Sept. 1, 2003

LAS VEGAS - UNLV's 28-18 season-opening victory over Toledo last Friday also produced the Mountain West Conference defensive and special teams players of the week, the league announced Monday.

Rebel outside linebacker John Andrews (6-0, 210, Atlanta GA), making his UNLV debut after transferring from Compton JC, totaled eight tackles (seven solo), had the night's only quarterback sack (which forced a fumble that was returned by Leon Moore for a Rebel TD), recovered a fumble (forced by Joe Miklos) that set up the game-clinching score in the fourth quarter and added one pass breakup.

Another new Rebel from the junior-college ranks, Greg Estandia (6-8, 240, Moorpark, CA), was selected for the special teams award. With UNLV leading 14-6 in the second quarter, the tall tight end blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt by the Rockets. Estandia also was dominant offensively in the fourth quarter as he brought in all four of his catches for 75 yards, including two touchdowns thrown by Kurt Nantkes within 30 seconds of each other.

The MWC Co-Offensive Players of the Week were BYU freshman tight end Daniel Coats (two touchdowns in win over Georgia Tech) and Utah senior running back Brandon Warfield (173 yards rushing in win over Utah State).

UNLV is the only school in the eight-team MWC that has had at least one offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week selection all four years of the league's existence. During the final week of last year's season, the Rebels also won two of the three MWC awards: RB Larry Croom (offense) and PK Dillon Pieffer (special teams) were both honored on December 2 after defeating No. 13 Colorado State.