Irritable Anthony anxious to resume senior season
After the graduation of standout Casey Flair last spring, this season was set up perfectly for senior Rodelin Anthony to be UNLV’s third wide receiver.
But Anthony suffered a concussion in training camp, another early in the season and then an ankle injury, causing him to miss four games.
“It’s a big frustration, it’s horrible, it upsets me,” Anthony said. “I think about it all the time. There are times I really want to be out there with my teammates. It’s causing mood swings. It’s irritating the hell out of me, it really is.”
So some friends have steered clear of him?
“That has been the case at times, I’m not going to lie,” Anthony said. “I feel like I’m a walking hazard sign. I’ve been snake-bitten, I’m really fed up with it, and I’m trying to turn this around and get back up to speed with the rest of the guys and start winning.”
Now Anthony is healthy, and he hopes to be a larger part of the offense for the Rebels (3-6, 1-4 Mountain West Conference), beginning Saturday against Colorado State (3-6, 0-5) at 7 p.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium.
He also hopes to reclaim a starting spot. Anthony, who has 12 catches for 194 yards and four touchdowns, is listed behind Jerriman Robinson.
“The type of person I am and the competitor I am, I want to be on top of everything,” Anthony said. “I want to be everything I can be and more. I expect that out of myself, and I expect my teammates to expect that out of me.”
• ANOTHER CHANGE — In-season coaching demotions are becoming a trend in the Mountain West.
Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild on Thursday demoted Greg Peterson from offensive coordinator to focus on recruiting. Peterson already was the recruiting coordinator.
The move won’t change the play-calling because Fairchild already handled those duties.
The Rams are seventh in the Mountain West in total offense (340.4-yard average) and scoring offense (22.3 points).
Fairchild’s decision comes on the heels of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham taking back play-calling from offensive coordinator Dave Schramm.
• READY TO GO — UNLV linebacker Starr Fuimaono (ankle) has been cleared to play. He has 43 tackles, including 21/2 for loss and one sack.
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.