3-star QB Doug Brumfield sticking with UNLV

Three-star quarterback Doug Brumfield is hopeful that UNLV coach Tony Sanchez will keep his job after this season, but his commitment to the Rebels is unwavering.

“I’m pretty locked in to UNLV 100 percent,” Brumfield said. “The situation is out of my hands. There’s nothing I can do. We all want to play football for Coach Sanchez, but if it’s not him, it’ll be for whoever’s the coach in the future.”

Brumfield (6 feet 5 inches, 213 pounds) was referring to himself and his two Junipero Serra High School teammates from Gardena, California, who also committed to the Rebels.

Justin Pinkney (5-11, 170), who is listed as a multiuse athlete, also is a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports’ composite ratings. Pinkney, who has two interceptions and three pass breakups. He plans to enroll in UNLV in January and be available for spring practices.

The other Serra player is three-star wide receiver Ronald Gilliam (6-0, 192), who has 38 receptions for 552 yards and three touchdowns.

Brumfield was the first to commit to UNLV, and he encouraged Pinkney to make the same decision. They were instrumental in convincing Gilliam to join them, and all three hope to move the long-struggling program forward.

“It’s a lot better than you see on social media,” said Brumfield, who has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,478 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has rushed for 444 yards and five touchdowns.

The Fertitta Football Complex that opened last month and the move into Allegiant Stadium showed Brumfield and his teammates that UNLV was a program worth choosing even if a coaching change is made.

“It’s kind of fulfilled my childhood dream of getting prepared for the next level,” Brumfield said. “In high school, we don’t always have the best facilities. Serra has had the same weight room and locker room for a long time.”

Even with the speculation about Sanchez’s future, this 2020 recruiting class is ranked third in the Mountain West by 247Sports, a five-spot gain over the 2019 one. All 11 committed players are three-star recruits. The early signing period is Dec. 18-20.

Other recruits will visit this weekend and attend Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against San Jose State, which will be UNLV’s final one at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Rebels are 2-8 with two games remaining, and Sanchez knows those might be his final ones coaching the Rebels.

Athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois will make an announcement shortly after the season whether she will retain or fire Sanchez, who has an 18-40 record over nearly five complete seasons. Reed-Francois issued a statement after last season saying she expected bowl eligibility this year, and that won’t happen.

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