UNLV Prospects

[scott715]

http://unlv.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1048403

fans and recruiting sites will begin the breakdown of these recruiting classes and start their predictions as to how the newly minted players will produce at their new schools.

Honestly, I truly believe the only breakdown of a team's recruiting class that really matters is that of the staff that is recruiting those players. Did they get the players they wanted? That will be the question of the day within the coaches meetings around the country.

I must admit I have been impressed with the organization with which new head coach Bobby Hauck and his staff have attacked the recruiting trail in their short time as UNLV Rebel football coaches. These guys actually took the time to lay out a blueprint as to how they wanted to fill the holes on their team. They also gave very special attention to layout a class that will have good players at every level of the offense and defense.

Gone are the days, it appears, of having classes that neglect certain positional groups so the staff can take the "best player available." That approach, as we've seen in the previous few years, leads to having walk-ons starting at linebacker and defensive end while having to sign three or four junior college defensive backs just to be able to attempt to cover an opposing team's wide receiver. Again, chemistry and trust on a coaching staff is huge.

Additionally, this UNLV staff did an admirable job of identifying players to fill those needs and closing them with signed letters-of-intent to Las Vegas. While they missed on some of their top targets, the UNLV coaching staff was able to land many of their highest ranked players at all of the positional groups in this class. If they got the players they wanted, it's hard to argue against the success of this class.

With regards to this group of Rebel newcomers, I'm trying not to rank this group of youngsters against previous Rebel recruiting classes under previous UNLV coaching staffs. I simply feel that player development plays too large a role and that is something I am excited to see from this new UNLV staff. How they develop the 2009 class (all but two of whom red-shirted) and the incoming 2010 class, will be the difference in the UNLV football program for years to come. In my opinion, these two classes represent the best back-to-back recruiting classes since John Robinson's first two recruiting hauls at UNLV.

Quarterback
Taylor Barnhill - ( 6-4 and 210-pounds from Justin, Tx.) - A lot has been made about how poor Barnhill's high school football team was. In short, they were horrible and I am glad they were because Taylor may not be a Rebel if they had been more competitive. Texas high school football is so competitive that performance at the high school level matters when recruiters look for prospective players. There are too many players to take kids from a bad team. While Barnhill's team may have been bad, I think this kid is a real player. He already throws a nicer ball than many of UNLV's previous QB recruits and moves well for a more typical drop-back passer. Between he and Caleb Herring, the Rebels future at QB looks to be in capable hands for years to come.

Running back
This is a group I thought needed a major influx of talent to add to the red-shirt, 2009 signee, Bradley Randle, Seriously, this was a group the former staff missed on badly with just about every high school RB they recruited, other than Andre Patterson's coup in landing Randle. Channing Trotter, Imari Thompson and CJ Cox are the only three running backs left on the roster from the Sanford era. You heard that right. UNLV has three players returning at RB with any game experience and one of them is a senior.

Tim Cornett - ( 6-1 and 195-pounds from Galena Park, Tx.) - Cornett is my pick for the most immediate break-out player in this class. I think, if he can get his head around the play book, Cornett can come in and add a different dimension to the new UNLV ground game. Size, speed and toughness (this kid has Texas swagger) will be fun to watch. He and Bradley together...Wow!

Dionza Bradford - (6-0 and 205-pounds from Phelan, Cali.) - If for some reason Cornett has any issues this coming season, I see Bradford as being the next guy to make an impact. UNLV needs help at RB and one of the two 2010 kids will need to team with Trotter and Randle to give UNLV depth and performance. I really like Bradford's tough running style without sacrificing good speed and moves. This kid can play and will push for immediate playing time.

Wide Receiver
Another area where depth and game-breaking ability is needed. Wolfe is gone and the Rebels will need another player or two to step up to help keep defenses honest. Payne is a bona-fide stud and Michael Johnson showed great growth towards the end of last season. Other than that, I think an incoming player will have to step-up to help. I really like incoming gray-shirt Marcus Sullivan. He has some "stuff" the Rebels really need at WR. He will also get the ball in other ways but that is for another day. Another gray-shirt, Irshad Stolden, has some great speed, as well, but I wonder if he doesn't need another year to develop physically. With regards to the 2010 class:

Kurt Davis - (6-6 and 205-pounds from Compton, Cali.) - Outside of the two RB's, this is the guy I am most excited about for this coming season. Very athletic, but is still pretty raw. I think he may be this season's Phillip Payne with a lot of fade passes in the end zone until he can learn the nuances of playing the game. The thing is, he may be more athletic than Payne and may have more upside. This guy has NFL potential.
Tre' Johnson - ( 6-6 and 190-pounds from Sparks, Nev.) - Johnson may not sign with UNLV today but UNLV will stay on him until they are out of it. Tre' seems to want to play basketball, thus the hold-up. If he ends up teaming with the previously mentioned WR's, UNLV will be scary in the middle of the field and the red-zone. I really hope he comes to UNLV.

Tight End
This was a huge positional need for the new UNLV staff. With Barrett possibly moving back to LB and Kyle Watkins as the only other real TE in sight, Hauck had to get some quality TE's to UNLV.
Anthony Vidal - ( 6-5 and 250-pounds from Costa Mesa, Cali.) - Likely a two-deep player before he makes it onto campus, Vidal's film shows a player who loves to block and catches well up the seams. Haven't seen whether he has the burst to be a big receiving threat but, if he does, he may be one of the bigger pick-ups in this class.

Jordan Sparkman - ( 6-6 and 230-pounds from San Diego, Cali.) - Another tall, athletic player who hasn't played much football. Needs some time to develop his body and feel for the game but has huge potential at the position.

Offensive Line
This is where one of the bigger philosophical changes will take place. Coach Hauck seems to like tall, athletic players who may need more time to gain weight and get stronger, while Sanford liked shorter, initially stronger players who could play sooner. Honestly, I am excited to see what our OL looks like in a couple of years.

Thomas Kilgore - (6-5 and 310-pounds from Fresno, Cali.) - Yeah, I know, he was part of the 2009 class but this guy is ready to breakout. In fact, he is downright scary. If his injured back heals properly, he will be an interior OL that could strike fear in the hearts of the guys he plays against. When I watched him walk around practice last season I couldn't help but think he would be great in a bar-fight. My kind of guy.
Doug Zismann - (6-3 and 295-pounds from Phoenix, Az.) - Another 2009 kid but he really stood out to me during his red-shirt year, too. Won multiple state wrestling championships in high school and, again, looks like a tough SOB. Reminds me a bit of Joe Hawley when he got here.
Brian Roth - ( 6-5 and 295-pounds from Lake Forest, Cali.) - Okay, I am not sure about how things will shake out but I can't help but imagining an line with Roth and Kilgore at guard and Zismann at center. Talk about a big, tough group. I really like Roth and it is possible he could kick out to OT, but he will be a good player for UNLV.

Cameron Jefferson and Alex Novosel - Both of these guys are extremely tall (6-7 each) and athletic, but seem to need time in the weight-room and at the training table stuffing their faces with as many carbs as possible. What intrigues me is the potential of these two guys after some time in the program. I imagine, with a lot of toughness and hard work, two 6-7 and 300-pound OT's teaming with the other three guys I have mentioned in this section. Looks like a typical BYU OL to me.

Defensive Line
Was pretty worried about the end position coming into this class and thought UNLV needed some more help at DT, as well. It appears, on the surface, that the staff did a fine job of addressing some of those needs. Would have loved to see another top-notch speed-rushing DE but the addition of BJ Bell (who red-shirted) should really help.

Nate Holloway- ( 6-3 and 330-pounds from Las Vegas, Nev.) - Big pick from the 2009 class but Holloway will probably need a red-shirt year to get stronger and in better shape. Having said that, the sky is the limit with this kid if he works hard. Reminds me of former tackle Dietrich Canterbury. Depth at DT is good for this season so he should have some time to progress.

BJ Bell- ( 6-2 and 250-pounds from Santa Ana, Ca.) - Bell was a 2009 signee. I have heard this guy is a highlight waiting to happen. Both of his brothers told me that he was the best athlete of the three Rebel brothers. That is saying something. I am thankful he red-shirted last season so he can help this newest version of the Rebels. Should be a starter from Day 1 if he can show the toughness and heart necessary to play DE in the MWC.

Desmond Tautofi - (6-4 and 275-pounds from Las Vegas, Nev.) - Could be the biggest steal of the class. This guy is a great athlete for his size so he could play end while also growing into a tackle. I think this kid could be one of those players UNLV was very lucky to land at this stage of Hauck's time at UNLV. I think if he hadn't transferred and had been able to play his senior year, he would be in the Pac-10 right now. Credit Jimmy Morimoto with this one.

Ian Bobak - ( 6-4 and 245-pounds from Las Vegas, Nev.) - Very athletic for his size as evidenced by his 4.8 40-yard dash time. Played tackle in high school because he had two Pac-10 level DE's with him on the roster at Bishop Gorman. If he can play with effort all of the time (has had a rap for being lazy at times) he could see the two-deep at DE for the Rebels this season.

Linebacker
This is one of the biggest areas of need for the Rebels coming into this off-season. Unfortunately, it is also one of the hardest positions to recruit, especially late in the process. Another area where the previous UNLV staff did a horrible job of landing talented LB's, who could run with the faster teams on our schedule. As it stands, our starters at UNLV can really play. If, however, the team has injuries at the position, UNLV may be in trouble because depth is a huge issue. Not sure if this recruiting class has helped solve the problem but maybe UNLV can find another option later in the process. I fully expect the new UNLV staff to get an early jump on recruiting class of 2011 linebackers.

Jordan Barrett -( 6-3 and 235-pounds from Sherman Oaks, Cali.) - Not sure if Barrett will be moved back to LB, but I certainly hope he is. UNLV needs the depth and Barrett showed a penchant for making plays as a tight end. Maybe he can come in and make some of those plays on defense.

Reggie Umuolo -( 5-11 and 210-pounds from Peoria, Az.) - I wasn't too thrilled about him last season because his film didn't show a small, fast LB. Instead, it seemed to show a small, slowish LB who, to be fair, played the game with a high football IQ. I have heard that Umuolo looked good on the scout team last season but I hope he isn't called upon this season unless he is good enough to beat out one of the starters.
Perry Cooper -( 6-3 and 215-pounds from The Woodlands, Tx.)- Seems a lot like some of the other LB's UNLV has signed in the past (Trickey, Blair and Barrett). Good size and football IQ but can he run well enough to play against today's spread offenses. I sure hope so.

Defensive Backs
Not real sure what to make of the returning depth in the defensive backfield because I am not sure they have really shown what they can do due to things like scheme and coaching with the previous staff. I am really looking forward to seeing what JD Williams can do with this group. There are a few newcomers I am really excited about.

Courtney Bridget - (6-3 and 185-pounds) - I am pretty excited about this kid. I have heard he looked great at CB on the scout team this past season. Reminds me of the tall, athletic DB's Utah has fielded in the past few years. If this kid can develop...watch out.

Tajh Hasson - ( 6-2 and 180-pounds from Los Angeles, Cali.) - Another tall, athletic CB who comes from a good program in southern California. A little raw so he will need some time to get coached up, but he is a legitimate track athlete who has size at CB you can't teach. Again, I can't wait to see what JD Williams is able to do with this young man. I hear Williams is a great DB's coach.

Eric Tuiloma - ( 5-11 and 185-pounds from Las Vegas, Nev.) - This is the exact type of kid who would've, in years past, gone on to another school to become a heck of a player. I really think Tuiloma could play on either side of the ball but, it appears, he will start at safety which is smart because the UNLV safeties have lacked the necessary explosiveness for a few years.

Taylor Spencer -( 6-1 and 190-pounds from Las Vegas, Nev.) - Another local kid who could play either side of the ball but will start his UNLV career at safety. Again, I like the idea because the former UNLV staff had a habit of recruiting safeties to UNLV who looked the part but had trouble running with the opposing teams. These two local kids can both run and will add some "sudden" athleticism to the UNLV safety group.

Nolan Kohorst-( 6-0 and 170-pounds)- May have been the most important signing in the class of 2010. This kid can kick and he can punt so he could be the starter from Day one. What is also very important is he is a UNLV legacy as his dad, Keith, also played at UNLV and is currently the team's optometrist. Again, with all of the problems kicking the ball in recent years, UNLV fans should be thankful the Rebels landed the hometown kid with the rocket leg. As you can probably see, I think there are some positional needs that were addressed very successfully while others still need some attention. To be fair, if there weren't holes in the UNLV roster, UNLV would not have had to make a coaching change. I must admit, however, that I came away very impressed with the organization and work-ethic of this entire UNLV staff. In years past, we have seen UNLV had two or three guys who did nearly all of the heavy-lifting. Not the case under Bobby Hauck. When talking to recruits, I heard all 10 guys' names mentioned and the kids really thought a lot of them. Imagine what this staff could do with a whole year to build their relationships. They lost out on a few very good players because I felt those kids were a bit more comfortable with the coaches they might have known longer.

As I said earlier, Mountain West championships will be won with the development of good players. I can't wait to see this staff in action.

[YBrit]

I hate the basketball team and their former coach enough to hope they play like usual in LV.

[scott715]

I got 4 OOC games that I would like to see them win. I think their new coach is on the right track. I would like to see what he accomplishes next year.

[scott715]

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation Graham Watson

UNLV is getting a makeover this spring under new head coach Bobby Hauck, who is looking to install a power running game and refine the 4-3 defensive scheme. Hauck acknowledged that he doesn’t necessarily have all of the personnel to implement everything he wants to do this spring, but he’s slowly trying to turn the Rebels into the contender many thought they could be a year ago.

Here’s a look at the strongest and weakest positions for UNLV this spring:

Strongest position: Quarterback

Key returners: Senior Omar Clayton (60 percent completion percentage, 2,230 yards, 13 touchdowns, 12 interceptions), junior Mike Clausen (completed 52 of 88 passes, 463 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions)

Key departures: None.

The skinny: Even though Clayton has more than 20 starts in his career, Hauck opened the quarterback competition this spring. Both Clayton and Clausen have the ability to lead the team and have the ability to be a dual threat, which might come in handy as the running game, which was weak last season, continues to progress. Clayton and Clausen also are competing with freshman Caleb Herring for the starting role.

Weakest position: Defensive line

Key returners: Senior tackle Isaako Aaitui (31 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks), senior end Malo Taumua (26 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack)

Key departures: End Heivaha Mafi (37 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks), tackle Martin Tevaseu (28 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack)

The skinny: The UNLV defense struggled last season and was one of the worst scoring and total defenses in the country. Linebacker Jason Beauchamp, who led the team in tackles, sacks and tackles for loss, is gone, which will put even more pressure on the defensive line to produce. It had trouble stopping the run and getting to the quarterback last season. The defensive line returns two starters with 52 total starts between them, and players such as Preston Brooks, whose season was cut short because of a shoulder injury, and Nate Holloway could a make a difference in Hauck's 4-3 scheme.