UNLV football notebook: With pads in play, defense shines

By Ryan Greene

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 | 2:30 a.m.

Junior defensive lineman Malo Taumua said the UNLV defense felt the need to send a message — both to the offense and to itself — before leaving Tuesday for a week-long training camp in the cool confines of Ely.

Consider it sent.

The unit most needing to show improvement from 2008 showed the most life Monday morning at Rebel Park at the team's first practice of the fall in full pads.

"Coach (Mike Sanford) told us in the locker room that when you have full pads on, that's when you go to work," Taumua said. "We came out here with the mentality that no one could block us and we wouldn't be denied.

"We came out with that attitude, and that's why we did what we did."

The most lively moment of the day for the defense came during the 'toughness' drill about midway through the two-hour session, which pits the offensive and defensive fronts against each other at the 3-yard line.

The goal for the offense is to use an inside run to push the ball across the plane.

Only once in seven tries did the offense succeed, with Chris Brogdon bouncing outside before walking across the goal line.

The loudest crunch came on the second-to-last rep, when freshman back Bradley Randle took a handoff and worked the left side of the line. Junior defensive end Daniel Mareko came through unblocked and popped Randle, while redshirt freshman linebacker David Blair came over the top and finished the job.

"The defense did a great job," Sanford said. "I thought it was a little closer competition in the team drills, so a lot of good work today."

Pointer feeling comfortable

While competition is still open for all of the Rebels' spots in the secondary, one would have to assume that if junior cornerback Quinton Pointer returns to his late-2008 form here in the fall, one of those jobs will have his name on it.

After day one of full-team practice, things appear headed in that direction.

Pointer donned the black shirt in Monday's practice, based on earning the most player production points in Sunday night's session.

Pointer, who had a big freshman campaign in 2007 and earned a reputation for being a big hitter at the corner spot, began his sophomore season still on the mend from an elbow injury suffered on the first day of last year's fall camp. He didn't find his stride until the season's final three or four games.

He also missed action this spring following shoulder surgery, and now feels better than ever.

"It feels good, very comfortable," Pointer said of his shoulder. "Better than last season.

"I'm ready to go. I couldn't wait to get our pads on and hit, because that's the first thing I wanted to do."

Pointer has 94 tackles and four interceptions in two seasons, giving him the most accomplished resumé of anyone competing for a starting cornerback spot, including a huge pick late last fall against New Mexico that essentially saved the Rebels' bowl hopes.

"I think he's proving that he can be a guy that's dependable in that area, but that's one thing, we weren't sure how he'd react after the injuries last year, after some difficult things that he went through," Sanford said. "I think he's hungry and he's making plays, and that's who he is."

On Monday, he took reps at both the outside corner spot and the dime, which he said is fitting, considering the type of player he's trying to once again be.

"I love dime," he said. "You're in there with all the action."

First day infirmary

The first day of full-pad contact didn't bring any major casualties, but rather a couple of bumps.

Senior safety Marquel Martin spent much of the practice on the trainer's table with a sprained ankle, while sophomore tight end Kyle Watkins had a bad reaction to the heat, spending the second half of the practice in the shade with a cold wrap around his head.

Surprise guest?

Former UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick, who just a couple of weeks back accepted the same position at his alma mater — Marshall — was on the sidelines for the later portion of Monday's session.

His final day holding the position at UNLV is Friday.

Next up ...

The Rebels will not practice Tuesday while they travel north to Ely for the next week, but will have a walkthrough once arriving in the evening.

Action resumes Wednesday with a pair of practices — the first from 9:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m., the second from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m.