UNLV Football: What's Next After A Historic 2023?

In the first year under head coach Barry Odom, expectations weren't exceedingly high for UNLV. If anything, observers at a national level were scratching their

© Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

In the first year under head coach Barry Odom, expectations weren't exceedingly high for UNLV. If anything, observers at a national level were scratching their heads at the decision to replace former head coach Marcus Arroyo with Odom. Despite that, Odom guided the Rebels nine wins and a Mountain West Championship game appearance. Despite ending the year with three consecutive losses, the finish exceeded the 5.5-win total predicted by several Vegas odds makers. 

"We set out to win a championship and we didn't get that done," Odom noted after the loss to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. "I thought we got better each week. I thought our progress that the program made was substantial from where we started back when we got the job and started working together."

The nine-game win total was actually UNLV's highest since 1984. In fact, the Rebels had only reached a bowl game three other times in that span. For Odom's staff, the goal now becomes sustained success. The Rebels have also not achieved back-to-back winning seasons since 1983 and 1984. It will be easier said than done.

In their favor is the fact that the Rebels will hold on to Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion. Marion has been a hot commodity over the last few months, surfacing as a head coach candidate for several open jobs. UNLV had the Mountain West's top scoring offense this season, averaging 34.4 points per game.

However, as can happen when G5 teams have successful campaigns, the transfer portal has already taken several key players from this year's Rebel team. Included in that group are starting quarterback Jayden Maiava and backup quarterback Harrison Bailey. The Rebels should still have Doug Brumfield, who was UNLV's original starter at the beginning of the year, but was plagued by injuries. 

Also included in the returning names is third-team AP All-American receiver Ricky White. White caught 88 passes for 1483 yards in 2023, the most in the Mountain West.

UNLV also lost several promising defenders to the portal, including edge rusher Zavier Carter, safety Cameren Jenkins, and corners Jalen Frazier and Isaiah Hackett. Let's not forget that Lou Groza Award finalist kicker Jose Pizano has also exhausted his eligibility.

"We start back to school the third week in January. Obviously, recruiting will be hot and heavy between now and then," Odom said in the aforementioned bowl-game presser. "You start the rebuild of the next team and every team is going to look different, just like this team. As the course of the year went on, we changed who was making plays, who was lined up at different spots. Now you build the next team through recruiting and development of the roster that you have."

With the Early Signing Period over, the regular signing period begins on February 7.

Roster changes aside, the Rebels did not play perfect football in 2023. The last month of their season proves that. UNLV struggled defending the pass this season, allowing 26 touchdowns through the air and 253.71 passing yards per game. Penalties were also a noticeable issue, with UNLV picking up nearly seven per game. Only 22 out of 129 other FBS teams had more than that.

"We've all got to get better, and that's the challenge and then the opportunity," Odom stated. "You look at guys that played meaningful snaps this year. Whatever they played, however many they played, it's our job as coaches to get them to play better the next opportunity out, and that's how good programs continue to build their teams. We'll go back to work on trying to make every person that we've got in the room, in the locker room, get them in a position to play winning football. At this point, guys did some great things this year, but we can all be a lot better."

UNLV kick off the 2024 season on August 31 with two Big 12 opponents (Houston and Kansas) in their first three weeks.