The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is represented by the UNLV Runnin' Rebels in the NCAA Division I-Bowl Subdivision's Mountain West Conference. UNLV's football program started in 1968 in the independent scene. The Rebels' first game was a win over Saint Mary's, 27-20. Coach Bill Ireland led that team into an 8-1-0 record (the team's highest mark thus far, in terms of winning percentage). UNLV was classified as an NCAA College Division (Small College) school since its inception up until 1972, then as a division II school from 1973 to 1977. From 1978 to present, UNLV was reclassified into Division I-A. In 1974, the Rebels had double digit wins for the first time (12-1) and advanced into the Division II Semifinal Playoff Game (also the Grantland Rice Bowl game) but bowed to Delaware, 11-49. The Rebels joined its first home, the Big West Conference, in 1982 but struggled in its opening season with the Big W as they managed to win only 3 out of the 11 assignments. Two years after, the Rebels registered the team's second twin digit win-season and was victorious in its first Division I-A Bowl Game, winning over Toledo, 30-13. Ten years later in 1994, UNLV topped the conference standings and was declared as Big West Conference co-champs. The team also appeared in the Las Vegas Bowl and disposed of Central Michigan, 52-24 for the team's second Bowl Game win. In 1996, UNLV was admitted into the Western Athletic Conference. Aside from the 2000 season, where the team finished with 8 wins and 5 losses, the Rebels have been in a slump, managing to reach the .500 (or above mark) only twice since the 1994 conference championship season. UNLV made it to the Las Vegas Bowl in 2000 and beat Arkansas, 31-14 for its third win in as many Division I-A Bowl Games.
UNLV has an existing rivalry with the Nevada Wolfpack. The Battle for Nevada which is the name of the rivalry game, has been played since 1969 (with absences in 1980, '81, '82, '84, '86, and '88) with the winner claiming the Fremont Cannon. Nevada currently leads the series, 17-15 as of 2006.
UNLV Rebels 2008 Roster
| No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Pos. | Cl.-Exp. | Hometown (Prev. School)
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| 1 | Will Chandler | 5-11 | 170 | DB | FR-RS | Los Angeles, CA (Birmingham HS)
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| 2 | Omar Clayton | 6-1 | 200 | QB | SO-1L | Normal, IL (Normal Community HS)
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| 4 | Frank Summers | 5-10 | 240 | RB | SR-1L | Oakland, CA (Cal/Laney College)
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| 6 | Mike Clausen | 6-2 | 200 | QB | FR-RS | Riverside, CA (John W. North HS)
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| 7 | Geoffery Howard | 5-10 | 195 | DB | SR-1L | San Diego, CA (Grossmont College)
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| 8 | Daryl Forte | 5-10 | 185 | DB | JR-2L | Culver City, CA (Culver City HS)
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| 10 | Quinton Pointer | 5-9 | 185 | DB | SO-1L | Cape Coral, FL (Mariner HS)
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| 11 | Justin Marvel | 6-0 | 195 | WR | JR-2L | San Bernardino, CA (Arroyo Valley HS)
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| 14 | Starr Fuimaono | 5-11 | 215 | LB | JR-2L | Chula Vista, CA (Bonita Vista)
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| 16 | Travis Dixon | 6-1 | 190 | QB | SO-1L | Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS)
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| 17 | Renan Saint Preux | 6-1 | 185 | WR | SR-3L | Immokalee, FL (Immokalee HS)
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| 19 | Dack Ishii | 6-2 | 220 | QB | SR-1L | Huntington Beach, CA (Tennessee)
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| 20 | David Peeples | 5-9 | 200 | RB | SR-3L | North Las Vegas, NV (Cheyenne HS)
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| 21 | Lorenzo Bursey Jr. | 5-8 | 175 | DB | JR-TR | Long Beach, CA (Washington State)
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| 22 | Wiselet Rouzard | 5-9 | 210 | LB | SO-2L | Immokalee, FL (Immokalee HS)
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| 24 | Lafayette Fletcher | 5-8 | 180 | CB | JR-2L | Anaheim, CA (Morningside HS)
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| 25 | Nehemiah Mundy | 6-0 | 165 | DB | SO-1L | Los Angeles, CA (Culver City HS)
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| 27 | Chris Brogdon | 5-7 | 215 | RB | JR-2L | Phoenix, AZ (Desert Vista HS)
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| 29 | Ryan Tillman | 5-10 | 180 | DB | JR-2L | Rialto, CA (Rialto HS)
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| 31 | David Biggs | 5-8 | 170 | DB | SO-SQ | Moreno Valley, CA (Rancho Verde HS)
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| 32 | Channing Trotter | 5-9 | 195 | RB | SO-1L | Mesa, AZ (Red Mountain HS)
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| 33 | Jason Beauchamp | 6-3 | 215 | LB | JR-2L | San Diego, CA (Steele Canyon HS)
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| 34 | Eric Braner | 5-10 | 200 | LS | SO-SQ | Las Vegas, NV (Del Sol HS)
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| 35 | Michael Johnson | 5-11 | 210 | DB | JR-2L | Garland, TX (South Garland HS)
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| 36 | Earl Barnes | 5-9 | 180 | DB | JR-TR | Rialto, CA (Riverside CC)
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| 37 | Kyle Watson | 5-9 | 200 | PK/P | JR-1L | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Texas Southern)
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| 38 | Jesse Wheeler | 5-10 | 150 | DB | FR-RS | Coolidge, AZ (Collidge HS)
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| 40 | Michael Lynch | 5-10 | 220 | LB | SO-1L | Sacramento, CA (Valley HS)
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| 42 | Heivaha Mafi | 6-1 | 255 | DE | JR-TR | Oakland, CA (Laney College)
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| 43 | Kamu Kapanui | 6-0 | 245 | LS | JR-2L | Honolulu, HI (Kamehameha HS)
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| 45 | Marquel Martin | 5-11 | 185 | DB | JR-2L | Rialto, CA (Rialto HS)
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| 46 | Ryan Worthen | 5-11 | 255 | TE | SR-3L | Las Vegas, NV (Palo Verde HS)
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| 47 | Daniel Mareko | 6-2 | 230 | DE | SO-SQ | Pago Pago, America Samoa (Faga'itua HS)
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| 50 | Rusty Worthen | 5-11 | 235 | LB | SR-1L | Las Vegas, NV (Moorpark College)
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| 51 | Jimmy Miller | 5-11 | 230 | LB | JR-1L | Marina del Ray, CA (Mississippi State)
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| 53 | Matt Kravetz | 6-1 | 225 | LB | FR-RS | Las Vegas, NV (Durango HS)
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| 54 | Bryce Saldi | 6-3 | 210 | LB | FR-RS | Southlake, TX (Southlake Carroll HS)
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| 55 | Nate Carter | 6-2 | 230 | LB | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV (Las Vegas HS)
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| 56 | Ronnie Paulo | 6-1 | 230 | LB | SO-1L | Las Vegas, NV (Western HS)
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| 59 | Joe Hawley | 6-3 | 295 | OL | JR-2L | Yorba Linda, CA (Esperanza HS)
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| 61 | Mike Donato | 6-3 | 305 | OL | SO-1L | Las Vegas, NV (Eldorado HS)
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| 63 | Justin McCrory | 6-1 | 290 | DL | FR-RS | Las Vegas, NV (Las Vegas HS)
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| 64 | Siosifa Moala | 6-1 | 360 | OL | SR-1L | Inglewood, CA (El Camino CC)
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| 65 | Ramsey Feagai | 6-2 | 360 | OL | SO-1L | Honolulu, HI (Radford HS)
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| 66 | John Gianninoto | 6-3 | 285 | OL | SO-1L | Tucson, AZ (Catalina Foothills HS)
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| 67 | Mario Jeberaeel | 6-4 | 285 | OL | SR-3L | Las Vegas, NV (Chaparral HS)
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| 70 | Antoine Howard | 6-4 | 240 | OL | FR-RS | Oakland, CA (McClymonds HS)
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| 71 | Perry Eppenger | 6-3 | 295 | DL | JR-2L | North Las Vegas, NV (Cheyenne HS)
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| 72 | Thomas Wren | 6-5 | 270 | OL | FR-RS | Yorba Linda, CA (Esperanza HS)
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| 73 | Evan Marchal | 6-6 | 295 | OL | SO-1L | Petaluma, CA (Casa Grande HS)
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| 75 | Matt Murphy | 6-3 | 300 | OL | SO-1L | Lake Forest, CA (El Toro HS)
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| 77 | Yusef Rodgers | 6-3 | 275 | OL | FR-HS | Van Nuys, CA (Crespi HS)
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| 78 | Johan Asiata | 6-4 | 315 | OL | SR-1L | Kalihi, HI (Yuba College)
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| 79 | Richie Plunkett | 6-6 | 290 | OL | SR-1L | Henderson, NV (Colorado State)
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| 80 | Casey Flair | 6-1 | 195 | WR | SR-3L | Anchorage, AK (East HS)
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| 81 | Tate Knutson | 5-10 | 175 | WR | SO-1L | Anchorage, AK (East HS)
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| 83 | Gerold Rodriguez | 5-10 | 175 | WR | SR-1L | Los Angeles, CA (Arizona)
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| 84 | Rodelin Anthony | 6-5 | 220 | WR | JR-2L | Immokalee, FL (Immokale HS)
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| 85 | Jerriman Robinson | 6-1 | 185 | WR | JR-1L | Rialto, CA (Texas Southern)
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| 86 | Ben Jaekle | 6-1 | 165 | K | SO-1L | Las Vegas, NV (Bonanza HS)
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| 88 | Ryan Wolfe | 6-1 | 205 | WR | JR-2L | Santa Clarita, CA (Hart HS)
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| 90 | Luke Plante | 6-3 | 260 | DE | JR-RS | Lake Arrowhead, CA (Chaffey College)
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| 91 | Preston Brooks | 6-2 | 260 | DE | SO-TR | Los Angeles, CA (Washington State)
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| 92 | Jacob Hales | 6-5 | 290 | DL | SR-3L | Las Vegas, NV (Southern Utah)
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| 93 | Malo Taumua | 6-0 | 275 | DL | SO-1L | Honolulu, HI (Aiea HS)
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| 94 | Thor Pili | 6-3 | 275 | DE | SR-1L | Orem, UT (Oregon/Snow College)
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| 96 | Austin Harrington | 6-3 | 230 | TE | FR-RS | Grapevine, TX (Grapevine HS)
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| 97 | Tim High | 6-2 | 310 | DL | SO-1L | Harbor City, CA (Narbonne HS)
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| 98 | George Fa'avae | 6-2 | 260 | DL | SR-TR | Carson, CA (Idaho)
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| 99 | Isaako Aaitui | 6-3 | 290 | DE | SO-1L | Pago Pago, A. Samoa (Faga'itua HS)
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| | Jason Heath | 6-4 | 265 | OL | FR-HS | Penryn, CA (Del Oro HS)
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| | Gerome Surrell | 5-11 | 200 | WR | FR-HS | Lathrop, CA (St. Mary's HS)
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| | Beau Brence | 6-4 | 235 | DE | FR-HS | Plano, TX (Plano Senior HS)
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| | Gordy Cooper | 6-5 | 215 | WR | FR-HS | San Jacinto, CA (San Jacinto HS)
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| | Terrence Lee | 6-0 | 175 | DB | JR-TR | New Britain, CT (Arizona Western)
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| | Travis Trickey | 6-3 | 225 | LB | FR-HS | Springerville, AZ (Round Valley HS)
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| | Michael Johnson | 5-8 | 170 | ATH | FR-HS | Suisun, CA (Rodriguez HS)
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| | Kenneth Johnson | 5-9 | 155 | DB | SR-1L | Compton, CA (Compton College)
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| | Daniel Kaanana | 6-5 | 270 | OL | FR-HS | Pearl City, HI (Kamehameha HS)
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| | Bennielee Shelby | 6-3 | 260 | DL | FR-HS | Greenville, TX (Greenville HS)
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| | Zach Davis | 5-11 | 170 | PK/P | JR-TR | Moapa Valley, NV (Arizona Western)
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| | Beau Orth | 6-1 | 200 | S | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV (Bishop Gorman HS)
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| | David Blair | 6-2 | 220 | LB | FR-HS | Tempe, AZ (McClintock HS)
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| | Robert Rowe | 6-2 | 195 | ATH | FR-HS | Tucson, AZ (Marana HS)
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| | Imari Thompson | 5-9 | 195 | RB | FR-HS | DeSoto, TX (Cedar Hill HS)
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| | Jesse Backerman | 6-3 | 230 | DE | FR-HS | Tucson, AZ (Marana HS)
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| | D'Angelo Jones | 5-8 | 195 | RB | SO-TR | Henderson, NV (College of the Sequoias)
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| | Jason Koontz | 6-2 | 295 | OL | FR-HS | Corona, CA (Santiago HS)
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| | Alex Young | 6-4 | 235 | TE | FR-HS | Hughson, CA (Central Catholic HS)
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| | Chris Jones | 6-3 | 190 | QB | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV (Shadow Ridge HS)
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| | Phillip Payne | 6-3 | 185 | WR | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV (Western HS)
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| | Sean Tesoro | 6-2 | 290 | OL | FR-HS | Kahului, HI (Baldwin HS)
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| | C.J. Cox | 5-11 | 190 | RB | FR-HS | Garland, TX (N. Garland HS)
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| | Shane Watterson | 6-5 | 280 | OL | FR-HS | Saugus, CA (Saugus HS)
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| | Litani Moimoi | 6-3 | 270 | DT | FR-HS | Menlo Park, CA (Menlo-Atherton HS)
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