Friday, May 7, 2004 | 9:25 a.m.
The buzz among UNLV football players in the Lied Athletic Complex weight room this week quite naturally centered on the Rebels' season opener at perennial Top 25 power Tennessee. And the prospect of playing in front of 104,000 orange-clad Volunteers fans in famed Neyland Stadium wasn't the only thing that had the adrenaline pumping.
There's also a good chance the game will be moved so that it can be shown on national TV.
UNLV officials have been in discussions with ESPN about switching the game from its scheduled Sept. 4 date to Sunday, Sept. 5, so that it could be broadcast by the cable sports giant during its Sunday night slot that is normally reserved for NFL broadcasts. The NFL season begins the following weekend.
"We've heard some of those same rumors," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "It's in ESPN's hands. ... I think it's probably going to happen."
If the game is moved back a day it makes an already demanding start to the 2004 schedule even tougher.
The Rebels would have just a six-day break between playing the Vols in steamy Knoxville and facing Big Ten heavyweight Wisconsin in Madison. That would cut back at least one day of practice time in preparation for a Badgers squad that figures to be focused after an embarassing 23-5 home loss to the Rebels a year ago.
"There are some negatives as far as having to go all the way back east and coming back and having one less day to prepare (for the Badgers)," Robinson acknowledged. "But as far as national exposure goes, it would be hard to beat (playing on Sunday night)."
One big plus for the Rebels would be if ESPN also agrees to televise the Wisconsin rematch and move it to a night start. The teams played at 9 a.m. PST last year in a ESPN2 matchup.
"This should be my last trip up there," Nantkes said. "I'm looking to get the go-ahead to start running and do everything full speed again."
Nantkes has spent almost three months doing rehabilitation exercises for the injury, which was originally thought to be a severe groin strain.
"I feel great right now," Nantkes said. "Now it's just a matter of getting my legs and all the muscles I haven't been able to use back in shape again and game-ready. I haven't run yet. I've done some drops and some lateral stuff but I haven't tried to do anything straight ahead. They'll test me when I'm up there and give me some new exercises to see how I can handle them. Hopefully when I come back I'll be full-go."
The Rebels begin voluntary workouts in early June at Rebel Park.
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