The UNLV football program has built a recent history of success at wide receiver, with a series of productive pass catchers helping bolster an offense that has carried the Rebels to three consecutive bowl games and three straight Mountain West Championship appearances.
Now, three games into Mullen’s second season, the Rebels have yet to see a receiver emerge with the same production the program has seen over the last three years. That was most evident in UNLV’s 44-6 loss to North Texas, when the Rebels failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2021 and the passing game managed 203 yards.
The receivers will be expected to pick up the offensive slack on Saturday, when the Rebels visit the Akron Zips, who have surrendered 89 points and 1,148 yards through three games.
Recent seasons have been led by Ricky White, who was one of the biggest standouts during that stretch after joining the program in 2022 following a transfer from Michigan State.
White totaled 218 receptions for 3,143 yards during his three seasons with the Rebels, including one of the best receiving seasons in program history in 2023, when he caught 88 passes for 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns.
After White was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Jaden Bradley joined the Rebels alongside coach Dan Mullen following Barry Odom’s departure from UNLV to take over at Purdue.
Bradley spent one season with the Rebels in 2025, recording 58 catches for 931 yards and four touchdowns before signing with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent.
Fast forward to this season as Oregon State transfer wide receiver Taz Reddicks, who led the Rebels with 75 receiving yards against North Texas, said the group is focused on making the most of whatever opportunities come its way as the season rolls on.
“I feel like we’ve had the intensity that we need, but moving forward, you just gotta make the most of the opportunity,” Reddicks said. “In football, some games you’re gonna have 50 pass attempts, and you’re gonna have 10, and we’ve just got to make the most of those opportunities.
“Right now, we have a big emphasis on YAC (yards after catch), just finding the extra two (yards) each and every play. Those two yards stack up.”
Through three games, UNLV’s passing game has had limited opportunities to establish consistency. Quarterback Jackson Arnold completed 26 passes in each of the Rebels’ past two games after completing 25 in the season-opening loss to Memphis.
For Reddicks, fixing that production starts with the details and finding ways to improve as a whole.
“I mean, mistakes like that just start in practice,” Reddicks said. “You gotta practice with more intensity, especially in the game and going into the game.
“Each drive you gotta have a mindset to score and put up points on the board with a field goal, touchdown, anything. We just got to pick up the intensity on that.”
Communication has also become a focus during the Rebels’ bye week, as Reddicks said the entire offense needs to become more comfortable working together.
“I feel like it was a very little thing with all the offense, it is just communication,” Reddicks said. “In the huddle with the wideouts, running backs, tight ends, quarterbacks and offensive line just need to make sure we’re on the same page for everything. That was a big thing coming into this week and we got a lot better at that starting today.
“There’s little things like catching and tucking the ball, the ball is the team. It’s a pride thing when it comes to that. So just be more aggressive when it comes to every little thing and take those things seriously.”
Contact Donovan Hicks at dhicks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HicksSports on X.
