UNLV football senior inspires teammates by playing through pain

UNLV senior tight end Giovanni Fauolo Sr. thought his football career was over. His injured right knee was supposed to sideline him for eight weeks.

“That would have been the rest of the season,” he said Monday. “But two weeks after that, I got out of the brace. I was walking without the brace. I was like ‘This feels pretty good.’ After that, I was like ‘Let’s see what we can do.’”

Fauolo sustained the injury Oct. 2 in a 24-17 loss to Texas-San Antonio, but expedited his recovery to return for the end of his final season with the Rebels. He missed games against Utah State, San Jose State and UNR. He dressed against New Mexico before returning Nov. 13 to play in a 27-13 victory over Hawaii.

He had his best game of the season Friday in a 28-20 loss to San Diego State, catching five passes for 39 yards and scoring his first touchdown since Oct. 26, 2019.

He’ll conclude his college football career on Friday against Air Force.

“This is an important game to me,” Fauolo said. “I love the game of football. I felt like I have more to give.”

Fauolo has played for UNLV since 2016, when he arrived by way of Oakley, California, as a redshirt under former coach Tony Sanchez. He debuted in 2017 and has since blossomed into a leader as well as a reliable blocker and target for the bevy of quarterbacks with whom he’s played.

He wanted to win. To play in a bowl game and experience some semblance of success on the football field. He called his college career “bittersweet” because the Rebels didn’t have a winning season or play in a bowl game during his tenure.

But “I learned a lot. Not about just myself, but other people,” he said. “Tougher situations. Standing tall when it’s not easy to.”

And how to play through pain and inspire his teammates.

Fauolo said his knee still occasionally “locks up,” but he noted that his play depends on pain management and tolerance. Everybody’s hurting at this point of the season, he said, and the injury is something he’s willing to endure.

“He’s just showing perseverance. No matter what the situation is or what he’s going through, he’s not willing to give up,” said Rebels junior linebacker Jacoby Windmon.

“He’s one of those guys that I think the young guys look up to. Him coming back from an injury like that so early is something that I always mention to my guys on the defensive side of the ball.”

Fauolo said he’s grateful for the opportunity to make friends and build relationships through his experiences as a football player at UNLV.

Even if he didn’t win as often as he wanted to.

“That’s the good part about football in college,” he said. “You’ll meet guys you’ll know for the rest of your life. I’m grateful for it.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.