Hales decides to keep playing

Jacob Hales didn't want to stop playing football at UNLV, but the 25-year-old wondered if it was time to get on with his life.

It was a difficult decision, one that lasted almost to the start of spring practices this week.

"I didn't have any idea what I was going to do," Hales said. "I was really up in the air about it. A slight breeze would've blown me either way."

But after new defensive line coach Andre Patterson was hired last week, Hales knew he wanted to give the sport another year. The senior defensive tackle was eager to play for Patterson, who worked for five NFL clubs.

Hales, a Las Vegas High School graduate, turns 26 in September. He began his college career at Southern Utah before going on a two-year Mormon mission.

Because of his age, Hales considered moving on after last season, but he never truly walked away.

"(Hales) did everything in winter (conditioning)," coach Mike Sanford said. "He had a tremendous attitude. He worked hard. He did really well.

"I guess there was a point where I felt like he's with us, but at the same time, I never felt like he left."

Hales was listed as a starter on the initial depth chart released Wednesday. Last season he made 36 tackles, including five for loss and three sacks.

"When do you ever hang it up?" Hales asked. "I don't want to hang it up till somebody tells me I've got to. You're a little kid and you think about what you want to do when you're older, and one of my goals in my life was to play college football. Just because I'm here and I did it doesn't mean that I need to hang it up."

• LOTS OF BATTLES -- The depth chart lists five starting positions up for grabs.

Most of the competition is at quarterback, with redshirt freshman Mike Clausen, sophomores Omar Clayton and Travis Dixon and senior Dack Ishii vying for the top spot.

The other positions in question are left offensive guard (sophomore Ramsey Feagai and senior Johan Asiata), right offensive tackle (sophomore Evan Marchal and senior Richie Plunkett), defensive end (sophomore Daniel Mareko and junior Heivaha Mafi) and middle linebacker (sophomore Ronnie Paulo and junior Jimmy Miller).

But competition for the two offensive line spots will be delayed until August because of injuries to Asiata (shoulder) and Plunkett (back).

• TIME OFF ALREADY? -- After Friday, the Rebels take next week off because of spring break. Sanford wanted to schedule spring practices to allow coaches to meet with and evaluate players, then head out to recruit.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.