Rebels’ Wilson inspired by return to Tucson

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Sept. 17, 2001 | 9:38 a.m.

This Saturday night's game at Arizona has extra meaning for UNLV outside linebacker Shanga Wilson.

"Before the season started, I was real anxious for this one," the 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior outside linebacker said after practice Sunday night at Rebel park. "It's a chance to go back and play against some of my old friends."

Wilson, who is UNLV's third-leading tackler with 10 and has the team's lone interception, originally signed with the Wildcats after starring at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif. But academic problems combined with a knee injury suffered during a summer prep all-star game put him behind in Tucson.

After redshirting as a freshman to rehab a torn ACL and frustrated by his lack of playing time the following year, Wilson transferred to Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

"Academics-wise, I was messing up at the beginning (at Arizona) but I got that straightened out," Wilson said. "But I felt I should have played more. I thought that was the right place for me but it didn't turn out that way."

Wilson, who played youth football with UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas in Carson, Calif., decided to join his old friend in Las Vegas last year and earned honorable mention all-Mountain West Conference honors with 79 tackles, just three behind team-leader Sam Brandon.

"The thing he's done is really added to the speed element on our team," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "We're a team that relies on speed and Shanga gives it to us. He plays fast and is really good at playing in space. He's a smart player, too."

"I made a good move coming to UNLV," Wilson said. "I feel at home here. We all stick together like a family."

Wilson said he is looking forward to returning to Arizona Stadium.

"It's going to be kind of weird playing against them after playing with them there," he said. "But I'm ready to go. The main thing I'm more concerned with now is winning. That's my No. 1 priority going into this game."

UNLV coach John Robinson said Hunter "either had been or will be charged soon for some form of sexual assault with a girl he had been dating."

Robinson said an announcement on the charges, which allegedly occurred last spring in a UNLV dorm, could come as soon as today.

"He'll have to take care of it before he can rejoin the team," Robinson said.

UNLV head trainer Paul Pucciarelli ordered the decals last Wednesday from Pinto Screen Printing in Klamath Falls, Ore., which does the helmet stickers for the Rebels and a number of other college teams. The owner, Paul Pinto, has spent the weekend producing more than 14,000 flag decals and is giving them to UNLV free of charge.

Pucciarelli said other UNLV team sports will have flag patches on their uniforms.

"During Desert Storm, they all wore flags on their uniforms, too," Pucciarelli said.