UNLV linebacker Beauchamp eyes return to full speed

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of features on players from the various units on the UNLV football team. Today is a look at the linebackers.

ELY -- UNLV linebackers coach Dennis Therrell often has to slow down sophomore Jason Beauchamp, who never wants to go less than full speed.

So imagine the competitive fire that must have been raging inside Beauchamp the past two days when all he could do at training camp was watch, especially during Tuesday morning's high-intensity scrimmage.

A right hamstring pull, which Beauchamp had tried to put out of his mind since he suffered it late last week, finally forced him to the sideline Monday.

"I'm so ready to play," he said. "It hurts me every day to not be 100 percent. I'm a leader on this team. It's really hard to be a leader when you're injured. That's all I want to do is be able to play."

Rebels coach Mike Sanford said Beauchamp could return later this week, which would give him plenty of time to get ready for the Aug. 30 season opener at Utah State.

Beauchamp pulled the hamstring while running a sprint, and he kept trying to run even after the injury.

"I'm a competitive guy," Beauchamp said. "I try to be first every time. I kind of ignored how tight it was and continued to give 100 percent effort, and that's when I felt kind of like a pull."

Any coach loves that sort of competitiveness, and UNLV saw plenty of it last season when Beauchamp started 10 games and played in all 12 as a redshirt freshman.

He made 69 tackles, including six for loss and 3 1/2 sacks, and was named a third-team Freshman All-American by College Football News.

"God blessed him," Therrell said. "He's got a tremendous amount of athletic ability."

The 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound Beauchamp is listed behind senior Beau Bell on the official depth chart, but Therrell said Beauchamp would be a starter in some of the Rebels' different alignments.

"He has a role," Therrell said.

Therrell was hired two days before spring practice began, and Beauchamp said he didn't know how to take him at first.

Beauchamp is accustomed to giving his all on the field regardless of the circumstances. But Therrell has been trying to teach him not to go after the big play all the time.

"I'm so prideful, I'll hurt myself out there just to be a leader, just to show everybody else that I'm a leader on the team," Beauchamp said. "But (Therrell) took care of me as a player. I overdo things just because of my pride."

Now Therrell is making sure Beauchamp takes the time he needs to heal the hamstring, so nothing will stand in the linebacker's way when he returns.

Since they have gotten to know each other better, Beauchamp said he is grateful for the way Therrell has coached him.

"I realized he had my best interests at heart," Beauchamp said. "He saw me in spring football. I didn't have anything more to prove to him. I think he understood the potential and the ability that I have."