TAKE FIVE: UNLV FOOTBALL

Friday, April 27, 2007 | 7:21 a.m.

His players won't report for training camp for three more months, but you get the impression that UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford wishes he could open camp next week.

The Rebels last week wrapped up what Sanford called the most successful spring camp of his three at the university. Although it remains to be seen how much the Rebels can improve on last season's 2-10 record, Sanford said he likes the direction the program is headed.

"I see this as a journey and we're getting closer to where we need to be , but we're not there yet," he said. "But from the beginning, I've had a hope and a belief that we were going to be good. I thought we were going to be better than we were the first year and I thought we'd be better than we were last year, as far as results are concerned.

"But I expect to be improved (this year) from the last two years."

1. Walking wounded

Several key offensive players - including starting quarterback Rocky Hinds - were recovering from offseason surgery and did not take part in spring practice.

Sanford said Hinds' rehabilitation from knee surgery is going very well and he expects him, receiver Casey Flair and kicker Sergio Aguayo to be at full strength when training camp opens Aug. 2.

2. Eternal optimist

Sanford said that, coming out of spring practice, he feels better about this team than he did his previous two at the same point in the year.

"The talent level is improved, the attitude is really good and we're improving in the area of toughness," he said. "We're not where we need to be in talent, we're not where we need to be in toughness and we're not where we need to be in attitude , but we're tremendously improved."

3. Who's No. 1?

The starting job is Hinds' to lose, but what would a football training camp be without a quarterback controversy? Hinds likely will be pressed by at least two contenders when training camp opens.

Redshirt freshman Travis Dixon looked awfully good in the Rebels' spring game and incoming freshman Mike Clausen "already told me that he's going to be the starting quarterback," Sanford quipped when he announced Clausen (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) had signed a letter of intent to play at UNLV.

4. Early tests

While Sanford insists the 2007 Rebels are better, he acknowledges they will be tested early and often this season. UNLV opens on the road at Utah State and then hosts Wisconsin, Hawaii and Utah on consecutive weekends before facing rival UNR in Reno.

"We've got a very challenging schedule," he said. "All the talk is about all the home games we have , but the road schedule, the first two (road) games ... those are huge games for us.

"The reality is ... we've got to win on the road."

5. Did you know?

UNLV has lost 15 consecutive road games. The Rebels' last win away from Sam Boyd Stadium was a 24-20 victory at BYU on Oct. 8, 2004.