UNLV Football 2019: The New Kenyon Oblad to Randal Grimes Positive Connection

UNLV Football 2019: The Kenyon Oblad to Randal Grimes Positive Connection

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If there were one player that I had to single out that with UNLV Football that has impressed the most so far, that player would be wide receiver, Randal Grimes. Grimes transferred to UNLV from USC in the offseason and was granted immediate eligibility. Grimes currently leads the team with 353 yards receiving and four touchdowns. He has had a couple of 60-yard touchdown receptions from first-year starting quarterback Kenyon Oblad. He might not lead the team in receiving week-in-and-week-out, but he makes his presence known.

Oblad being more of a passer than Armani Rogers has helped Grimes develop. All of Grimes’s touchdown receptions have come from Oblad this season. Looking at it the other way around, Oblad has eight touchdown passes on the season, and Grimes owns half of them. Well, where did this connection and chemistry come from? We take a deep dive into the relationship and weekly preparation between the two players, and former local high school standouts.

It starts with practicing after the team practice. Grimes said, “We have really just been working after practice and stuff like that, and while we’re practicing, we take advantage of the plays that are being called…. We get a lot of practice in and watch a lot of film so that we can be on the same page when certain coverages or routes are coming up. We just wanna get better on Saturdays.”

Working after practice with your quarterback is an excellent way to get your quarterback to trust you and to throw it to you more often. This is because they know that you are reliable. Plus, the quarterback can get the timing of his throws down to make more accurate and effective passes. Both of those things have happened, as displayed when Oblad hit Grimes for a 63-yard touchdown against Vanderbilt and another against Arkansas State from 56-yards out.

Grimes said that trust has a lot to do with the way he has developed as the key receiver for the Rebels in the 2019 season. He said, “[Kenyon Oblad] just throws the ball into a spot where he thinks I’m going to be and just expects me to be there and then it just comes down to me trusting him and him trusting me. It’s been helping us a lot just leads to a lot more points on offense.”

To him, it feels good that his quarterback trusts him to perform on the field. He’s also helped his fellow receivers who all watch his stats as the leading receiver on the team. to him.  Knowing that means a lot to him, especially the fact that he leads the team in touchdown receptions. However, Grimes knows it is not just about him, but about others that look up to him.

Grimes said, “It feels very good, you know, it just shows that you know, Kenyon relies on me and stuff like that. So, it just makes me feel good about having a job to do and to conquer that mission, you know, before we go out there on the field, so it just feels really good that he’s looking up to me and making sure that I’m going to be in the right spot at the right time.”

Grimes understands that there is still work to do. Only a sophomore, and in his first year at UNLV, there is a lot to improve on, and he knows it. He improves every day and grows from his past experiences. He has previously stated that the offense is similar to the one he ran at USC, but now that Grimes is in his hometown, he feels much more comfortable.

In his own words, Grimes said, “It feels pretty good, you know, still got a lot of work to do, minor and little things and stuff like that, but it’s just a start right now, just trying to get better every day.”

He will show everyone that he has improved from week nine’s heartbreaking loss to San Diego State, where he had a career day with two touchdown receptions. He will have a chance to show it on the road Saturday, November 2nd, against Colorado State in a game that kicks off at 12:30 PM PST.

 

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Randal Grimes     Randal Grimes     Randal Grimes     Randal Grimes

Kenyon Oblad     Kenyon Oblad       Kenyon Oblad     Kenyon Oblad