Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

UNLV FOOTBALL:

Notebook: UNLV’s Sullivan continues to surge after mid-season speed bump

Freshman currently ranks fourth in nation in kick return average

UNLV vs. Air Force

  • UNLV Rebels (2-8 overall, 2-4 MWC) vs. Air Force Falcons (7-4 overall, 4-3 MWC)

  • Where: Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800)

  • When: 7:00 p.m.

  • Coaches: Bobby Hauck is 2-8 in his first season at UNLV and 82-25 in eight overall seasons; Troy Calhoun is 32-18 in his four seasons at Air Force, which is his first head coaching job.

  • Series:Air Force leads, 11-4

  • Last time: Air Force won, 45-17, on Nov. 14, 2009, in Colorado Springs.

  • Line: Air Force by 19.

  • TV/Radio:CBS-C/ESPN Radio 1100-AM

  • Rebel to watch: Can senior quarterback Omar Clayton keep it up? He's struggled mightily in 2010 while trying to grasp Bobby Hauck's offense, but had his best showing of the season last weekend against Wyoming, completing 13 of 18 pass attempts for 163 yards and three scores with no interceptions. Air Force isn't as stout defensively as it was a year ago, but still ranks 48th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense.

  • Falcon to watch: Air Force has several options when it comes to running the football, but junior running back Asher Clark has been the most consistent of the bunch. In the Falcons' regular season finale, the team's leading rusher on the season has a chance to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, currently standing at 919 with five touchdowns. His best game as a collegian, oddly enough, came against UNLV last season, when he ran for 160 yards and three scores — both career highs — on 18 carries.

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On Oct. 9, late in a blowout loss at West Virginia, UNLV freshman receiver Marcus Sullivan took a hit to the chest while going for a pass down the middle of the field that looked like it could have ended his season.

The Cheyenne High product was on the field for several minutes before being carted off, and would go on to miss the Rebels' next two games.

The fact that he returned at all this season defines just why he's thriving at one of football's most dangerous positions — as a kick returner.

"The hit at West Virginia, that was a violent collision, and that's part of the game," UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. "He got up, kind of dusted himself off. He was banged up and it took him four weeks to get back, but he's a fearless guy.

"He has no problem throwing his body up in there (on kick returns). For a true freshman, that's impressive. For a lot of guys, that's a learned skill. For him, that's pretty innate."

The speedy Sullivan's fearlessness has him ranked fourth in the nation in kick return average. His 117 yards on only three return attempts in Saturday's 42-16 victory over Wyoming bumped his season average to 29.9 yards per try.

He also caught a 41-yard touchdown bomb from senior quarterback Omar Clayton in the win, coming on the heels of his first career TD catch a week earlier in the waning moments of a 55-7 loss at BYU.

Still, he has a golden opportunity to be yet another special teams standout developed by Hauck, who also serves as the Rebels' special teams coordinator.

Most recently, former Montana returnman/receiver Marc Mariani was a seventh round pick of the Tennessee Titans in the 2010 NFL Draft. After making the team, Mariani was named the team's starting kick returner. He's responded well, averaging 26.2 yards per return this season, including a 98-yard touchdown.

Not only does Sullivan have the same type of instinct and will as Mariani, but he has a bit of an intangible accompanying his speed that will set him apart.

"When you have a guy back there who has some of the magic, all of a sudden, the guys in front of him know it and they work extra hard to get him a little space," Hauck said. "Often you don't know until you get a few games into the season who can do it and who can't, and we've got several guys that see it pretty well, but he's got great top-end speed, which makes it a great home run opportunity."

Short week changes plans

The UNLV staff didn't celebrate its victory Saturday night for very long, as many of the coaches were back in the office by 6 a.m. on Sunday morning.

The week's schedule is sped up due to the 7 p.m. home finale on Thursday night against Air Force, who comes to town at 7-4 overall and 4-3 in Mountain West Conference play.

"I know we're basically a day ahead," Hauck said.

For example, on Tuesday, a day typically reserved for a full pads practice, the team was in helmets and shorts after instead going with normal practices on Sunday and Monday.

Tough challenge on the ground

Granted, the Air Force offense has by far the most rush attempts in the nation this season with 637.

But they've been productive carries, for the most parts, as the Falcons are averaging 5.5 yards a pop and have the second-ranked rushing offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Meanwhile, UNLV's run defense comes in this week at 114th out of 120 FBS teams. The Rebels, though, are coming off of their most stout performance against the run all season. Following Alvester Alexander's 72-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage on Saturday night, the Rebels held the Cowboys to only 59 rushing yards on 29 attempts.

What makes Air Force different is that Troy Calhoun's team runs the tricky triple-option offense, and it's centered around the offensive line getting lower than most and taking defenders out below the waist.

"Honestly, it's tough," senior defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui said of the challenge. "It's probably the toughest offensive line we'll play besides Wisconsin."

Sam Boyd swan song for seniors

Thursday will mark the final home appearance for 19 UNLV seniors.

Aaitui and senior running back Channing Trotter flanked Hauck at his Monday press conference and talked a bit about the occasion, while also reflecting back on their careers.

"I feel like I've gotten a pretty fair shot throughout the season," said Trotter, who's helped mentor current freshman starting running back Tim Cornett. "I wsh the season could have gone a bit differently at some points, but I appreciate coach Hauck. He said from the first day he came in that we're all his guys, nobody's (former coach Mike) Sanford's recruits or his recruits. I feel that he's been very, very fair and held true to what he said at the beginning of last spring when we first met him."

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