Columnist Adam Candee: Knight’s armor, as always, is depth

Adam Candee

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

Adam Candee covers golf for the Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4085 or by e-mail at candee@lasvegassun.com.

I often think of one of Aerosmith's more recent albums, "Just Push Play," when calling up UNLV golf coach Dwaine Knight to chat.

That's not to say anything about the album -- which does not exactly call up thoughts of "Sweet Emotion" or "Adam's Apple" or any of the good stuff before the mid-'80s -- or about the coach.

But certain questions seemingly always draw the same responses from Knight, mostly because he has seen them to be so true through the years. I often feel like I can "Just Push Play," as I did Tuesday when asking what it will take for the Rebels to move from "very good" up to "great" in the spring season -- beyond sending Ryan Moore to the first tee every tournament.

Knight said depth. He always says depth. He answers every question remotely like the one I asked by saying depth and referring to qualifying at home, mostly because it would be easier to crack a brick with your pinky than to crack the traveling lineup of his elite Rebels teams through the years.

Sound like an exaggeration? Well then, allow me to submit a few exhibits of Knight's consistency, gleaned from the Sun archives:

And we've made precious few changes to this year's model:

"Our depth is going to be really key, obviously," Knight said Tuesday afternoon. "Our No. 4 and 5 guys are going to be really key for us. We have the depth this year to push everyone to another level."

What's encouraging this year is that the depth Knight craves appears to be there -- 10 players earned traveling spots in the fall season, which ended with UNLV ranked 10th by GolfWorld and 16th by Golfweek.

Unlike the past couple of years, when nothing beyond Moore's vice grip on the No. 1 spot was certain, the crucial No. 2 and No. 3 spots appear set with senior Travis Whisman and true freshman Jarred Texter. That sureness is huge for golfers, who are creatures of habit and repetition more so than most other athletes.

I can also push play and hear that Knight wants his seniors to step forward with consistency. (I'll spare you the long-winded proof, but it's there.) That puts this year's onus on Whisman, who is responding to Knight's challenge by playing near the solid No. 2 level he reached in 2002 after recovering from back surgery.

After struggling through an inconsistent junior season, Whisman carded a fourth-place and a seventh-place finish in the fall and recorded the second-lowest stroke average (71.67) on the team. Knight credits Whisman's growing confidence, likely an offshoot of improved conditioning in the wake of his back problems.

"When you have a physical problem, it can be hard to push yourself to get the confidence that you're going to play at a high level every day," Knight said. "I think he's really close to playing well. He's done some good things for us. If he plays well for us, we can be a very good golf team."

Texter, a touted newcomer from Pennsylvania, is playing nothing like a freshman. Teammate Andres Gonzales, who is also enjoying a solid year, calls Texter "the real deal." Texter was the only Rebel to play all four fall tournaments, recording a 72.33 stroke average and nearly winning at Stanford.

The youngster's game does not surprise Knight, but his ability to handle the demands of college life so quickly impresses the coach.

"Jarred is every organized about how to put things in their place," Knight said. "That's rare for a freshman. Usually, they're trying to chase their tail."

Sophomore Sam Hunt and redshirt freshman Matt Kinsinger came on late in the fall to push Gonzales, a senior, and junior Ryan Keeney -- just how Knight likes it.

As for Moore, it's time for a huge deep breath. His whirlwind began with winning the NCAA championship in June and continued through victories in the U.S. Amateur Publinx, Western Amateur, Sahalee Players and U.S. Amateur. Those led right into UNLV's fall semester, in which he has found time to make the cut at the PGA's Greensboro event on a sponsor's exemption and to play on the winning team at the World Team Amateur.

That's not even to mention the numerous interviews, photo shoots and flesh-pressing appearances that come along with Moore's meteoric rise. Moore's spring (and summer) will include spots in the Masters, the U.S. Open and the British Open.

"He capped off an incredible year individually that may never be matched," Knight said. "This has been a long year for him. Now, he's kind of catching his breath a little bit. There's a lot on his plate, but he'll be prepared for a great spring."

If Moore's teammates are as prepared to follow the leader as Knight feels they are, it could be a great spring for the Rebels.