Gorman’s Childers picks UNLV

By Ryan Greene

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 | 2 p.m.

The parade of commitments continued Tuesday for the UNLV football program, and this time it came in the form of a local high school product.

Bishop Gorman safety Charles Childers gave his pledge to Mike Sanford and his staff, making him the seventh verbal commitment for the Rebels in the 2009 class.

Childers said UNLV recruited him as a cornerback, which is an area the Rebels have placed a huge focus on in this year's recruiting class. The Rebels were the first to make him an offer, and they appear to have landed Childers just as other schools were beginning to warm on him. He said he'd recently been hearing from the likes of Colorado State, Washington and Purdue.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Childers and his father met on Monday with Sanford in his office after taking a walk around the campus, and a few hours later, he decided to pull the trigger.

"I definitely have a good relationship with the coaches, I like the atmosphere and I'm glad to stay local," he said. "I think the program's getting better, they're optimistic and I wanted to be a part of it."

It wasn't just the coaches, either, who helped land him at UNLV. Childers has a good relationship with former Gorman teammate and current UNLV safety Beau Orth, who as a true freshman this season has worked his way up the depth chart to become a regular contributor.

"Beau was a big factor in my decision," Childers said. "I always looked up to him, he was older, a great teammate. I took advice, and he gave me a different vantage point to see the program from."

Orth's biggest play yet this season came in a game which the Rebels are obviously using as a selling point for their program - a 23-20 overtime victory at Arizona State on Sept. 13. Orth had a first half interception which set up UNLV's first touchdown.

"When they beat Arizona State, I think that was a turning point," Childers said. "UNLV is on the way up. That just kind of added some more momentum."

Childers has doubled as both a defensive back and receiver for the 10-1 Gaels. While he's posted 19 receptions for 342 yards and a score this season on offense, his speed and knack for the big hit have been on display for a defense that's allowed just 6.9 points per game and has posted four shutouts.

"Now my focus just goes straight to the playoffs," Childers said, as Gorman takes on Legacy Friday night in its postseason opener.

Childers is the third defensive back to commit to UNLV in the '09 class, and the first from the high school ranks. Last week, Sanford got verbals from juco cornerbacks Mike Grant and Warren Ziegler. He also joins joins the likes of Mesquite, Texas, receiver Mark Barefield, Perris, Calif., quarterback Caleb Herring, Peoria, Ariz., linebacker Reggie Umuolo and Phoenix, Ariz., center Doug Zismann in UNLV's still-growing recruiting class.