Wyoming puts weight on young QB

When recruiting a quarterback for the spread offense, it usually makes sense to look for someone with experience in that system.

But first-year Wyoming coach Dave Christensen looked beyond the fact Austyn Carta-Samuels quarterbacked a run-based offense in high school. He saw other qualities that indicated the player could make the transition.

Then when it came to changing starting quarterbacks this week, Christensen looked beyond seeing an incoming freshman and saw what Carta-Samuels accomplished on the practice and playing fields.

So 18-year-old Carta-Samuels will make his first career start at noon PDT Saturday when UNLV visits the Cowboys.

"He's the most consistent in moving the offense, and we need consistency in doing that," Christensen said. "It was kind of our plan early on to see where we're at and find somebody to step up and take charge of the position."

Junior college transfer Robert Benjamin started the first three games, completing 44.6 percent of his passes for 209 yards. Carta-Samuels was good on 49.1 percent for 294 yards. Neither threw a touchdown nor interception.

After sharing snaps with Benjamin, the team now belongs to Carta-Samuels, meaning a mistake won't send him to the sideline.

Not that he seems worried. He's a freshman who comes across as a senior.

"I think I'm ready for this," Carta-Samuels said.

UNLV could try to rattle him early with an array of blitzes, but coach Mike Sanford said the importance is to "defend them and their scheme."

"It's not about what year in school the quarterback is," Sanford said.

Carta-Samuels was a highly recruited prospect at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, Calif., even though it was a run-heavy team. Rivals.com rated him the nation's No. 22 dual-threat quarterback, and Scout.com ranked him 37th.

In Carta-Samuels' 10 to 12 passes per game, Christensen saw a powerful arm among several qualities that could translate to the spread, and the coach also saw leadership ability.

Picking up the spread, though, was difficult, and Carta-Samuels received help from his dad, a former Utah State tight end, as well as others to ease the transition.

"We ran shotgun, but it was nothing like what we do here," Carta-Samuels said. "It's been a real quick learning curve."

Carta-Samuels arrived with Benjamin to join returnees Karsten Sween and Dax Crum.

"It was a big advantage to have a JC kid come in with me, because (the coaches) slowed everything down for both of us," Carta-Samuels said. "While the other quarterbacks already knew everything that was going on and it was kind of slow for them, for me and Robert, it was moving quickly."

But Sween and Crum didn't make life difficult for Carta-Samuels, helping him pick up the offense even if it jeopardized their chances to start.

"They taught me everything," said Carta-Samuels, who rose up the depth chart in preseason to No. 2 entering the season.

Now he's even higher.

He was encouraged after watching videotape of Saturday's 24-0 loss at Colorado. Carta-Samuels said he thought he made good decisions, properly read defenses and delivered the ball where he wanted, despite completing just 11 of 24 passes for 125 yards.

"I feel like no matter what, I have a long way to go, but I feel I'm on the best path I could be right now as a true freshman getting used to it," Carta-Samuels said.

• NOTE -- UNLV wide receiver Phillip Payne and second-team quarterback Mike Clausen, who have had the flu, are expected to play after their fevers broke. They attended team meetings Wednesday, though neither practiced.

Safety Alex De Giacomo is questionable because of a hamstring injury.

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