Sanford dips into Utes’pool

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

First new UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford took a pair of Utah assistants with him from Salt Lake City. Now he has garnered one of the Utes' top recruits.

Highly touted wide receiver Justin Marvel (6-foot-0, 185) of Arroyo Valley High School in San Bernardino, Calif., who had previously committed to Utah when Sanford was the team's offensive coordinator, has now switched his commitment to UNLV.

"It's not a might," Marvel said Wednesday night. "I am coming to UNLV."

Marvel cancelled a recruiting trip to UCLA this weekend after meeting with Sanford and linebackers coach Kurt Barber, who also had recruited him at Utah, on Wednesday night.

"I really like the coaching staff and the offense Coach Sanford is bringing to UNLV," said Marvel, who has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. "And I took a recruiting trip there a few weeks ago and met the players. I think they have a lot of talent there."

Marvel caught 59 passes for 950 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Hawks this past season. He also visited Hawaii and Utah and was being recruited by Pac-10 schools Cal, Washington and Washington State before making his earlier commitment to Utah.

UNLV also landed a commitment from a junior college cornerback.

E.J. Whitley (5-9, 170) of Victor Valley College in Victorville, Calif., picked the Rebels over North Carolina and Illinois. The Texas native will enter school next week and take part in spring practice. He has three years of eligibility remaining.