Trotter earns trust, Rebels’ tailback job

He got repetitions in practice, occasional handoffs in games, but tailback Channing Trotter didn't quite seem a part of the UNLV football team.

After an embarrassing theft incident three years ago at a clothing store where he worked, Trotter had to prove to his coaches he would be a model citizen off the field.

On the field, he had to convince them he could be counted on to pick up crucial yards.

Trotter has shown the coaching staff plenty.

He shed about 10 pounds and put together the best preseason of all the Rebels' running backs, taking advantage of the time C.J. Cox missed with a hamstring injury.

"I had my mind set I was going to go into camp and do everything possible to make it impossible for them to not play me," Trotter said.

It worked.

Coach Mike Sanford announced Friday that Trotter will start the Sept. 5 season opener against Sacramento State at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"I think it says a ton about him maturing, him growing up, him making the decision that he wanted to be the starting tailback," Sanford said. "The difference between Channing now and Channing a couple of years ago is Channing has both feet in the boat and he's all in with the team."

Trotter, a junior with just 21 career carries, had a clean slate with first-year running backs coach DeAndre Smith.

But Smith had expectations he wanted met, beginning with the weight issue.

The 5-feet-8-inch Trotter now weighs 200 pounds. Last season against Texas Christian, Trotter, lugging that additional 10 pounds, was caught at the 1 on a 58-yard run.

Smith also wanted to see how Trotter would fare in a third-and-1 situation with the game on the line. It's hard to simulate such a pressure-packed moment in practice, but Smith liked what he saw in a scrimmage two weeks ago.

"He always ran hard," Smith said. "But put him in those situations where we can count on him in short yardage getting first downs and moving the chains, he started to do that in that scrimmage."

There are no guarantees Trotter will keep the job. Cox could eventually claim it, and Chris Brogdon and Bradley Randle probably will receive their share of carries.

But Trotter has made it this far, which says plenty about his determination.

Trotter pleaded guilty in September 2007 to allowing teammates and other UNLV athletes to take $2,216 worth of merchandise without paying at an Abercrombie & Fitch store in the Caesars Forum Shops where he worked.

Trotter was sentenced to probation and paid $1,337 in restitution. UNLV suspended him for the first three games of the 2007 season and required him to perform 150 hours of community service.

Trotter considers himself fortunate.

"Everything could've been taken away in an instant," he said. "Every day I go to practice thanking the Lord that He gave me this second opportunity to be out here. I thank the coaches for this other opportunity that I've got here. It keeps me focused to know I'm here for two reasons, and that's to get my degree and play for the UNLV Rebels.

"I wasn't raised that way," added Trotter, whose father was a police officer. "I'm a criminal justice major. It just wasn't in my character to make some mistakes. I wasn't thinking too rationally."

Trotter doesn't want to relive the experience, but he said it made him a better person.

And he can see now that his coaches believe in him.

Offensive coordinator Todd Berry kept telling Trotter he was "doing the little things right" in camp, a sign to the tailback that he was back in the coaches' good graces.

The decision to have Trotter practice with the first team was a more tangible sign.

"I finally feel like I've got the trust of the coaches," Trotter said, before sounding like one of them. "They know that both my feet are in the boat."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.