TAKE FIVE: ROCKY HINDS

Friday, March 31, 2006 | 7:11 a.m.

Although he hasn't played a down of competitive football since the end of his junior year in high school in 2002, Rocky Hinds has all but been anointed as the savior of UNLV football.

Not so fast, head coach Mike Sanford cautioned.

"He hasn't played in a while," Sanford said of the sophomore quarterback who spent his freshman season at USC before transferring to UNLV and sitting out last year.

"I would say we have a very competitive situation between (Hinds and senior Shane Steichen), and I would say we probably won't make any decisions or announcements until we're into fall camp."

That said, Sanford admitted that Hinds is the quintessential quarterback for his spread option offense.

"I think he's what you're looking for in a quarterback," Sanford said. "He's a true quarterback - he's not an athlete playing quarterback. He's got that God-given ability; either you've got it or you don't, and he's got it."

Rocky Hinds File

UNLV sophomore quarterback

Age: 20

Born: Feb. 13, 1986, in Los Angeles

High School: St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.)

Size: 6 feet, 5 inches; 220 pounds

After passing for more than 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns as a high school junior, Hinds missed his senior season with a torn right knee ligament, redshirted in 2004 at USC and then sat out last season after transferring to UNLV.

2. No regrets

Hinds left USC after head coach Pete Carroll listed Hinds third on the Trojans' depth chart behind Matt Leinart and John David Booty coming out of spring practice last year.

"It was a great learning experience," Hinds said of the year he spent at USC. "I came in with a knee injury and they wanted to make sure that I was 100 percent, so they thought it was best that I redshirt so I could learn behind the Heisman Trophy winner.

"But there are no second thoughts here (about transferring to UNLV). I think it was a great move."

3. Catching up

Hinds is making up for lost (playing) time this spring by taking the majority of snaps at quarterback.

"It feels good to get all these reps in," he said after a recent practice at Rebel Park. "I've been through two programs, two systems, so it feels good to be able to settle down into this system, learn it and be able to play this upcoming season.

"You never really forget how to do it ... you just have to get back in the groove."

4. Catching on

Hinds said he is enjoying learning Sanford's offense.

"I think I'm doing pretty well," he said. "I'm finally starting to get a good grasp of the offense and it fits what I do well, which is run and throw."

As a junior in high school, Hinds not only passed for 1,643 yards, he rushed for 475 yards and five touchdowns.

5. Lofty expectations

Although Hinds lacks game experience, Sanford said he is expecting big things from him this season.

"I expect him to play and I expect him to be good," Sanford said. "I think he's got a ton of ability. He's a very smooth, natural passer with a really good release and he's accurate. What we're trying to do now is get him as much experience as we can."