3 takeaways from UNLV’s football season: Odom impresses in 1st year

PHOENIX — One of the most successful seasons in UNLV football history came to a close Tuesday.

The Rebels recorded their first winning campaign since 2013. They played in their first Mountain West championship game. They won rivalry matchups against Hawaii and UNR. They earned nine wins for the first time since Randall Cunningham led UNLV to 11 in 1984.

All in coach Barry Odom’s first year in Las Vegas.

Odom and the Rebels still weren’t satisfied with the way their season concluded. Three straight losses, culminating in a 49-36 defeat to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, have shown UNLV what it will take to reach the next level.

“We’ll go back to work trying to make every person we’ve got in the locker room — get them in the position to play winning football,” Odom said. “At this point, guys did some great things this year, but we can all be a lot better.”

Here are three takeaways from this historic UNLV season:

1. Right man for the job

Odom preached about capitalizing on UNLV’s unfulfilled potential ahead of his first season in charge.

He declared the Rebels weren’t a rebuilding project. He promised immediate contention for a conference championship.

The Rebels validated Odom’s claims early. UNLV won six of its first seven games, only losing to then-No. 2 Michigan on Sept. 9. The Rebels clinched bowl eligibility with a dramatic 25-23 win against Colorado State on Oct. 21 and went 6-2 in Mountain West play.

Junior receiver Ricky White, one of UNLV’s breakout stars this season, credited the practice habits Odom and his staff instilled for the team’s success.

“The results (are) always going to show,” White said Sunday.

2. Foundation in place

UNLV’s future remains bright after a promising season.

White and redshirt freshman quarterback Jayden Maiava — cornerstones of the Rebels’ rejuvenated offense under coordinator Brennan Marion — announced they will return, a strong vote of confidence in the program Odom’s built. Many of UNLV’s contributors on both sides of the ball still have at least a year of eligibility remaining.

The Rebels have been able to retain much of their roster and staff so far, though Odom has admitted he expects more players to enter the transfer portal as the offseason begins. But returning players like White and junior linebacker Jackson Woodard are hungry to keep UNLV moving in the right direction.

“Back to work,” Woodard said Tuesday. “Our goal is a championship. That’s the standard.”

3. Reality check

UNLV’s high-flying season suffered setbacks during its final three games. Odom’s squad lost its final regular-season contest 37-31 to San Jose State at home. The Rebels were then blown out 44-20 by Boise State in the conference championship game.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl was the final stumbling block. It was a reminder of the goals the Rebels haven’t achieved despite their successful season. They still have several questions to answer, like how they will cope with the pressure of expectations and what can they do to limit big plays defensively.

“It’s our job as coaches to get them to play better the next opportunity out,” Odom said. “That’s how good programs continue to build their teams.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on X.