Expectations high for Randal Grimes at hometown UNLV

Phillip Payne stood 6 feet 3 inches and weighed 205 pounds, wore No. 4, graduated from Western High School, and made a living for UNLV in the back corner of the end zone by hauling in fade pass after fade pass.

It was Payne’s one-handed grab while reaching far back that forced overtime in a 2008 upset victory at Arizona State, the most memorable catch in program history.

Cedric Cormier inherited Payne when he became the Rebels’ receivers coach in 2010, and now he looks out at the same Rebel Park practice fields and is amazed at the similarities when he watches Randal Grimes.

“Wears the same jersey number, a local kid, everything,” Cormier said. “That’s exactly who I envision him being.”

If Grimes, 6-4 and 205, makes close to the impact Payne did between 2008 and 2011, he will establish himself as one of the top receivers in UNLV history. Payne is seventh all time in receptions (171) and 10th in receiving yards (2,296), and his 26 touchdown catches is the program standard.

High expectations aren’t new for Grimes, a sophomore from Desert Pines who signed with Southern California in 2017 as a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports and Rivals.

But his playing time was limited at USC; Grimes caught two passes for 17 yards as a freshman and none last season.

He got on the field when UNLV visited the Trojans to open last season. USC led 19-14 through three quarters before pulling away for a 43-21 victory.

“They underestimated (UNLV) a lot,” Grimes said of his former USC teammates. “It was a shock to them that they were keeping up. I told them, ‘It’s going to be a tough game. They’ve got a lot of good players on this team, a good coach, a very good staff, a very good quarterback.’ So I knew what they were going to bring to the table.”

Though Grimes didn’t blame USC for not involving him more the past two seasons, he decided in January to transfer to Minnesota. The combination of “a little falling out” with the Golden Gophers and being back in Las Vegas prompted him to contact UNLV’s coaching staff and commit to the Rebels on May 23.

“Me and Coach (Tony) Sanchez had a really good relationship back in high school,” Grimes said. “Me and Coach C (Cormier), that’s basically my uncle right there. Me and him go a long way back. When I came home, this was going to be the right place for me.”

A transfer usually has to sit out a season, but Grimes’ waiver request to play right away was approved by the NCAA on July 1. He would only say his request was based on family reasons.

Now he can focus on playing and making an impact this season.

“I expect him to be an all-conference guy,” Cormier said. “That’s the expectation.”

If training camp is any indication, Grimes could be on his way to meeting that goal.

“Today was his best day, bar none,” Sanchez said following Monday’s practice at Rebel Park. “That’s the guy we were hoping he would be. He’s a vertical threat.

“He does a really good job with the intermediate ball. He’s a big guy, getting stronger, getting more comfortable with the offense, and you’re really starting to see him come along. He has a chance to be an elite guy.”

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