foot-4, 230-pounder from Compton (Calif.) Dominguez High School has already made Lindy's preseason all-Mountain West Conference squad.

"No, the coaches haven't said anything officially," said senior Jason Vaughan, who started UNLV's first eight games of a 3-8 season in 1999. "But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out."

Still, Vaughan and sophomore Matt Ray, who performed admirably in three season-ending starts last season, say they aren't conceding anything on the practice field when two-a-day workouts start today at Rebel Park.

"I'm ready to play," said Vaughan, who completed 104 of 195 passes (53.3 percent) for 1,043 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. "I know I can get the job done, and I'm a much better player at this time than I was a year ago."

Added Ray: "I'm fired up (about the competition), but I can't really worry about the other guys. I can't worry what's in the media and stuff. I just have to worry about myself and improving my skills and helping the team win. Whatever happens, happens."

Besides, UNLV coach John Robinson hasn't totally ruled out going with two quarterbacks in the opener.

"He said to me that will probably be the case," said Ray, who completed 36 of 67 passes (53.7 percent) for 541 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"It could be two quarterbacks," Robinson said. "Whatever happens, I want it to take shape on the field. Then I can say, 'That's why it happened.' I don't want to be in a position where I have to make something happen."

Robinson said he'd like to have a starter by the team's Aug. 26 scrimmage at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"Somewhere in there," Robinson said. "Whatever we're doing, I want to give us time to get into the flow."

And what about those posters and the media guide photos touting Thomas?

"(UNLV assistant sports information director) Mark Wallington does a lot of that," Robinson said. "But if you try and control the PR for the best interests of the squad, everything can get screwed up. PR is PR.

"There is a part of me who hates for a player to open (the media guide) and wonder, 'Why wasn't I on there?' " Robinson continued. "But I've said all along that whoever is our quarterback will have to earn it on the field."

Most, including Vaughan, believe that will be Jason Thomas.

"The offense we're running points to Mr. Thomas running the option," Vaughan said. "I've never been an option quarterback. I've run it before. But I don't think that stuff would be in there if they weren't planning on starting him.

"I'm good friends with Jason and I want the best for him. He's a heck of a player."

"The team doctors didn't want to risk him coming back too soon," Robinson said. "They wanted to make sure the injury had the time to heal properly. They expect him to be ready to go in the spring. It's too bad because he's a guy who would have been competing for playing time."

Meanwhile, sophomore middle linebacker Austin Allen, listed No. 2 on the depth chart behind James Sunia heading into the fall, has quit the team because of recurring headaches.

And one of the team's top prep recruits, defensive end Charles Jones of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School, failed to meet minimum NCAA freshman eligibility requirements and will not play this season.

As many as nine of UNLV's 12 games are expected to be televised by SportsWest Productions or ESPN-Plus on either KFBT (Ch. 6) or KLAS (Ch. 8). And the Rebels' Sept. 23 contest at BYU will be regionally televised by ABC on KTNV (Ch. 13).

Oddly, UNLV's two toughest non-conference games -- Oct. 28 at Mississippi and Dec. 2 at Hawaii -- aren't scheduled to be broadcast at this time. The Rebels' Sept. 16 home opener against North Texas also isn't set for TV.

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