Rebels pick up two verbal commitments at Spring Game

UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford had a lot to be happy about following Friday night’s Spring Game at Sam Boyd Stadium.

First, the Rebels completed their 15 spring practices without suffering any major injuries. Second, sophomore quarterback Mike Clausen showed he’ll be more than a capable backup to starter Omar Clayton after garnering unofficial scrimmage MVP honors by completing 10 of 14 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns against the No. 2 defense.

And the secondary, the area of biggest concern heading into next season, had its share of highlights with junior college corners Kenny Brown and Warren Zeigler both more than holding their own against Phillip Payne and company.

But perhaps the biggest news came off the field.

Well over 30 recruits, including most of the top prospects in southern Nevada, attended the game. And two out of state prospects were so impressed that they gave verbal commitments to the Rebels before departing.

First up was linebacker Austin Arias (6-0, 215) of Peoria (Ariz.) Centennial High School, one of the top prospects in Arizona in 2010. Arias, a teammate of incoming Rebel linebacker recruit Reggie Umuolo, had 110 tackles as a junior for the state 5A-2 champion Coyotes and was named the Desert West Region’s Defensive Player of the Year.

The big surprise, however, was the commitment from defensive tackle Quentin Jones (6-0, 306, 5.24) of Northland High in Columbus, Ohio.

The honorable mention all-state performer who had 63 tackles and six sacks as a junior said he had been receiving recruiting interest from a number of SEC and Big Ten schools but was so impressed with UNLV that he decided to commit Friday night.

“I came out here this weekend and liked what I’ve seen,” Jones said. “I’ve already been on unofficial trips to Kentucky, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan. UNLV was the first school to offer and a lot of the other schools said the (scholarship) offers would be coming in the mail. (But) UNLV took a chance on me first so I made a commitment here.”

Verbal commitments are non-binding but Jones said his pledge is a solid one … even if the hometown Buckeyes were to come calling.

“No sir, this is solid,” Jones said.

Basketball recruitaholics will note that Jones is from the same high school, Columbus Northland, as the nation’s No. 1 junior basketball prospect, power forward Jared Sullinger (6-9, 245). Sullinger has already committed to Ohio State.