LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Photo Gallery

The UNLV football team wrapped up its first spring practice under new head coach Tony Sanchez by staging its annual Spring Showcase in front of a crowd of 3,000 fans and with the sun-kissed World Famous Las Vegas Strip serving as a background Saturday.

For the second straight April, the team moved across campus from the Rebel Park practice fields to the school's soccer stadium -- Peter Johann Memorial Field - and turned in an entertaining controlled scrimmage on a gorgeous afternoon.

UNLV senior quarterback Blake Decker was impressive, completing all five of his pass attempts and hitting three of those for touchdowns. The incumbent starter was noticeably clicking with returning Freshman All-America wide receiver Devonte Boyd and the Basic High School graduate turned in an eye-popping stat line of four catches for 132 yards and three scores (two from Decker and one from JC midyear signee signal caller Kurt Palandech).

A host of running backs saw action and veteran Keith Whitely rushed five times for 28 yards, including a five-yard touchdown. Walk-on Martaveous Holliday got seven attempts for a game-high 29 yards. The other score on the day was a pretty 60-yard hookup from Decker to senior Anthony Williams.

After the two 25-minute team periods concluded, the players remained on the field to pose for photographs and sign autographs on giveaway team schedule posters and Sanchez waded through media interviews and chatted with a big crowd of well-wishers. The 11th head coach in UNLV history was all smiles after the program successfully capped off a taxing spring session.

"It went well today," Sanchez said. "We had a beautiful day, 81 degrees, great crowd, Elvis is playing (on the sound system) -- it doesn't get much more Vegas than that. It was a great day. I thought both sides of the ball did a good job. Both had a little success at different times. Boyd made good plays, Decker did a good job. Defensively we were flying around and special teams looked good. We got a lot in and a lot done over the 15 practices."

Asked about how his first spring practice went with his new charges, Sanchez said there was a lot to be done with a nearly entirely new staff on hand, but that the work got done.

"I'm really proud of the guys, they did a good job of studying and paying attention and getting caught up with what we inserted. The coaches did a fantastic job with teaching the schemes and now we are where we want to be at this point. We definitely have to get better but we are comfortable and have a great understating of who we are and what we need to do in the fall."

UNLV will hold its next practice in early August and open the season at Northern Illinois on Sept. 5. The Rebels' first of six home games will come one week later with a first-ever meeting with Pac-12 Conference member UCLA. Season tickets are available now by calling (702) 739-FANS or visiting unlvtickets.com.

SCORING PLAYSRB Keith Whitely 5-yard rushQB Blake Decker pass to WR Devonte Boyd for 41 yardsQB Blake Decker pass to WR Anthony Williams for 60 yardsQB Kurt Palandech pass to WR Devonte Boyd for 30 yardsQB Blake Decker pass to WR Devonte Boyd for 55 yards
RUSHINGMartaveous Holliday - 7 carries for 29 yardsHenri Jussila - 6 carries for 4 yardsKeith Whitely - 5 carries for 28 yards and a touchdownGeorge Naufahu - 5 carries for 19 yardsDavid Greene - 4 carries for 21 yardsKurt Palandech - 2 carries for 12 yardsBlake Decker - 1 carry for 10 yardsJacob Speaks - 1 carry for (-2) yards
PASSINGBlake Decker5-for-5 for 166 yards and three touchdowns
Kevin Thomson2-for-11 for 55 yards
Kurt Palandech4-for-9 for 39 yards and one touchdown
RECEIVINGDevonte Boyd - 4 receptions for 132 yards and 3 touchdownsAnthony Williams - 1 reception for 60 yards and 1 touchdownAntonio Zepeda - 1 reception for 32 yardsJustin Brown - 1 reception for 23 yardsAndrew Price - 1 reception for 5 yardsHenri Jussila - 1 reception for 5 yardsAaron Criswell - 1 reception for 5 yards