Hauck gets good look at Rebels’ conditioning

With a young team and only 15 spring practices, UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck made the most of Saturday's scrimmage.

The Rebels ran about 115 plays in the situational scrimmage at Rebel Park, with roughly 90 snaps split between the first and second teams.

"We need as many live plays as we can get," Hauck said. "You'd love to go out and all spring have hundreds and hundreds of plays, but you can't hold up physically. We held up physically, which is probably a byproduct of the weight room, being 15 months into the plan here."

Even with all the extra work, the intensity appeared to pick up toward the end of the scrimmage.

"I'll be anxious to see on film," Hauck said. "I thought so. We tried to put them in some positions that demand that -- the fourth-and-1 stuff, the 2-point plays, things that are either win or go home. I thought it was good at the end, and that's what we want. We want to play hard in the fourth quarter."

UNLV has three practices remaining, including Saturday's spring game. The Rebels also go Tuesday and Thursday.

"We've got a million miles to go, and if we waste a day not improving, then we will have fallen behind," Hauck said. "We haven't done that. It's been good. We've had 12 practices, and each one of them was productive."

■ RUNNING HARD PART I -- UNLV couldn't keep running back Bradley Randle off the practice field last August in Ely, no matter how hurt he was.

Randle not only paid the price that month, he never got fully healthy during his freshman season. Though he made strong contributions on special teams, he was limited to 25 rushes for 109 yards and one touchdown.

If healthy, Randle said he believes he would've had "way more carries. I think they probably would've fit me in to certain plays where I could get in and do my thing. I was banged up, but I tried to be as tough as I could."

Randle hyperextended his left knee Tuesday but competed Saturday, and Hauck said he is having a good spring.

"You've got to love guys that keep their mouths shut and just come to work every day," Hauck said.

Randle is ready to make some noise on the field. He was rated as the nation's 50th-best running back by Rivals.com and Scout.com when he signed in 2009.

"I've got a lot to prove," he said. "A lot of people have been waiting to see what I can do, so I'm ready to show them."

■ RUNNING HARD PART II -- Sophomore running back Tim Cornett scored four touchdowns in the scrimmage, the last one a 5-yard run on a goal-line drill in which he nearly was tackled for a loss.

"I feel a lot stronger than I was last year," he said. "With the experience, I don't get jitters before practice or jitters before a game."

■ SECOND CHANCE -- Offensive linemen John Gianninoto and Matt Murphy had a private workout for the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins on Saturday. That equaled the number of NFL teams that showed up for Thursday's scheduled pro day.

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