UNLV’s Kyle Williams named Mountain West Freshman of Year
UNLV wide receiver Kyle Williams was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday.
Williams set a school record for a freshman with 5.8 receptions per game and led the team with 35 catches for 426 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Rebels finished 0-6 in Marcus Arroyo’s first year as coach.
“It means a lot to me,” Williams said. “It’s something that I talked about with my parents and my friends, and I’ve really been putting the work in and it’s finally paying off, but I’m looking forward to more accomplishments.”
Defensive end Jacoby Windmon received honorable mention on the All-Mountain West team after leading the Rebels in sacks with five. His 0.83 sacks-per-game average tied for fourth in the conference and 20th in the nation. No other Rebels were honored.
UNR sophomore quarterback Carson Strong was voted Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. San Jose State defensive end Cade Hall was named Defensive Player of the Year, and the Spartans’ Brent Brennan was chosen Coach of the Year. Boise State’s Avery Williams was picked as Special Teams Player of the Year.
Williams is the third wide receiver and seventh Rebel to be named a conference freshman of the year and fifth since UNLV joined the Mountain West in 1999. Quarterback Armani Rogers was the last to win the award, in 2017.
Williams had 100-yard outings in two of the Rebels’ final three games. The first was against San Jose State with nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, and he made a strong closing argument with 10 catches for 144 yards and a score against Hawaii on Saturday.
“I am proud of Kyle for the way he produced on the field and even more so for the way he represented himself, his family and our new UNLV football program,” Arroyo said in a statement. “His toughness, work ethic and leadership — especially as a true freshman and amidst the adversity of this pandemic — comprise a testament to his character. We are only scratching the surface of a future as bright as the lights of Las Vegas.”
San Jose State and Boise State will meet at 1:15 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium in the Mountain West championship game.
Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.