UNLV’s Dalton Baker goes from walk-on, to starter, to captain

The easy story is that Dalton Baker has always played with an edge, first needing to prove himself as a walk-on at UNLV and now having to show doubters his promising play in practices this month is more indicative of what he can do on a football field.

It’s a true story but not the complete one.

Baker does more than play with passion. It’s his attention to detail — the less glamorous but perhaps more important stuff — that elevated him to team captain as a senior.

“I felt like last year I could’ve been more of a leader,” Baker said. “The way I felt for me to begin that process was to get in the film room. I personally think that leading by example is the best thing you can do.”

Safeties coach Al Simmons said Baker constantly asks questions in the meeting room and even brings up his own ideas.

“He’s so locked in,” Simmons said. “His focus has been excellent. I just appreciate the way he works.”

Baker (5 feet 11 inches, 185 pounds) mirrors his defensive teammates in many ways. They have plenty to prove when the season kicks off Sept. 1 at Southern California.

The Rebels allowed 31.8 points and 458.7 yards per game last season, but there is hope under first-year defensive coordinator Tim Skipper that they will be improved. Baker led UNLV with 99 tackles last season, but broke up just two passes and had moments of real struggles.

“He never whined and complained,” coach Tony Sanchez said. “He just continued to get better.”

The relationship between Sanchez and Baker traces back to Bishop Gorman. Baker played for Sanchez for four years before walking on at UNLV under then-coach Bobby Hauck. Sanchez replaced Hauck after the 2014 season, and Baker was reunited with his high school coach.

“I’ve known him for nine years, and for nine years he’s been the same person,” Baker said. “He expects the same from everybody. He doesn’t play favorites. He tells it how it is.”

Which meant that even though Sanchez was a familiar face, Baker knew he wouldn’t get a free pass.

So he worked to get better, and before the 2016 season was awarded a scholarship. He became a starting safety in 2017, but often found himself out of position.

So Baker learned to play with better technique.

“He has a sense of urgency to play as hard as he can,” Simmons said. “He actually played hard and fast a year ago, but he’s taken it up another level.”

Sanchez was especially impressed with how Baker applied what he learned during a scrimmage Aug. 11 at Sam Boyd Stadium. Running back Lexington Thomas, who last season rushed for six touchdowns of at least 55 yards, found himself in open space with only Baker to beat to the end zone.

Sure touchdown, right? Usually, yes.

But Baker didn’t panic, got in position and made the tackle.

“That’s something he struggled to do last year,” Sanchez said. “Those little things like that show how committed he is to doing the little things right to help this team win, and I think everyone respects him for that.”

In Wednesday’s practice at Rebel Park, Baker intercepted a pass on one play and about 10 minutes later blew past the line of scrimmage to register a tackle for loss.

It’s only practice, so too much can’t be read into such plays. The key is making them in games.

Baker is confident he will do just that.

“That’s the biggest thing when you talk about the evolution of a player,” Sanchez said. “Without confidence, talent means nothing.”

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Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.