UNLV’s Tony Sanchez supports NCAA decision on halftimes
As the length of games and concern for player safety have grown, changes will take place this season that the NCAA hopes addresses both issues.
Most notably, no exceptions will be granted to allow halftimes to last longer than 20 minutes. Halftimes have been extended for special occasions, such as homecoming games.
“I think it’s good,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said Tuesday. “As a player and a coach, you run off the field, you want to make an adjustment, grab a snack, go to the bathroom and get back out there.
“They didn’t change it for bowl games. They didn’t change it for championship or playoff games, which is good. But a regular-season game, there’s no reason to have a 25- or 30-minute halftime.”
No changes are being made to the game itself. The clock, for example, will continue to stop for first downs until the chains are set.
The average game last season was three hours and 24 minutes. College football games on average are longer than those in the NFL, Major League Baseball and NBA.
“As soon as we went to replay, we slowed the game down forever,” Sanchez said. “As a traditionalist, sometimes you’d wish they’d let it fly, let the guys make the call on the field and go.”
Position breakdown: Wide receivers
Starters
Devonte Boyd, Sr., 6-1, 185
Kendal Keys, Jr., 6-4, 205
Brandon Presley, So., 6-0, 180
Darren Woods Jr., So., 6-0, 220
Backups
Andre Collins Jr., Fr., 6-4, 205
Darren Palmer, Jr., 6-0, 200
Mekhi Stevenson, So., 6-0, 180
Drew Tejchman, Fr., 5-11, 185
Elijah Trosclair, So., 6-3, 200
Note: After injuries ravaged this group last season, coaches decided to make the receivers as interchangeable as possible. So that’s why there isn’t a true depth chart at each receiver position.
Notes
— Freshman running back Tariq Hollandsworth (5 feet 11 inches, 210 pounds) has performed so well in training camp that coaches will have a serious decision whether to redshirt or play him. He has proven good enough to play immediately, but given the depth at running back, it might be prudent for Hollandsworth to get an extra season.
“It’s hard to give more than three guys the ball, and we probably have five guys deserving of it that are quality,” Sanchez said. “So we’re now at a point where we’re not choosing from the lesser of the evils. We’ve got a stable of guys that are all pushing each other.”
As Sanchez pointed out, sophomore Charles Williams (5-9, 185) and junior Lexington Thomas (5-9, 170) have two of the spots locked up, so three players are competing for one job.
Junior Xzaviar Campbell (5-11, 225) received some work with the first-teamers Tuesday. Sanchez said it’s important all the backs play with the starters to better evaluate them.
— Quarterback Griffin O’Connor (6-3, 200) withdrew his commitment to UNLV. O’Connor, who attends Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California, didn’t offer a reason in a tweet, but said it was “the most difficult decision I have ever had to make” and that he thought the Rebels were headed in the right direction.
More Rebels: Follow all of our UNLV coverage online at reviewjournal.com/Rebels and @RJRebels on Twitter.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.
