Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001 | 10:50 a.m.
In only his third year as UNLV head football coach, John Robinson has exorcised just about all the demons.
"We've unloaded all the baggage that this program had," said Robinson, who inherited a 16-game losing streak from Jeff Horton.
"When we line up this year there will be no more talk of negative streaks. No more, 'UNLV hasn't done this since a certain year, or this many games ago.' Now we'll talk about what the Rebels are going to do."
And with 14 starters, including Heisman Trophy candidate Jason Thomas at quarterback, returning from an 8-5 squad that thumped Arkansas 31-14 in the Las Vegas Bowl, the Rebels would seem to have the firepower to do their fair share of damage again.
Streaks? Try this one on for size, Rebel fans: UNLV brings a four-game (begin italics) winning (end italics) streak into Thursday night's season-opener against Arkansas in Little Rock.
Still, it figures to be a tough road for UNLV just to match last year's win total. After heading south to face the revenge-minded Razorbacks, UNLV plays Big Ten favorite Northwestern, two-time defending Mountain West champ Colorado State, perennial Pac-10 heavyweight Arizona and Brigham Young all before the end of September. Similiar schedules came back to haunt both BYU and San Diego State last year.
But Robinson isn't flinching.
"We just have to play the first game, get on the airplane, come home and play the second one," he said. "It's just like the NFL, really. You just play. You don't come home and say, 'Gee, if we lose the first three games we've got to ...' You can't get caught up in that stuff. You just have to go out and play each game as it comes."
As for how good the 2001 Rebels can be, Robinson is optimistic.
"We're a better team than we've been," he said. "I think last year's experience has helped us. I think we know how to practice better. ... We work harder. I saw that in our off-season program."
Here's a look at how the 2001 Rebels shape up:
Offense
It all starts here with the play of a healthy Thomas, the Las Vegas Bowl MVP who passed for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for another 599 yards and 11 touchdowns, despite being hampered the last half of the season with a broken bone in his foot that required off-season surgery.
"Jason Thomas may be the most gifted athlete I've ever coached," said Robinson, who produced Heisman Trophy winners Marcus Allen and Charles White at USC as well as future NFL superstars Ronnie Lott and Anthony Munoz.
"For someone who hasn't been on the field much, he is surprisingly advanced. If he hadn't broken his foot and had to limp through half of the year, who knows what he could have done?"
Despite his eye-popping sophomore campaign, it should be remembered that Thomas still has played just 12 college games.
"He wants to do whatever it takes," Robinson said. "The great players that I've had the good fortune to coach were all ambitious and curious and willing to do anything if it was going to help them become better. This man has all of that."
One luxury the Rebels have this year that they didn't last year when Thomas went down is a top-notch backup in redshirt freshman Kurt Nantkes. The former minor league baseball pitcher turned down offers from Nebraska and Air Force to come to UNLV.
"Kurt Nantkes has impressed us tremendously," Robinson said. "He has shown us that he is really a big-time competitor and will do real well."
Although the Rebels lose first team all-conference tackle John Greer to graduation, the rest of a continually improving offensive line returns intact led by senior tackle Brandon Bair and senior center Peter Tramontanas.
"John Greer led our offensive line into real respectability," Robinson said. "That was an amazing group and all but one is back. More than any other position in sports, the offensive line must play together and this group really did it and now has a look in its eye that you want to see."
Junior tight end DeJhown Mandley will also see his role expand from more than just a blocker. Look for Mandley to become another key option in the Rebels' passing attack.
The big question mark is who will be able to take the place of tailbacks Jeremi Rudolph, who rushed for 1,005 yards, and hard-charging Kevin Brown, who gained almost 800?
First crack goes to senior Jabari Jackson (5-11, 200), a muscular senior transfer from Washington who has displayed some dazzling moves at times on the practice field. Hard-nosed junior Joe Haro, a highly-touted prep running back who was moved to the secondary and then back, will likely alternate with Jackson. A pair of talented freshmen, Bishop Gorman product Dyante Perkins and first team all-California pick Dominique Dorsey of Tulare, Calif., also are expected to see time.
Big things are also expected from junior fullback/H-back Steven Costa, who assumes the versatile role occupied so well last season by current Minnesota Viking James Wofford.
Thomas' loses his favorite target in Nate Turner, a free agent pickup of the San Diego Chargers who led the MWC with 66 catches a year ago, including a number of big ones in crunch time. But junior Troy Mason, a preseason all-conference pick at punt returner, and Oregon transfer Bobby Nero return as does improving sophomore Michael Johnson. And true freshman Earvin Johnson (6-3, 195) may have been the best receiver in fall camp and looks like a future star.
Defense
Seven starters return, including a pair of All-American and NFL first-round pick candidates in senior defensive end Anton Palepoi and senior cornerback Kevin Thomas.
Palepoi, a former JC All-American at Dixie College who finished second in the MWC with eight sacks in limited time last season, anchors what should be one of the conference's top lines.
Junior Ahmad Briggs starts opposite of Palepoi while seniors Adrian Watson and Steve Newton also will see plenty of time. The interior features senior tackle Ahmad Miller, a potential all-conference pick, developing sophomore Dietrich Canterberry and talented JC transfer Garrett Brassington as well as veteran Phil Reed.
The linebacker corps is led by sophomore Ryan Claridge, who gained valuable experience filling in for the injured James Sunia the last half of the 2000 season. Sunia, who still has a shot at becoming UNLV's all-time tackle leader, is due back in mid-September. Redshirt freshman Adam Seward from Bonanza High also figures to get plenty of action.
The strongside outside linebacker spot will be shared by senior Scott Parkhurst, another former JC All-American who played defensive end a year ago, and hard-hitting LaMar Owens. Senior Shanga Wilson and junior Tosh Burrus will rotate at the weakside outside linebacker spot.
The secondary, led by Jim Thorpe Award contender Kevin Thomas and team defensive MVP Sam Brandon at free safety, has excellent depth and speed.
Junior Jamal Wynn will take over for Amar Brisco at one corner spot while a trio of players -- junior Ross Dalton, redshirt freshman Jamaal Brimmer and JC transfer Chameion Sutton -- are competing for Randy Black's vacant strong safety job.
"Our defense needs to become a league-leader and Top-25 unit in the country," Robinson said. "We need to accept that responsibility."
Special teams
All-American punter Ray Cheetany has departed and leaves a big hole to fill. Sophomore Ryan McDonald, freshman Gary Cook and Perkins all were vying for the job in fall camp with none of the three exactly conjuring images of Ray Guy.
"Replacing Ray is going to be hard," Robinson said. "Our gross punting will be down but our net should hold steady."
Former walk-on Dillon Pieffer, who came in at mid-year to convert six of seven field goals and 19 of 20 PATs, returns to handle placekicking and kickoff duties.
Mason, who was seventh in the nation with a 16.4 yards punt return average, gives the return game a big-time threat.
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