Cheyenne’s McGruder says Rebels still in the running

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Jan. 21, 2000 | 9:47 a.m.

Cheyenne High School defensive lineman Lynn McGruder, a second-team USA Today All-American and arguably the state's biggest recruit of the last decade, said Thursday night that UNLV is one of his three top college choices.

The 6-2, 295-pound McGruder attended the 1999 UNLV football team awards banquet at the plush Four Seasons Hotel. And although McGruder isn't going to take an official recruiting trip to UNLV -- he attended several Rebel practices and games during the season and doesn't feel he needs to take an official visit -- he said will decide between UNLV, Tennessee and Wisconsin by the Feb. 2 national letter of intent signing day.

"Right now I just want to take a few days to sit back and think things over," McGruder said. "Things have been awfully hectic the last few months. I don't want to rush into making a decision I might regret."

McGruder, who also took recruiting trips to Texas and Oklahoma, said "UNLV is definitely still in there. It's a program on the rise.

"And it's in an area I enjoy living, which is going to be very important when it comes time to make a decision."

If Thursday night's annual awards banquet had a theme, it might have been "The best is yet to come."

All three major award winners were underclassmen.

Junior tailback Jeremi Rudolph, who led the Rebels with 693 yards rushing despite being badly hampered the final half of the season with a groin injury, was named the 1999 Offensive Player of the Year. Rudolph also led the team in all-purpose yardage with 767 and was named one of the top 10 transfers in college football by Sports Illustrated.

Sophomore Kevin Thomas picked up Defensive MVP honors. Thomas shattered the school record with 24 pass breakups to go along with a team-high five interceptions and an NCAA record-tying 100-yard fumble return at Baylor that gave UNLV a stunning 27-24 victory on the game's final play.

Junior Ray Cheetany was the Special Teams Player of the Year after finishing fourth nationally with a 45.4 punting average and also doing an outstanding job as a kickoff man.

Other awards handed out included the $2,000 Rene Arceneaux Scholarship Award to senior fullback BJ Edwards, who also nabbed the Bill "Wildcat" Morris Most Inspirational Award.

The Jack Gilmore Coaches Award went to junior linebacker Jason Palmucci.

Senior placekicker Tim O'Reilly was named the team's Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Wide receiver Len Ware won the "Doc" Tobler Senior Award while Ware and cornerback Andre Hilliard garnered the Captains Award.

Rebel coach John Robinson announced during the banquet that wide receivers coach Steve Leach would coach defensive backs next season. New Rebel defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson held that job last season.

Tight ends coach Ken Niumatalolo and quarterbacks coach Gene Dahlquist are expected to split time coaching the wide receivers next year.