Rebels linebacker wants win at home as birthday present

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2000 | 10:51 a.m.

UNLV linebacker Shanga Wilson celebrates his 21st birthday on Saturday. And the 6-1, 215-pound junior from Corona, Calif., says he already knows what he'd like to get for a present.

"I've heard we haven't won a (home) game here since 1997," Wilson said. "I know we'll go out and handle business on Saturday night (against North Texas). If we do, that would be the perfect present."

Wilson, a transfer from Chaffey Junior College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who originally attended the University of Arizona, will be making his second start for the Rebels.

His first appearance in a UNLV uniform was in last Saturday's 37-22 loss at Iowa State. And that was a memorable day for Wilson in more ways than one.

Not only did Wilson make five tackles to tie senior Tyler Brickell for top honors among linebackers, he also was the victim of a vicious blindside block by Cyclone wide receiver Chris Anthony in the third quarter.

"It was a reverse," Wilson said. "I went down to play the ball and then -- boom! -- I got hit," Wilson recalled.

Wilson was down on the field for a couple of minutes before he got up and ran off under his own power. He returned to the game on the next series.

"I've never been hit that hard before," said Wilson, the 1996 Mountain View League defensive player of the year at Corona's Centennial High School. "I got a helmet right in my ribs. I got up, but I couldn't breathe. I was trying to get air in. I said, 'Let me lay right back down.' Everybody was like, 'Is your head all right?' I told them my head was fine but my ribs hurt."

Wilson laughs while telling the story now. He's just happy to be playing Division I football again with his childhood friend, UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas.

Wilson played Junior All-American football for the Carson Jets, a team coached by Jason's father, Charles. Also on that squad were future Division I players Ken-Yon Rambo (Ohio State), Patrick McCall (Michigan/Oregon State), Willie Hurst (Washington) and Marques Anderson (UCLA) among others.

"We had a lot of good players on that team," Wilson said. "I used to block for Jason. He was the quarterback and I played guard and defensive tackle. Then I moved to linebacker when I got older."

Wilson attended Curtis Junior High School in Carson with Thomas for two years before moving about 30 miles east down the 91 Freeway to Corona. Still, the two remained close friends.

That friendship came in handy last fall when Wilson was told the Wildcats no longer had a scholarship for him. Wilson said he went to Chaffey to work on his academics at the urging of Arizona coach Dick Tomey with the understanding he'd return in the spring to Tucson.

"Suddenly, I had to look for other options," Wilson said. "Me and Jason had always kept in touch. He told me they had the perfect opportunity to come here and play. He talked to the coaches about me."

UNLV coach John Robinson and then linebacker coach Joe Barry liked what they saw of Wilson on tape and offered him a scholarship.

Wilson entered fall camp as the backup to sophomore Tosh Burrus at weakside linebacker, but moved into a starting roll when Burrus was sidelined for several weeks with a hamstring injury.

Wilson said he couldn't be happier with the ways things have worked out.

"I tell Jason every day that I see him thanks for helping me get here," Wilson said. "Seeing Charles and Jason every day makes it feel just like being home again. Plus our team has more of a family atmosphere than at other places I've been before. It's a close-knit family here. Everybody gets along."