Graney: UNLV football ready to end special season ‘the right way’
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Rob Gronkowski, the eventual Hall of Fame tight end and resident jokester, is the official host of the LA Bowl.
He talked Tuesday about exposure. The kind players from UNLV and Cal will get from being in one of the only two bowl games on Wednesday night, with the Boca Raton Bowl being the other. Exposure matters. To seniors seeking an opportunity at the next level. To those who have chosen to stay and play rather than stay away.
“It really worked out on our side this time with (the game) being on Wednesday,” Gronkowski said. “Last year, we were going up against three NFL games and four other bowl games. So, I’m excited. It’s great for the sport, it’s great for college, it’s great for UNLV and Cal.”
What’s great for UNLV is that its players are intent on competing against the Golden Bears at SoFi Stadium. That they didn’t stop with a loss to Boise State in the Mountain West championship game on Dec. 6. That one of the most special teams the school has ever produced with play together one more time.
Marshall’s pain
Marshall’s football team opted out of the Independence Bowl against Army on Saturday after losing too many players to the transfer portal.
Almost 30 names disappeared off the Thundering Herd roster after coach Charles Huff left to go to Southern Miss. The bowl game was left to scramble for a new team and settled on 5-7 Louisiana Tech.
Not exactly 10-3 Marshall.
UNLV, which will appear in a bowl game for the second straight year for the first time in program history, also underwent a coaching change when Barry Odom left for Purdue on Dec. 8.
And yet there was no mass exodus. Almost everyone who had anything to do with the team’s 10-3 record will suit up across from the Golden Bears.
And that says something about the culture Odom built.
“It speaks to their character and integrity,” interim coach Del Alexander said. “We talk about respecting each other and respecting everyone’s option to choose. But I think there was a lot of reaction in our locker room to stick around and finish what we started.
“It has been a difficult time for our guys, but they have done a great job. They’re full of energy and focused. They want this reward and the opportunity that they have earned through their hard work. They’re committed to playing in the bowl game and having success and making sure we enjoy the process.”
Heck, the biggest opt out for UNLV thus far is offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. Reports on Tuesday said he is set to be named the coach at FCS program Sacramento State.
Kickoff hasn’t commenced for the LA Bowl. I suppose a key name or two might rethink their position with UNLV and sit this one out. But it’s not likely. Not with how much players talk about loving the game and enjoying any opportunity they get to compete in it.
They talk about removing the bad taste of that Boise State loss. About putting that 21-7 defeat and chance to qualify for the College Football Playoff behind them. About looking themselves in the mirror and deciding how best to respond.
And that’s playing Cal.
Ready to play
Falling to Boise State hurt UNLV. Big-time. It was the Rebels’ second straight setback to the Broncos in the conference title game. The better team won each time.
But the Rebels haven’t run from responsibility. No excuses were made. They just know what the goal is now.
“Collectively, we all made the decision we were going to go out the right way,” senior defensive back Jalen Catalon said. “We’re all here, so we might as well finish what we started. There’s football to played. No ifs, ands or butts about it. We all have that mindset. We’re giving the same amount of effort we always do. We haven’t skipped a beat. We’ll be ready for Cal.”
Ready to play.
That says something.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.