Greg and Jackpot look like they're ready for college ball. Both should contribute a good amount this season.
Spring Game
- Thread starter lobbybuu
- Start date
The offense should be scary good again. It'll be hard for teams to keep up, but that could be a negative for the defense, lol
Me and my son went to watch spring break, and really feel like this team could be better than last year when looking at some of the new players.
It was obvious that Ricky White didn't need to play much, and he is going to be more than ready for next season. It is also hard to say much about the players with the knowledge that they are going at 2/3rds speed.
Cameron Friel and Williams both showed potential, but it was hard for me to keep track with switching out the QB's
McDaniel looked good and has potential to make a one two punch with Ricky White something special. Corey Thompson also looked really good.
Really happy with Grimes and thought he looked more than ready to make plays on the defensive secondary.
Greg Burrell really impressed me and could be another local product who gets a lot of playing time and may be a dark horse as a standout next season.
It was really nice to see all the past players that showed up including Ickey Woods. Not sure where Cunningham was, but I did read something about his working with UNLV track as an assistant, which tells me that he has mended things with UNLV!
Already have our season tickets paid for, and really looking forward to next season. The start of the season with Houston, Utah Tech, Kansas, and Syracuse will quickly set the tone for the season. In the past UNLV would have gone 1-3, but I really believe they have a legit chance at 3-1 or even 4-0
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Cunningham was a a track meet I think with his daughter if I recall from Twitter
Reports on Twitter were that he looks ok. Didn't stand out which isn't good since we don't have a stellar defense.
**Please don't come back with 'he was going against a top-25 defense.' Not directed at you, 5280, but in general. Our defense needs to be much better!
My take:
Hajj looked ok to good. Definitely missed on more than a couple throws. But some others were 100% on time and on target. Stripe to Mcdaniels was beautiful.
Friel looked like the better passer of the two. However, once the threat of QB run is there, I’d say Hajj is hands down the better option of the two.
Walking away, I felt good about our offense. As long as they stay together into the fall, we’re going to have so many weapons at all positions (WR, RB, and TE)
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Agreed!
If he looked average that doesn’t bode well for him. I’m all for the QB competition and want it to be fair but not standing out in the Spring leaves the door wide open for Sluka.
A competition is needed at a lot of positions and as you said our defense is not top tier but I am hoping that the QB play is better than last year because both of these guys are more mobile than Maiava.
It now looks like the battle will be won in the summer!
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He did not look good enough to me to confidently say he is number 1 next year right now. I originally picked Sluka to win the battle, soured a little after I heard how solid Hajj has been and the relationships he's been building. As of now, I'm still rolling with Sluka as QB1 and I think that him being there for the first practice of spring ball and at the spring game yesterday is a good sign that the staff isn't just letting him slide under the radar until he shows up. They're keeping him in the loop and making sure he is present. This bodes well for him. He still has ground to make up but he will he here shortly.
That's what I hope as well. His numbers just don't lie about what makes him such a good QB. Building relationships aside, the talent on that offense will group around whoever gives them the best chance to win and gets them the ball the best. It's nice to know we have experienced backups and guys that can be packages for unique plays backing up whoever is QB1 but I just can't get past the #s and highlights Sluka has even at the lower level of competition. He's going to have more talent around him than he's ever had
How did the kicker from Faith Lutheran look?
If he doesn’t look better than Friel then Sluka should have the clear edge on this battle.
I read that one of Sluka's favorite WR is potential draftee. Ricky White is better but he has played with talents before.
Yeah Sluka was a hot commodity transfer. He didn’t come here to hang out with a headset on the side lines. Just my gut, no inside info.
Spring is what, 1 or two weeks of practice and a Spring game?
That can be very valuable obviously, but I don't think it gives an overwhelming advantage to any position group for players coming in the summer.
Until proven otherwise, I would still think Sluka is the favorite. He just seems to be the more talented player. It doesn't mean that he will win it. Doug's skillset seemed to be very favorable for this offense last year, and it never clicked.
That can be very valuable obviously, but I don't think it gives an overwhelming advantage to any position group for players coming in the summer.
Until proven otherwise, I would still think Sluka is the favorite. He just seems to be the more talented player. It doesn't mean that he will win it. Doug's skillset seemed to be very favorable for this offense last year, and it never clicked.
after reading all this... so Friel it is! 🤣 Seriously I could see that happen, but no matter who it is - obviously we only want the best QB for this team on the field! Looking forward to another good year!
No, I think Sluka gets the ball the moment he steps on campus and its his job to lose. We should however have a very competent backup that is more than capable of getting us back to a bowl game.
The ball shouldn’t be given to anyone until they earn it, let him get here first.
I hope the coaches let the competition play out, UNLV football needs the best to have a chance against who we open up with.
Both guys are coming from lower level comp and the MWC is a step or two up from Campbell and Holy Cross and this summer needs to be about competition so the team as a whole will be better for it.
With all the coming off-season circus on whether Odom, Marion or both are leaving again, we need another bowl season and the QB will be vital to that!
May the best man win!
I don't think that many, if any, feel that any particular player will be given the starting job before they earn it. I think we all believe whomever plays the best in the summer will get the nod for game 1. I think many of us are just expecting Sluka to do that.
Hajj and even Friel do have a bit of an advantage with spring ball, and I would rather have all three in spring camp, but I think there is easily enough time in summer camp for Sluka to catch up and win the job.
Nobody should ever be handed a job obviously.
Hajj/Friel have a leg up on Sluka with Spring practice.
Sluka will have some catching up to do.
All that said, he was the primary target this off season for a reason.
It's who the staff felt fit the offense the best.
A guy that can threaten the defense with his legs on both designed runs and when plays break down.
He also had a really high yards per completion avg.
I really believe Marion wants to gut teams running the ball and then attack downfield for splash plays. Sluka did that at Holy Cross.
He won't be handed the job. But y guess is he wins it outright.
As for players rallying behind Friel. Of course, they know the dude. By all accounts he's been a good teammate. Even on the sideline you never see him moping around. He's engaged. Despite Marion saying the offense doesn't require a mobile Qb, I think it definitely unlocks more facets of it.
We came off a successful season by UNLV’s standards. Everything didn’t go perfectly and we still had success.
Staff has earned the benefit of the doubt - they aren’t going to sit out the players that give them the best chance to win. Whoever wins the job(s), they see them day in and day out …. They know what they’re doing.
I'd argue that when you were a priority target for the staff who knew you wouldn't be available for Spring ball, unless someone absolutely came in and rocked out and just took the job, its yours to lose come Summer.. that's not saying someone is handed the job, but unless it was just clear in Spring ball, that'd be my take/expectation. Everything I've read about Spring ball is Friel is a good teammate but still has the same issues we know and have seen since he got banged around his freshman year. Hajj came in an looked like the QB1 of those on campus, but short of lighting it up, he's probably going to enter Fall camp as the backup despite running Spring ball as QB1. And Sluka is more than capable of leading the offense to same or better than Maiava did, with much more experience. I don't think it'll be a question of who is QB1 going to Houston
I agree with this completely. Short of an injury, I think pretty much everyone expects the same. If it doesn’t pan out that way, probably a miscalculation along the way. I don’t think anybody thought Maiava would be starter and pretty successful … but the intentions were Doug all the way.
The bias for Sluka just getting handed the ball come fall is ridiculous!
Same was said about Maiava being the unquestioned leader going forward and no competition was needed, well we see how dumb that was! Since when is it a bad thing to want the best man to win with a healthy competition?
Nobody at UNLV football has that type of hold on their position except White!
Same was said about Maiava being the unquestioned leader going forward and no competition was needed, well we see how dumb that was! Since when is it a bad thing to want the best man to win with a healthy competition?
Nobody at UNLV football has that type of hold on their position except White!
This says it all, mistake with Doug and it would be a mistake in this case as well, let it play out!
Not one person has said he should be handed the ball though.
The consensus has been, he should have to earn the job like anybody else.
The feeling however is that he was the top target and the type of QB Marion wants to run his offense.
I think if you polled football scouts Sluka would be much more highly regarded than Hajj.
So basically the assumption is he will likely win the job because he was the top target and is considered by most the more talented player.
Nobody is saying he will be or should be handed the keys...
Well last year, part of the plan with Odom was to give everyone equal reps even as the season went on. So if they keep that philosophy this discussion is somewhat moot. Everyone will get reps and a chance.
I'm sure the coaches may have an idea who they think may be the starter, but are also willing to let things play out.
I know we are all twitchy around here due to the whole Armani Rogers situation, but I am confident that this staff does not play favorites or guarantee playing time and will play the best player for us to win out of camp.
Especially with a road game at Houston in the B12 on game one. We won't have a cupcake game to help figure out the depth chart.
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Intentions vs expectations.
I don't think the staff neccessarily intended Doug to be the starter, more than expected him to win the job. He had more experience, he was a better runner, his general skillset seem to fit the offense better. They re-recruited him hard to come back, and he got some NIL money.
Here comes camp and no one is really pulling away. Sure Jaden looked better in the scrimmage, but no one knows what they looked like in practice or in the film room. Considering how long it took to truly open up the offense when Jaden took over, it is safe to say his grasp of the playbook may have been somewhat behind.
So Doug was named starter, for probably more than a few reasons. But he also didn't get his job back once he became cleared.
I don't think anything was guaranteed.
Incorrect. Maiava would've been the unquestionable starter had he stayed. Didn't matter who they brought in for competition and yes they wouldve brought in a QB to push Maiava. That's how you build continuity. It doesn't mean there's no competition but QB1 is unquestionably a position that you have to have settled and understood before you start real prep for game 1. Arroyo never learned that question, it was a bit silly watching him try and roll out 3 QBs at different times or halves to see who won the job. And Doug was the pressumed starter entering last season with Maiava showing in spring/summer he could be QB1. Then Doug got hurt/had mediocre early performances and Maiava took the job. But it wasn't a 1A/1B situation.
Again, it will be a competition, but it'll be decided quickly because that's how competent staffs handle QB situations. You don't want controversy and no, despite having a spring to establish a relationship with offense, it won't cause division.
You do realize this all just “your” thoughts on how things would or should be done?
You have no idea how long it should or shouldn’t take it’s all relative to who you’re dealing with, there is no set in stone way to deal with deciding on the QB1. So battles go on because the decision is not easy, which is what I’m talking about, it should not be an easy decision that is decided too quickly.
My opinion disagrees with your opinion, that’s it and that’s all. Don’t get ahead of yourself, your posting opinions and thoughts here just like the rest of us and we disagree!
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Three QB Battles to Watch in 2024
There's a few QB battles we are watching early for CFF - here are three to keep an eye on!
campus2canton.com
I don’t know if the link will work but an objective description is given on the subject!
Maybe I'm missing something but I have no idea how anyone thinks Friel will be QB1... been there, done that.
Enjoy that read. It will be a great competition for the QB1 position.Three QB Battles to Watch in 2024
There's a few QB battles we are watching early for CFF - here are three to keep an eye on!
I don’t know if the link will work but an objective description is given on the subject!
Nice to see a story that looks at UNLV as a force in the MWC. Major change from the last few decades!
