Rebels reach juco All-America center Kreitler in roundabout way

New UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez couldn't speak with junior college center Will Kreitler.

Neither could offensive coordinator Barney Cotton or offensive line coach John Garrison.

Sanchez needed to pass his NCAA certification test before he could recruit. Cotton and Garrison were still under contract at Nebraska through the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl.

But they all wanted Kreitler, a second-team junior college All-American at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, to play football for the Rebels.

An analyst for a recruiting website knew of that interest and relayed the information to Scottsdale's offensive coordinator. When Kreitler found out, he called his old JC quarterback.

Who just happened to be UNLV starter Blake Decker.

"He told me, 'With this new coaching staff, I think we're going to be really good. I think you've got to come out here,'" Kreitler said.

Kreitler spoke with Decker just in time because he was planning to sign with Southern Mississippi the following day. A signing ceremony had been set up, but Kreitler decided his time that day was better spent playing golf.

After taking a week to think about which school to choose, Kreitler signed with UNLV.

"It was a really hard decision because I didn't have anything wrong with Southern Miss," Kreitler said. "I was really excited to go there, too.

"They really wanted me, but I had to make the best decision for me. I was really excited about what's going on here, and I decided to be a part of a new era."

By signing early, Kreitler (6 feet, 290 pounds) was able to go through spring practices, giving him a valuable jump on learning the system.

"To learn a whole new playbook, especially me coming from a passing system to this, which is more ground and pound, that was huge just to learn the calls," Kreitler said. "If I'm going to be the center, I've got to be able to make all the calls."

Kreitler moved to the top of the depth chart in the spring, earning nothing but praise from Sanchez.

"He played with such an intensity and a passion (at Scottsdale), and was a really physical guy," Sanchez said. "That's the thing we recruited on film, and then we got to know the guy and we found out he's got a great personality, great leadership skills, great communicator, loves the game. When he comes out, he brings that every day."

Kreitler continued his strong work during summer conditioning when coaches couldn't be present. Strength coach Keith Belton supervised the players and later told the staff that Kreitler asserted himself as the leader.

"Pretty impressive for a guy that's been here for as long as I have, and that's just a few months," Garrison said. "For him to be the guy already, that's pretty impressive. It really states what he's all about."

Kreitler has the difficult job of following center Robert Waterman, a four-year starter who anchored the line and tied the school record by starting 51 consecutive games.

With only two seasons of eligibility, Kreitler won't catch Waterman, but of all the team's question marks entering the Sept. 5 season opener at Northern Illinois, center shouldn't be one of them.

The Rebels are just happy to have Kreitler in the lineup, and now Garrison can speak with him any time he wants.

"He was relieved to talk to me and realize that I wasn't some figurehead out there, that I actually was a living, breathing human," Garrison said.

In recruiting, coaches often have to persuade the parents as much as the athlete.

Sanchez hadn't spent much time with his own family after being hired by UNLV on Dec. 11 and finally was able to take them out for dinner.

Then his phone rang. It was Kreitler's mom, Debra Wiedenbauer, calling just as a plate of fish arrived. After excusing himself from the table, Sanchez spoke with Wiedenbauer for the next hour and 20 minutes.

There are other fish. There are only so many junior college All-America centers.

"He had to commit without seeing (campus) or being there," Sanchez said. "He went with a gut feeling, and it worked out for everybody."

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him: @markanderson65