Freshman quarterback ready if his number’s called at Michigan

By Taylor Bern

Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015 | 2 a.m.

No one was supposed to see UNLV’s quarterback of the future until, well, a more distant future than this weekend. Yet that’s one scenario on the table for a program facing perhaps its biggest challenge of the season in front of what could be the biggest crowd ever to watch the Rebels play.

True freshman Dalton Sneed is listed as the backup quarterback on UNLV’s depth chart for Saturday’s game, which kicks off at 9:01 a.m. Las Vegas time and will air on Big Ten Network. The Wolverines (1-1) aren’t the best team the Rebels (0-2) will face this season but Michigan’s size, the game environment and UNLV’s quarterback uncertainty make this a particularly daunting trip.

Senior starter Blake Decker practiced both Tuesday and Wednesday but remains questionable because of a groin injury. As a result, sophomore Kurt Palandech is the expected starter and Sneed’s planned redshirt is up in the air.

“I’m not going to start but if my chance does come, opportunities like this don’t come around very often,” said Sneed, who’s listed a 6-foot and 185 pounds. “Once they do you’ve got to be 100 percent prepared for it and I feel like I am.”

Sneed played at Horizon High in Scottsdale, Ariz. He committed to then-coach Bobby Hauck before his senior season and then went out and threw 28 touchdowns with 3,565 yards while rushing for 984 yards and 14 scores.

When coach Tony Sanchez took over, Sneed was the only recruit committed and after evaluating him the staff decided to honor the scholarship offer. The development plan called for a year on the bench, but Decker’s injury against UCLA leaves the Rebels searching for a solution with few options.

Sanchez always planned to give Palandech two series a game for the first three weeks to slowly work him in. The sophomore looked good in limited action against Northern Illinois, including rushing for an 18-yard touchdown, but things rarely went well against the Bruins as Palandech committed two turnovers and struggled to complete a pass.

“Since I know I’m getting the nod I’m just excited to get out there again and prove what I can do and redeem myself a little bit,” Palandech said.

He clarified that Decker remains only questionable but it’s easier for Palandech, who has received the most first-team reps throughout the week, to prepare like it’s his job Saturday. Because that’s likely the case.

Decker looked pretty good throwing passes on Wednesday, but of the trio he received the fewest reps and never scrambled out of the pocket. With the odds stacked against them — it’s off the board in town, but Michigan was minus-33 this offseason — and games against Idaho State and a weak Mountain West remaining it behooves the Rebels to take extra care to protect Decker for more winnable games.

However, what do they do if Palandech gets hurt or struggles the same way he did last Saturday? Throwing a true freshman out in front of nearly 110,000 fans at The Big House doesn’t sound like an ideal scenario but the thought doesn’t bother Sneed at all.

It actually sounds pretty great because there’s no time like the present.

“Every piece of me says I want to play,” Sneed said. “But like I said the first day coming in, if they want to redshirt me like they’re going to then I’m happy with that. I’ll work my tail off this year and prepare for next year. But if a chance does come I want to be prepared.”

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.