Jan. 30, 2002

LAS VEGAS - Former UNLV offensive lineman Brandon Bair will play in Saturday's Hula Bowl Maui as a late addition to the roster, the school announced Wednesday.

The 6-6, 300-pound tackle will suit up for South coaches Bobby Stoops of Oklahoma and former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier. Sonny Lubick of Colorado State and Dennis Erickson of Oregon State will coach the North squad in the game, which will be broadcast live from War Memorial Stadium by ESPN beginning at 5 p.m. PST.

Bair started 32 games in his collegiate career, including 24 straight at left tackle. He finished the 2001 season with 49 knockdowns and graded out at 89 percent en route to second team All-Mountain West Conference honors.

The graduate of Basic High School becomes the first Rebel to play in the annual event since defensive end Talance Sawyer after the 1998 season. Sawyer is now a starting lineman for the Minnesota Vikings.

Bair is the seventh UNLV product to do the Hula, tied for the most of any such game along with the East-West Shrine Classic.

With Bair's late invitation, UNLV reached a milestone as at least one Rebel was chosen for all five major postseason all-star games for the first time in history. The previous high for a single season was two games, accomplished numerous times.

GAME             DATE      UNLV PLAYER  POS
Hula Bowl Maui       Feb. 2    Brandon Bair  OLSenior Bowl      Jan. 26   Kevin Thomas  DBRotary Gridiron Classic  Jan. 26   Ahmad Miller  DLEast-West Shrine Classic Jan. 12   Kevin Thomas  DBBlue-Gray Classic    Dec. 25   Sam Brandon    DB