Football recruiting going well

It’s been a good week for UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford. First he gets word that he will be receiving a three-year extension that will take him through the 2012 season. Then he received verbal commitments from a couple of much-needed blue chip defensive prospects.

Nathan Holloway (6-foot-3, 320), a defensive lineman from Spring Valley High School who had schools from the Pac-10 Conference as well as Texas interested in his college services, committed to the Rebels after a weekend visit. Ditto Horace Miller (6-1, 210), a linebacker from Dunbar High in Baltimore who recently set a state record for quarterback sacks with 30 while helping lead the Poets to their third straight state 1-A title.

Miller is among six recruits scheduled to visit UNLV this weekend. He is bringing along another heavily recruited teammate, defensive back Courtney Bridget (6-3, 190).

The Rebels have 11 verbal commitments so far with just five more to give. Besides Miller and Holloway, UNLV has picked up verbals from JC corners Warren Ziegler (6-1, 190) of College of San Mateo (a mid-year enrollee) and Mike Grant of Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif., center Doug Zismann (6-2, 275) from Shadow Mountain High in Phoenix, wide receiver Mark Barefield (6-2, 180) of North Mesquite High in Mesquite, Tx., defensive back Charles Childers from Bishop Gorman, offensive lineman Andrew Mack (6-2, 290) of Plano, Tx., Plano West High, linebacker Reggie Umuolo (5-11, 195) of Peoria, Az., Centennial and two blue chip offensive recruits, RB Bradley Randle (5-10, 195) of Vista Murrieta HS in Murrieta, Ca., and quarterback Caleb Herring (6-4, 180) of Citrus Hill HS in Perris, Ca.

Herring, who committed to UNLV last summer, has remained strong to his commitment despite pressure from Pac-10 and Mountain West schools to re-open his recruiting. That’s good news for Sanford and company. One scout I spoke with thinks he has the potential to be even better than current UNLV starter Omar Clayton.