Trotter is the unofficial MVP of Ely camp

Junior tailback Channing Trotter, left, gets a block from Joe Hawley (59) during a run drill Tuesday at Broadbent Park in Ely. (Photo by Steve Guiremand)

ELY — Just one more day to go for two-a-day workouts for UNLV’s football team in this small, friendly and cool (as in weather) mountain town about four hours north of Las Vegas.

The Rebels have two more practices at Broadbent Park on Wednesday before heading back to campus on Thursday morning. Head coach Mike Sanford has called it his best camp here.

So which players have made the most of their nine days in Ely? I asked Sanford that question and, not surprisingly, the first name out of his mouth was junior tailback Channing Trotter.

With expected starter C.J. Cox sidelined the past two weeks with a nagging hamstring injury, the 5-foot-8, 195-pound Trotter has stepped up and been by far the top running back here in the race to replace Frank “The Tank” Summers.

Trotter may be a couple inches shorter and about 45 pounds lighter than Frank The Tank but he has shown an amazing ability to move the pile while also exhibiting the quickness to elude would-be tacklers. He also has good hands, an ability he displayed this morning during a one-on-one pass catching drill where he made two circus grabs.

Channing Trotter returns a punt as assistant Kris Cinkovich looks on. (Photo by Steve Guiremand).

“Keep doing that and we’re going to move you back to wide receiver Trotter,” wide receivers coach Kris Cinkovich joked.

No chance of that happening. Finding a replacement for Summers was offensive priority No. 1 for fall camp.

“I think camp is going great sir,” Trotter said. “I’ve been running with the one’s (first team offense) most of the time. In the live (tackling) situations I feel like I’ve made some plays, things that have set me apart to be the guy for the season

“Coaches have praised me and told me I’m doing all the little things right. I take pride in that and continue to work hard every single day.”

“He’s having a really, really good camp,” Sanford said.

Trotter attributes his ability to break tackles to his hard work in the weight room. He’s closing in on a 400-pound bench press (he also did 22 reps of 225 pounds) and squats 450 pounds.

“I take a lot of pride in what we do in the weight room and I try and transfer it over onto the field,” he said.

Whether Trotter is the starter for UNLV’s Sept. 5 opener with Sacramento State could will likely be determined in the next week.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Cox, who started a game last year as a true freshman and is the team’s top returning rusher (191 yards on 54 carries), will finally return to the practice field on Wednesday morning and is scheduled to take part in about 50 percent of the drills. If that all goes well, he’ll take part in 75 percent of the team’s practice on Friday night at Rebel Park and could be cleared to return to full workouts by the weekend.

“I’ve been sitting around for two weeks now,” Cox said. “I tried to come back too early a week ago and re-aggravated (his left hamstring) so I had to sit another week. I’m kind of excited right now. I’ve been running a lot the last couple of days, doing blocking drills, and it hasn’t hurt me. Right now we’re being a little cautious and hope I don’t pull it again.”

C.J. Cox watches a run drill Tuesday in Ely. (Photo by Steve Guiremand)

Cox, who entered fall camp as co-No. 1 at tailback with senior Chris Brogdon, suffered the injury during the first practice of fall camp.

“I hadn’t even taken a carry yet,” he said. “It was only about 30 minutes into practice and I was running a “go” route just by myself. Then I felt a pop twice in my hamstring. I just fell down. I couldn’t believe it because I had never pulled anything before in my life.”

Although he’s frustrated by not having been able to practice, Cox said he is happy to see Trotter excel in his absence.

“That’s one of my best friends on the team,” Cox said. “I love having competition between us. Even if he does excel more than I do, I’m always going to be up for him. If it’s a one-two punch this year, then that’s great too. That would be just how we are off the field.”

Sanford said he hopes to settle on his No. 1 tailback by the middle of next week.

Other players Sanford singled out for having strong camps here include quarterback Omar Clayton, offensive tackle Matt Murphy, wide receiver Rodelin Anthony, Brogdon, junior cornerback Mike Grant, senior defensive end Heivaha Mafi and junior defensive tackle Ramsey Feagai.

The 6-foot-2, 340-pound Feagai, who began fall camp battling freshman Sean Tesoro for a starting offensive guard spot before giving defensive line a shot, has been one of the biggest surprises of fall camp.

“I think he’ll play for us,” Sanford said. “Obviously Martin Tevasau (an NFL prospect) will start but he’ll play. And in certain situations, like short yardage and goal line, he’ll probably go in there with the first group. That move has been a very positive one for us.”

Defensive tackle Ramsey Feagai (65) has been one of the biggest surprises of fall camp in Ely. (Photo by Steve Guiremand)