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LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV was back to work Sunday morning at Rebel Park, wearing half-pads for the first time this fall. The team practiced for a little over two hours and enjoyed some cooler weather.

"It was nice to hear some pads thumping," head coach Tony Sanchez said. "And we have had some beautiful weather. So far we have only practiced in the 80s, we have yet to have a practice on a 90 degree day."

The Rebels acclimated to wearing the pads and bounced back and forth from individual drills to team drills during the practice.

"Practice changed a little bit," Sanchez said. "Now guys are working on technique and thudding up with an emphasis on trying to keep guys off the ground. It got a little competitive as we did third down situations today. At the end of practice, I thought the defense was a little ahead today. There will be days when the offense wins and days the defense wins."

UNLV'S MANE QUARTERBACK

Blake Decker returns to UNLV for his senior season this fall, but he is sporting a little bit of a different look. The Mesa, Ariz. native is growing out his hair and has no intentions of cutting it before the end of the season.

"I've had a shaved head my whole life," Decker said. "Sometime last year I was with some friends and family and I made a joke that I was going to grow my hair out. They all laughed and said 'you're not going to do that.' So my rebellious side came out a little bit and I told them that I would go a whole year without touching my hair. Now it's been a year and a half and its still going, so I said why not cut it at the end of the season because it looks good coming out of the helmet."

Decker's longer hair could potentially bring up some different dilemmas. While his hair is just starting to come out of helmet, two or three months from now it might be something a defender could latch on to.

"If I get brought down by my hair then it might become an issue," Decker said. "But until then we are just going to keep it going and see what happens."

Having longer hair isn't a big surprise for football players, especially some of Decker's teammates, but it is a little different for a quarterback to sport the longer locks. When asked where his "flow" ranks on the team, he was quick to say he is number one, but the QB is a big fan of some of the other hairdos on the team.

"I'm just trying to blend in," Decker joked. "All the guys who grow out their hair are really good at what they do, so if I grow long hair than maybe I'll be good at what I do too. I definitely have the best flow, but aside from me Sonny (Sanitoa) has the mean flow, the intimidating flow. Tau's (Lotulelei) is crazy and is so long. Tuli's (Fakauho) flow looks like that thing hasn't been touched by a comb for seven years. My roommate Kimble (Jensen) also has some pretty good flow. Between the four of them I think it's a tie."

CAMP REBEL TEMPO SYSTEM SONG OF THE DAY:

"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. Release date: May 29, 1982.

UP NEXT

The Rebels will have one more practice with half-pads on Monday starting at 7:30 a.m. before they don full pads on Tuesday. Fans are invited to attend but must adhere to the rule of not using electronic devices, including mobile telephones, while inside Rebel Park. The first two-a-day practices will be Wednesday.

SEASON AND MINI-PLAN TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

UNLV will open its 2015 season at Northern Illinois on Sept. 5 and then host UCLA for the first time in history one week later in the first of six home games. Season tickets, which start as low as $99, are available now by calling (702) 739-FANS (3267) or visiting www.unlvtickets.com. Three-game mini-plans, which start as low as $48 and are available online-only at unlvtickets.com, are now being offered.