Briggs becoming a force on defense

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

Anton Palepoi gets most of the media attention, and deservedly so. But UNLV's other starting defensive end, Ahmad Briggs, is also starting to make a name for himself this season.

The explosive 6-4, 230-pound junior from Irving, Texas, ranks second behind Palepoi among Rebel defensive linemen in tackles with 10. And he also ran 30 yards with a fumble for a touchdown in UNLV's loss at Arizona two weeks ago.

"I think he's starting to really blossom," UNLV defensive line coach Craig Wederquist said. "He getting so much better. He has incredible speed."

Briggs is a three-year starter for the Rebels. He finished second to Palepoi with 4 1/2 sacks and had 34 tackles in 2000.

"He's starting to get the recognition that he deserves," UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas said. "He's worked very hard."

Thomas should know. He and Briggs are roommates and spent much of the summer working out together.

"Me and Ahmad used to hang out all the time," Thomas said. "I'm a defensive guy. All my friends were always on defense. We just clicked and have been friends ever since."

"We just talk and watch football," Briggs said. "We're tight. We don't argue or anything."

What impresses Thomas about his roomie on the football field?

"He's fast," Thomas said. "He's got great speed and a motor that keeps on running. He makes a lot of plays sideline-to-sideline."

"I'm just trying to stay to my fundamentals and get a little better each week," Briggs said. "I just want to go out and practice hard and stay focused on my job."

Brandon got hit twice on the same spot by helmets in UNLV's 35-31 loss to BYU on Saturday. X-rays taken at Sam Boyd Stadium had revealed a fracture in the elbow, which had also been dislocated during Brandon's senior year at J.W. North High School in Riverside, Calif.

Brandon, wearing a thick elbow pad, practiced Wednesday afternoon at Rebel Park with the first team defense.

"I'm an excellent healer," he said with a smile. "Nah, it turned out it was an old injury and I'll be able to play (Saturday)."

Had the injury been ruled a new fracture, Brandon, the team's leading tackler with 31, would have been sidelined four to six weeks.

"Yeah, I was nervous waiting to find out," the 6-3, 195-pound strong safety said. "You always want to hear good news. It's still a little tender, but it's 100-percent better than it was last Saturday."