UNLV football opens training camp with familiar faces and high playoff hopes

Friday, July 31, 2026 | 2 a.m. UNLV football opened training camp Friday with a palpable sense of familiarity and heightened playoff aspirations. At Rebel Field, head coach Dan Mullen watched players go through drills, noting the comfort that has settled into the program after its first year under his direction. “There is simply a large comfortableness level,” said Mullen, the second‑year head coach. “(It’s) year 2 for some of the guys in the system.” He added, “There’s just much more familiarity with what’s going on, of what we’re doing, much familiarity with the players, with our routine, with how we’re moving the program.” The returning core has already begun to shape the atmosphere. Preseason all‑Mountain West safety Jake Pope observed that the squad feels tighter than it did at the same point last season. “Last year was a new team, so new plays and everyone was getting adjusted,” said Jai’Den Thomas, the Rebels’ senior running back. “This year, everyone knows the plays. Now, the older folks are helping out the younger guys.” The Rebels finished 2025 with a 10‑win record but fell short in the Mountain West championship game. Camp is moving quickly. UNLV’s season opener arrives Aug. 29 at home against Memphis, a nationally televised Fox contest that carries potential playoff‑qualifying implications. After that, the team faces three straight road games. Seventeen practices remain, including three sessions at the Raiders’ training facility in Henderson, before the opener. A mock scrimmage is set for Aug. 20, after which the focus shifts entirely to preparing for Memphis. Mullen emphasized the magnitude of the early matchup. “It’s huge. You are talking about a national game,” Mullen said. “We have the opportunity for the city to have a national crowd football game with their hometown team. Try to pack Allegiant for a home‑field advantage would be a big deal.” The goal of competing for a place in the expanded 12‑team College Football Playoff is not being shied away from. Players and staff alike are embracing the challenge. “No one’s going to have higher expectations than me ever for our team, I can promise you that,” Mullen said. Because the Memphis game is designated Week 0 on the college football calendar—when only a handful of contests are played—only a few programs have official practices in July. If the season unfolds as Mullen anticipates, the Rebels could still be on the field in January.