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Utah receiver DeVonte Christopher wasn't much of a UNLV football fan growing up in Las Vegas. He admits he followed the Rebels' basketball team a little more closely.
Now, his only concern is UNLV's football team, with the primary goal of beating it rather than cheering for it.
The Utah sophomore, Nevada's 2007 player of the year, is coming off his best game at Utah after finishing with eight catches for 155 yards against Pitt.
He is motivated to play well against UNLV to build on his Pitt performance and to show up a few old school friends including UNLV linebacker Chris Jones and receiver Phillip Payne.
"It definitely adds more to it," he said.
"I grew up playing with them and some of my family are UNLV fans. It makes the game more fun."
Christopher came to Utah as a quarterback but has made the full transition to receiver, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
"He has completely bought into the position change," he said. "He wasn't completely sure it was the right move at first, but he has been working hard in practice and that translated to the game."
Recruiting ties
Christopher is one of three players from Nevada on scholarship with the current Utes. The others are running back Eddie Wide and offensive lineman Jeremiah Tofaeono.
Whittingham credited assistant Jay Hill for recruiting the area well and said the city remains a point of emphasis in recruiting.
"There is a lot of talent down there and it's a matter of an assistant coach working hard and doing his homework," Whittingham said. "The proximity makes sense for Vegas players to come this way."
The opposing view
UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said during the MWC teleconference he doesn't see many places the Utes can be exploited.
"It's a tall order," he said. "It's not like you go in there and you say they've got places they're real susceptible for us to take advantage of them. They're dang good."