LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV football began its final week of spring practices with a session on Monday.

The team will have two more practices this week before hosting the Spring Showcase on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.

LINEBACKERS ANCHOR REBEL DEFENSE THIS SPRING Heading into the 2015 spring practices, the line backing corps for UNLV football looked to pick up where it left off last season.

"They are veteran group and have done a great job of picking up the system," Sanchez said. "They obviously need to continue to progress but we are happy with the group. We know they will have some potential to be a really good group and they have shown that at times. Coach Baer has been working with them and he will get them there and I know he's excited about them, but at the same time there is some room to grow."

Returning in the middle of the Rebel defense are juniors Tau Lotulelei and Ryan McAleenan. Lotulelei led the team with 99 total tackles last season and McAleenan ranked fourth with 70. Trent Langham, Nicolai Bornand and Elexious Perkins II also saw playing time in 2014.

"We have a few guys that have played some and that's like having money in the bank," defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kent Baer said. "They have been in the fire before but they have a long way to go to learn what we do, but at least they have had some playing time before. It's not like it's new to them"

Lotulelei is the younger brother to John Lotulelei, who was a standout linebacker at UNLV from 2012-13. He started 10 games last season, which was the most by any linebacker and also led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss.

"Tau makes a lot of plays," Baer said. "He's quick, strong and has a chance to be a great player. He just needs to play within the scheme of the defense and he's learning a lot."

With only a handful of practices left this spring, the defensive unit will look to refine the ideals the new staff has taught them.

"Every day we have to get better with the little things," Baer said. "It's not the big things we do, jut the little things like playing fundamentals, tackling well, using your hands, calling the defense and making checks and adjustments. All of those things are huge."

A few guys have moved positions in order to help the team in different ways this upcoming season. Junior Marc Philippi, who started four games at linebacker in 2014, has moved to the offensive side of the ball to play full back and junior Iggy Porchia has moved down to the defensive line.

"We move Iggy from linebacker to defensive line because we thought that was transition we needed to make," Sanchez said. "It's kind of funny because the day we were going to talk to him about it, he came and approached us about it. He has had such a great attitude and he has done a really great job of jumping in. The selflessness that he and Philippi have shown to move positions and give themselves a better chance to play and us a better chance to be successful is great and something we really appreciate."

SPRING SLATE

UNLV is scheduled to work out for approximately two hours, four days a week (except one) with 4 p.m. practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, 1 p.m. kickoffs on Fridays and 9 a.m. starts on a pair of Saturdays. The squad took off for spring break during the week of March 30-April 3.

All practices are open to the public but viewing areas are restricted and no use of mobile communication devices will be allowed while at Rebel Park. Please note that times are subject to change.

The public is invited to attend the FREE family-friendly Spring Showcase, which moves to a Saturday this year and will kick off at 12 p.m. The event will again be held on campus at UNLV's soccer complex at Peter Johann Memorial Field.

The Showcase on April 18 will be preceded by the popular biennial UNLV Athletics Inventory Clearance Sale staged inside the McDermott PE Complex's North Gym. Brands available include Nike, Russell and Adidas for official men's and women's team apparel such as game uniforms, jerseys, warm-ups, coaching shirts and athletic shoes as well as other memorabilia. The unique sale will run from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cash and major credit cards will be accepted and all proceeds benefit the UNLV Athletics Department.

UNLV 2015 SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE -- OPEN TO THE PUBLICPLEASE NOTE: ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGEApril 13  Monday    Practice 12 Shells  4:00-6:15 pmApril 15  Wednesday Practice 13 Pads    4:00-6:00 pmApril 17  Friday    Practice 14 No Pads 1:00-3:00 pmApril 18  Saturday  Practice 15 SPRING SHOWCASE 12:00-1:30 pm on campus