Sanford sees red with Estandia

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 | 9:29 a.m.

Greg Estandia calls the decision to redshirt last season because of a knee injury "one of the toughest times in my life."

The 6-foot-8, 250-pounder was expected to play a major role in offensive coordinator Bruce Snyder's pass offense. Snyder planned to feature Estandia much like one of his former Arizona State players, Todd Heap, now an NFL Pro Bowler.

But that all changed on the final play of the final practice of fall camp when Estandia suffered a partially torn knee ligament after getting hit from the side during a drill.

Estandia came back to play briefly in UNLV's 48-13 Fremont Cannon victory against Nevada-Reno and even caught a pass. But with his knee still bothering him he had to make the decision after that contest whether to use his redshirt year or limp through the final seven games of his senior year.

With a likely NFL future ahead of him, the decision was a no-brainer.

"It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through," Estandia said before Tuesday afternoon's spring practice session at Rebel Park. "It was one of the toughest times in my life and I'm happy it's over with. It was a tough decision to make and I had to stick with it."

And when UNLV hired Utah offensive coordinator Mike Sanford, architect of the Utes' explosive spread-option attack, to replace retiring John Robinson as head coach, it looked like Estandia might have made the wrong decision. Afterall, the Utes rarely used a tight end last season.

"Only about eight percent of the time," Sanford said.

But Estandia said he wasn't upset when he heard the news.

"You'd think I'd be worried but I was actually kind of excited because I knew they would be throwing the ball around," he said.

And, as it turns out, they plan on throwing it around a lot to a certain 6-foot-8 senior tight end.

Sanford said he plans to try and create as many mismatches as he can with Estandia next season and will tailor his offense to try and find ways to get him the ball often.

"I think he fits this offense real well," Sanford said. "I don't look at him as a tight end. I look at him as a big receiver. We're going to utilize him at tight end. We're going to utilize him spread out. We're going to put him out as a split end at times, especially down in the red zone. He can be a weapon running slants and fades."

In fact, Sanford, a former wide receivers coach with the San Diego Chargers, envisions Estandia doing some of the same things he saw the Kansas City Chiefs do with their tight end.

"We'd like to utilize him ... similar to a Tony Gonzalez-type guy," Sanford said. "We're going to move him and play him in a variety of positions and find ways to get him the ball."

Pity the poor corner or safety, who usually will be giving away eight to 10 inches in height, trying to defend the 6-foot-8 Estandia one-on-one, especially on fades.

"I'm going to be more of a receiver type of tight end, which is fine with me," Estandia says. "I'll do anything I can to help the team."

UNLV wide receivers coach Kris Cinkovich, who was on Robinson's staff last fall, said Estandia's injury last season was "terrible both for him personally and the team." But he believes the Rebels will be fortunate to have him next season as a receiver in the spread option.

"I think this offense will be a great showcase for his tools and also to help us win," Cinkovich said. "He's very sure-handed and, for a guy his size, he's very athletic in space. He's been very coachable and thus far he's done a very good job in camp. He brings an element out there that will really help us."