Aug. 7, 2006

LAS VEGAS - UNLV kicked off the 2006 football preseason with a practice for newcomers, which included scholarship freshmen and transfers who were not enrolled in the spring, along with new invited walk-ons. The group of 34 players also included a few veterans to help fill practice rotations. The morning session was conducted under a hot sun at Rebel Park but head coach Mike Sanford said he was impressed with his rookie group.

"The guys were tired and hot but we really got a lot done today in terms of introducing them to the system."

Sanford, who is running his second August camp in Las Vegas, said touted transfers Aaron Straiten (San Francisco) and Tony Cade (Lewisville, Texas) both posted excellent starts. He said he also felt positive about the big group of big blockers that just hit campus.

"I feel really good about our young offensive linemen such as Johan Asiata (Kalihi, Hawaii), Joe Hawley (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Ramsey Feagai (Honolulu) and Evan Marchal (Petaluma, Calif.). They have impressive size but are also an athletic group."

The Rebel veterans enjoyed a different setting for the evening session as a pleasant breeze took over in late afternoon. The returning players turned in a spirited effort through 22 five-minute scripted periods.

"It really cooled down after the sun went down and we had a good practice," Sanford said. "We had a really productive first day of camp."

UNLV is right back at it on Tuesday as the team is divided into two squads - the Scarlet (morning practice 8:55-10:45 a.m.) and Gray (evening practice 6:10-8:00 p.m.) for two days. Practices this week are open to the public.

REBEL CAMP NOTES:

-- The team's co-starters at quarterback - senior Shane Steichen (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) and USC transfer Rocky Hinds (Los Angeles) - will rotate between the Scarlet and Gray teams on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hinds will practice Tuesday morning with the Scarlet while Steichen will go in the evening leading the Gray before flip-flopping that schedule on Wednesday.

-- The Rebels welcomed another Pac-10 Conference transfer on Monday as former Washington State player Lorenzo Bursey Jr. (Long Beach, Calif.) suited up with the newcomers. Bursey, who graduated from prep powerhouse Long Beach Poly, spent last year with the Cougars after beginning his career at West Los Angeles JC. "Lorenzo will have to sit out a year because of transferring but he will play the H-back spot for us and he really looked good out there this morning."

-- UNLV now has three Alaskans on its roster as sophomore receiver Casey Flair (Anchorage) was joined by former East High School teammate Tyler Knutson and defensive end Jake DeBuck, who walked-on by way of Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, Calif., after graduating from Colony High School in Wasilla, Alaska.