Take 5: Quarterback battle will get most attention at UNLV spring game

By Taylor Bern

Friday, April 8, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Hope springs eternal this time of year in college football, and on Saturday fans have a chance to see up close the group they hope can continue a Rebel resurgence in UNLV coach Tony Sanchez’s second season.

The Rebels host their Spring Showcase at noon Saturday to wrap up official practices until August. The gates at Peter Johann Memorial Field, which is located on campus near the intersection of Swenson Avenue and Flamingo Road, will open at 11 a.m. with many free activities for kids (bounce house, face painting, balloon artists) plus food and beverage for sale.

Here’s a look at what to expect and who to watch for at the event:

1. Format

There’s a loose organization to Saturday’s activities, though it’s nothing too rigid. Once the team warms up they will start with an eight-minute goal-line period and some field goal/PAT work before scrimmaging for two, 25-minute halves with a five-minute halftime. They’re not really dividing into teams, Sanchez said, but there will be different series with the first-unit offense against the first-unit defense before things switch up to give backups plenty of reps.

As far as the actual football is concerned, it’s almost impossible for a team to accomplish as much in a glorified practice like this compared to their everyday work. But beyond the Xs and Os there are a lot of positives to having a fun day to generate excitement, especially at a program like UNLV that considers last year’s 3-9 season a positive in many regards and wants to keep people believing that even more growth is coming.

“I love getting our community to get more involved in what we’re doing,” Sanchez said. “We finally opened up and got people interested, we’ve got to keep them interested.”

2. Quarterback Battle

It’s the single most important position in football, so it should surprise no one that UNLV’s quarterback situation will be the focus both going in and coming out of the spring game.

Freshman Armani Rogers could impact the race for UNLV’s top spot when he steps on campus this summer, but for now it’s junior transfer Johnny Stanton battling redshirt freshman Dalton Sneed and junior Kurt Palandech, among others. All of them, including walk-on Christian Lopez from Green Valley High, are expected to play, and for current No. 1 Stanton and Sneed the impression they make will be the one that lasts through the rest of the offseason.

Sanchez knows there will be extra attention paid to that spot, so he told the guys to have fun with it.

“I told them here’s the deal: A lot of people are going to be watching, try not to screw it up,” Sanchez joked. “We just laugh at it a little bit.”

No matter who’s throwing the ball, it helps to have targets like juniors Devonte Boyd and Kendal Keys, who have continued their progress with solid springs. There’s also another receiving threat emerging from the group.

3. Players to Watch

Houston-area native Darren Woods Jr. could have helped the Rebels last season, but the coaching staff felt his best long-term plan was to redshirt and now he’s getting a chance to solidify a spot as a slot receiver.

Listed at 6-foot and 210 pounds, Woods is one of the players Sanchez was most excited about heading into spring practice and he’s delivered on a lot of that promise. So while he adds to one of UNLV’s strongest positions, there could finally be some depth at linebacker with freshman Gabe McCoy also coming off his redshirt and sophomore Bailey Laolagi continuing to improve.

4. Senior Leaders

The Rebels need younger players to come in and add depth, but Sanchez is also looking to the current crop of seniors to set a tone. And what he’s looking for is a group of guys who might be able to come together and get wins in close games.

“If we’re going to evolve as a program then our senior leadership has to evolve,” Sanchez said. “When push comes to shove in those crucial moments, where’s the leadership come from? We need to develop that. That’s got to be part of the culture that we’re developing here is that those seniors step up and understand that they have to lead and show guys how to do things right.”

From center Will Kreitler to linebacker Tau Lotulelei or defensive back Kenny Keys, Sanchez said he feels like he has some of those guys, and a few of them will likely be the ones making big plays on Saturday.

5. Getting Comfortable

Sanchez joked with his quarterbacks about the attention, but there is an advantage, he said, to having a practice in front of 1,500 or more fans. In part it’s a continuation of the environment the Rebels try to create in practice, like ending Wednesday’s session with the entire roster of players and coaches encircled around senior Nicolai Bornand as he attempted, and made, a field goal.

“We’re out there joking around, we’re screaming and whistling and (Bornand’s) out there, but you know he’s a little nervous going out there doing that,” Sanchez said. “So you’re just trying to put him into uncomfortable situations so they learn to actually enjoy that.”

Screw something up on Wednesday and there aren’t many people around to see the coach light into you. Now there’s an audience, just a little more pressure and another step along the way to what UNLV hopes to be a breakthrough season.

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