| | By Ed Graney
Special to ESPN.com
UNLV Rebels
1999 record: 3-8, 1-6.
Coach: John Robinson, second season, 3-8.
Starters returning: 13 (7 offense, 6 defense)
Outlook:
And those in Sin City thought Streisand on the millennium was a big deal. Babs might belt out notes better than Jason Thomas, but she lacks his moves in the open field. Never has a team that lost this much this often -- a club that is 9-47 over the last five years and has annually surrendered points like a gambler does his heart and wallet -- been this confident.
The change in attitude began with Robinson's arrival last season and has accelerated with the presence of Thomas, a sophomore transfer quarterback from USC. The 6-4, 240-pound Thomas (who will also play basketball for the Rebels) tore things up on the scout team last season and again while running the offense in spring. He joins fellow transfers/running backs Kevin Brown (Washington State) and Raymont Skaggs (Florida State) in leading what promises to be an aggressive, wide-open offense.
But who, if anyone, will UNLV stop? The defense will be better because it can't be worse, having allowed averages of 405 yards and 29.5 points last season. Kevin Thomas (no relation to Jason) is an outstanding junior cornerback and the league's preseason defensive player of the year, but the front lacks any proven depth and will rely on JUCO transfers to solidify itself. James Sunia is a talented junior middle linebacker, but those on each side of him haven't proven a thing.
Keep an eye on:
Senior offensive tackle John Greer. A former walk-on, he will lead the group that must protect Thomas long enough for the quarterback to make plays. It is still a young front, and Greer's experience (he has started all but one game in his Rebels career) could make all the difference.
It's a good season if:
The Rebels taste a .500 record. It hasn't happened in six years, yet the schedule (non-conference games against the likes of North Texas and Nevada) says the possibility exists. Jason Thomas is nothing more than potential on paper at this point, but if he's even half the player UNLV is hyping him to be, the Rebels have a shot at six wins. Defense willing, of course.
Ed Graney covers college football for the San Diego Union Tribune | |
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