UNLV quarterback battle: Kenyon Oblad vs. Justin Rogers if NCAA rules Rogers eligible

With fall camps hopefully set to start soon around college football, new UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo was dealt some bad news this week when former starting quarterback Armani Rogers announced he was entering the NCAA transfer portal. That could mean there's a fall battle to win the first-team job between Kenyon Oblad and TCU transfer Justin Rogers – but Rogers has to get a waiver from the NCAA first to be declared immediately eligible.

Armani Rogers, a redshirt senior, was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year in 2017 for the Rebels, just the second UNLV QB to ever earn that type of conference honor (Joe Denton in 1996 while in the WAC). Rogers was one of just five players in the nation who averaged at least 140 yards passing per game and 75 yards rushing.

Rogers had such a bright future and was one of the best running quarterbacks in the country, but his accuracy was a problem and he couldn't stay healthy. In 2018, Rogers was limited to only six games – he led the team in rushing at 94.2 yards per game – and last year just four. Still, Rogers owns the school record for career rushing yards by a quarterback. There was no reason given for Rogers' decision to transfer, although he will be eligible immediately as a graduate.

Oblad is clearly the most likely Week 1 starter vs. Pac-12 opponent California on Aug. 29 in Las Vegas. He is the all-time leader high school passing yardage leader in the state of Nevada as a four-year starter at Liberty High in a Las Vegas suburb. Oblad redshirted in 2018 and took over for the injured Rogers last year, completing 54.2 percent of his passes for 2,081 yards, 18 TDs and nine picks. Oblad has zero mobility, however.

Justin Rogers, meanwhile, was a four-star recruit out of Louisiana in the Class of 2018 when he committed to TCU, ranked by sister-site 247Sports as the No. 3 dual-threat QB in the country behind current Heisman Trophy favorite Justin Fields of Georgia and Dorian Thompson-Robinson of UCLA.

Rogers clearly has a high ceiling but is largely an unknown as he played just once game at TCU because of a redshirt season and knee injury. It's always hit-and-miss whether the NCAA will approve an immediate eligibility waiver. If it does, Arroyo will have an interesting decision to make.

UNLV has finished with a losing record for six straight seasons. Coach Tony Sanchez was fired in November with a 20-40 record. Arroyo replaced him and was formerly the offensive coordinator at Oregon. The Rebs' profile could be on the rise considering they will start playing home games in that sparkling new Allegiant Stadium, which was built for the NFL's Raiders.

At William Hill sportsbook, UNLV is a +7500 longer shot on the moneyline odds to win the Mountain West title this season. Over-Under win totals should be out soon, with the Rebs projected to be set at only 3.5. 

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