UNLV defense shows it’s ready to hit

UNLV’s football team went into pads today for the first time, and the defense showed it was ready to hit.

The defense outplayed the offense in two full-team drills, especially the first one with players such as sophomore cornerback Will Chandler making an interception, senior linebacker Jason Beauchamp batting down a pass and senior nickel back Terrance Lee making a sack.

“I think we should’ve been hitting the first day,” Beauchamp said half-jokingly (we think). “They should’ve called me late to camp and said, ‘Oh, we’ve got pads today.'”

Earlier, the defense dominated what’s called “a toughness drill.” The receivers are taken off the field, and the running back had to try to gain 3 1/2 yards. The defense won that drill six of seven times.

“One of the things we’ve got to be able to do is stop the run,” coach Mike Sanford said.

SOME BRIGHT SPOTS FOR THE OFFENSE

In between team drills, the offense showed in a seven-on-seven period it was going to make plays, too. Sophomore wide receiver Phillip Payne made a terrific high catch in the end zone.

Then in a full-team drill, redshirt freshman tailback Imari Thompson had a 25-yard touchdown run, and junior quarterback Omar Clayton completed a 20-yard pass to sophomore tight end Austin Harrington.

“I definitely think as long as one of us has a strong performance over some segment of the practice that’s important for the other side to come back with another response to that,” Clayton said.

Sanford agreed.

“You’ve got to be able to do that,” Sanford said. “That’s part of football, when something bad happens, when adversity happens, you’ve got to be able to recover and come back and make a play.”

IN THE BLACK

The black jersey was worn for the first time this preseason. It usually goes to the top offensive and defensive players from the previous practice, but this morning only one player wore the black — junior cornerback Quinton Pointer. There were no offensive candidates.

FLYING IN STYLE

Other than the trips to UNR and Texas Christian when UNLV flies commercial airlines, the team will charter jetBlue. That means a television on the back of every seat.

“Anything to make the ride a little bit shorter,” Beauchamp said.

HEADING NORTH

The Rebels leave Tuesday for Ely and will have a walk-through practice at 6 p.m. They go back into regular practices Wednesday, with sessions at 9:40 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.