University of Nevada - Las Vegas Men's Football

Kennedy Springer came to UNLV Athletics in 2022 as the Director of Performance Nutrition, overseeing the Sports Nutrition Department and working with all UNLV athletic teams. She was elevated to Assistant AD for Performance Nutrition working with football in 2024. Springer previously was a Sports Dietitian at the University of Louisville where she worked with the softball, rowing, golf, tennis, and men’s soccer programs. She spent time at the University of Washington where she was a 2020-21 Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program (SNIP) Fellow. She worked directly with indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, baseball, and tennis. Prior to becoming a Registered Dietitian, Springer played volleyball and was a volunteer coach at Utah State University Eastern. Springer graduated from Southern Utah in 2017 with a B.S. in nutrition sciences and earned her master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Utah in 2020.

Ross LoCascio joined the Rebels in 2023 as Football Video Coordinator, overseeing all team filming duties for Barry Odom’s program. The San Gabriel, California, native moved to Las Vegas after working for his alma mater, the University of Alabama. LoCascio was a student worker for the Crimson Tide for four seasons before earning his bachelor’s degree in new media and production in 2021. He then worked full-time in Bama’s video operations department for the next two years before moving to UNLV.

David Wedley is the Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services and the Academic Eligibility Specialist for Football. Since joining SAAS in 2011, David also worked with seven other Rebel sports but has helped the UNLV football team reach multiple milestones. Under his direction, the program has set records for both single-semester and cumulative grade point average, academic all-conference honorees, conference scholar-athletes and produced its first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2021. The Michigan native earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University before moving to Las Vegas and graduating from UNLV with a master’s in sport and leisure studies management in 2011. He married his wife, Stephanie, in 2013.

Wide receivers coach Del Alexander was named UNLV Football Interim Head Coach on Dec. 8, 2024, after the departure of Barry Odom and led the Rebels to their first bowl victory in 24 years, 24-13, over Cal in the Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk. Alexander returned to campus in 2023 and his position group enjoyed immediate record-smashing success.  A familiar name to longtime Rebel fans, Alexander was a member of two previous UNLV staffs before going on to coach two decades in the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC, as well as Notre Dame. In total, he has coached in 18 bowl games, including four trips to the Rose Bowl and two College Football Playoff berths. After last season, Alexander was named the Matrix Analytical Third Team All-America Wide Receiver Coach. His group’s efforts was highlighted by All-American Ricky White III who broke a 42-year-old single-season school record with 1,483 yards, which ranked third in college football. White was the first Rebel receiver to earn AP All-America honors since 1981 but was just one of 17 different UNLV players to catch at least one pass on the year for an offense that posted more third-down conversions than any team in the nation with 101 and finished 22nd in the country in scoring with 34.4 points per game Alexander returned to Las Vegas after coaching the receivers at Georgia Tech in 2022. Previous to that he spent five seasons as wide receivers coach at Notre Dame (2017-21), helping the Fighting Irish to a bowl game every year, including a pair of CFP appearances. While in South Bend, four wideouts under his tutelage were selected in the NFL Draft, including second-round pick Chase Claypool (2020) and third-round selection Miles Boykin (2019).  Prior to Notre Dame, Alexander spent five years at Arizona State (2012-16), including four seasons as passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach and one season as tight ends coach. During his stint in Tempe, the Sun Devils made three bowl games and had two NFL Draft picks, including third-round selection Jaelen Strong (2015). Before joining the staff at ASU, Alexander coached wide receivers for five seasons at Wisconsin (2007-11), helping guide the Badgers to two Big Ten Championships and five bowl appearances (including back-to-back Rose Bowls in 2010-11). Wisconsin’s offense rewrote the program’s record book with Alexander on staff, passing for a school-record 3,280 yards in 2011.  Alexander’s career also included stops as running backs coach/assistant special teams coordinator at San Diego (2005-06) and recruiting coordinator/ wide receivers at Oregon State (2003-04).  His first UNLV stint came in 1998 under head coach Jeff Horton before leaving for one season as a senior offensive assistant for running backs in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. Alexander returned to Las Vegas under Hall of Fame coach John Robinson as passing game coordinator/wide receivers/quarterbacks (2000-01) and wide receivers/quarterbacks (2002) for the Rebels.  He began his career at USC as an assistant video coordinator (1995) before coaching tight ends as a graduate assistant (1996-97).  Alexander played wide receiver for one season at West Los Angeles College in 1992 before finishing his career at USC (1993-94). Him and his wife, Star, have three sons: JD, Jalen and Drew. JD Alexander lettered for the Rebels as a linebacker and a special teams performer in 2018-19.  ALEXANDER’S COACHING FILE 2024                 UNLV -- Interim Head Coach 2023-PR           UNLV – Wide Receivers 2022                 Georgia Tech – Wide Receivers 2017-21            Notre Dame -- Wide Receivers 2016                 Arizona State -- Tight Ends 2012-15            Arizona State -- Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers 2007-11            Wisconsin -- Wide Receivers 2005-06            San Diego -- Running Backs, Assistant Special Teams Coordinator 2003-04            Oregon State -- Wide Receivers, Recruiting Coordinator 2002                 UNLV -- Wide Receivers, Quarterbacks 2000-01            UNLV -- Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers, Quarterbacks 1999                 San Diego Chargers (NFL) -- Senior Offensive Assistant, Running Backs 1998                 UNLV -- Wide Receivers 1996-97            Southern California -- Graduate Assistant 1995                 Southern California -- Assistant Video Coordinator  

Mike Scherer, who previously helped build one of the most successful defenses in UNLV football history, returned to the Rebels in 2026 to work on the staff of second-year head coach Dan Mullen.   Scherer (SHEER), who oversees UNLV’s linebackers, spent the 2025 season as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in the Big Ten Conference at Purdue under former Rebel head coach Barry Odom. Scherer’s Boilermaker defense featured three all-conference honorees, including former Rebel linebacker Mani Powell, who became the first Purdue player to lead the Big Ten in tackles during league play with 94 (110 overall) and was one of only three players in the country with at least 100 tackles, 12 TFLs and five sacks. DB Tahj Ra-El (110 total tackles) and former Rebel LB Charles Correa (96 tackles) both earned honorable mention.   Scherer returned to Las Vegas just a season removed from a memorable two-year stint at UNLV as defensive coordinator that saw the program win 20 games and make back-to-back trips to the Mountain West Championship game and consecutive bowl appearances for the first time, including winning the 2024 LA Bowl over Cal.   In 2023-24, the Rebels forced 50 turnovers, including 34 interceptions. The turnover total ranked fourth in the country over that span, while the number of picks was second-most by any team in the nation. UNLV also cracked the Top 25 in sacks (67) and tackles-for-loss in those combined seasons.   Helping the Rebels win 11 games and earn a national ranking in 2024, Scherer's defense appeared in the nation's Top 25 in several categories: fourth in interceptions (17), 15th in sacks (2.93 per game), 18th in third-down percentage defense (.323), 20th in TFL (7.0 per game), 22nd in rushing defense (115.0 ypg) and 24th in team passing efficiency defense (117.09). The rush defense led the Mountain West and limited opponents to 115 yards per game despite twice facing Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty, the nation's leader by more than 800 rushing yards.   Scherer coached two All-Americans in 2024, guiding linebacker Jackson Woodard and safety Jalen Catalon. Woodard, who is now a member of the Miami Dolphins, was the first linebacker in program history to earn All-America (First Team by College Football Network and Second Team by FWAA and The Athletic) and was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. His 135 total tackles ranked third in program history and fourth in the FBS that fall. He also cracked the nation's Top 20 with 17 TFL. He ranked third in the MW with four interceptions and fourth with 12 passes defended. He was just one of six players since 2005 to record at least 135 total tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss and four interceptions. Catalon was named an AP Third Team All-American and Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist, an award presented to the nation's top defensive back. He recorded 96 total tackles and five interceptions and was the only FBS defensive back to have at least 85 tackles and five interceptions in 2024. Scherer’s Scarlet & Gray defenses also included another future NFL player in current Green Bay Packer defensive back Jonathan Baldwin.   Scherer's first season at the helm in 2023 saw the Rebel D help the program win a regular-season co-championship and reach a bowl game for the first time in a decade. UNLV tied for fourth in the nation with 17 interceptions and finished tied for 17th in the country with a turnover margin of plus-eight after forcing at least one turnover in 13 of 14 games.   Leading his linebacker room was Woodard, who totaled 117 tackles en route to First Team All-Mountain West honors and being named Mountain West Defensive Newcomer of the Year by College Football Network. Right behind him in tackles with 89 was another linebacker, Marsel McDuffie, who won a MW Player of the Week nod and Honorable Mention All-MW.   Scherer first came to Las Vegas fresh from helping Arkansas win the AutoZone Liberty Bowl over Kansas. As the Razorbacks linebacker coach, he served as interim defensive coordinator for head coach Sam Pittman after Odom's departure for UNLV in early December 2022.   Scherer spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach for the SEC school. In his two seasons overseeing the Razorback linebackers, Scherer produced stunning results from his position group. In 2022, the Hogs featured AP First Team All-American Drew Sanders, who became a Third Round NFL Draft Pick by the Denver Broncos after becoming the program's first-ever Butkus Award finalist. In 12 games, Sanders led Arkansas in tackles (103), tackles-for-loss (13.5), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (3). The First Team All-SEC linebacker joined Khalil Mack of Buffalo (2013) as the only two FBS players since 2000 to post 100 or more total tackles, at least 13 TFL, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception in the same season.   During his first year overseeing the position in 2021, Scherer produced one of the best linebacker corps in recent memory. Grant Morgan won the Burlsworth Trophy, and Bumper Pool led the team and ranked third in the SEC in total tackles with a career-best 125 stops. Morgan and Pool teamed up with Hayden Henry to complete a tackling trio with all three making 100-plus tackles and giving Arkansas half of the top six tacklers in the conference. Initially serving as a defensive analyst under Odom in 2020, Scherer first stepped into an on-field coaching role for a game week that fall when Odom served as head coach during Pittman's absence due to COVID-19.   Scherer began his coaching career in 2019 as a graduate assistant at Missouri under then-head coach Odom before both moved to Fayetteville.   A native of St. Louis, Scherer played linebacker at Mizzou from 2012-16, totaling 266 tackles, 17 TFL, one sack and one interception, seeing action in 38 games over his four-year career. A knee injury limited him to seven games as a senior after posting back-to-back seasons of 90-plus tackles to rank second on the team each season.   Scherer graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from Missouri in 2016. SCHERER’S COACHING FILE 2026-SA          UNLV -- Linebackers 2025                Purdue -- Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers 2023-24           UNLV – Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers 2022                 Arkansas – Interim Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers 2021-22             Arkansas – Linebackers 2020                 Arkansas – Defensive Analyst 2019                 Missouri – Graduate Assistant

An accomplished line coach who has spent time in the Pac-12, SEC and Mountain West, Ricky Logo was announced as a member of Barry Odom’s staff on Dec. 28, 2022. Logo’s first season overseeing the defensive line at UNLV saw junior Jalen Dixon earn Second Team All-Mountain West honors as one of 10 different tackles and ends posting at least one quarterback sack for the Mountain West regular-season champions. Logo came to Las Vegas after finishing a season coaching the defensive line on head coach Terry Bowden’s staff at ULM. Prior to joining the Warhawks, Logo was at Washington State in 2020-21 as defensive tackles coach for head coach Nick Rolovich. In his first season in Pullman, the Wazzu defense produced four All-Pac-12 selections, led the league with eight forced fumbles and was fourth in rush defense (154.8), a 30-yard improvement from the previous season. Logo worked the 2018-19 seasons coaching the defensive line for Rolovich at Hawai’i, helping UH to back-to-back bowl games including a 10-5 mark and Hawaii Bowl win over BYU in 2019. Logo tutored four All-Mountain West selections his last two seasons in Honolulu and saw the 2018 defense tally 30 sacks, the most for UH in seven years. Prior to Hawai’i, he worked three seasons at Colorado State (2015-17) as defensive line coach, helping lead the Rams to three bowl appearances. Prior to moving to Fort Collins, Logo coached the defensive line at Houston (2012-14), helping the Cougars to a 2014 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl victory, and worked one season at Furman University. Logo coached four seasons in the SEC at Vanderbilt (2007-10) and was part of a staff that led the Commodores to their first winning season since 1982. Logo also worked five seasons at Troy University, two as co-defensive coordinator where he coached a pair of future NFL All-Pro linemen in Osi Umenyiora (New York Giants) and Demarcus Ware (Dallas Cowboys). Logo began his coaching career at Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1995 where he spent six seasons as the Mocs’ defensive line coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator for one season in 2001. He spent one season at Western Carolina (2002), where he also assumed the title as assistant head coach. Logo played nose tackle at North Carolina State, helping the Wolfpack to four consecutive bowl games. As a senior in 1992, he was named team captain, earned All-ACC and Third Team All-America honors and played in the Hula Bowl, the Japan All-Star Game and the East-West Shrine Game. The Santa Ana, California, native earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from North Carolina State. LOGO’S COACHING FILE 2023-PR           UNLV – Defensive Line 2022                 ULM – Defensive Line 2020-21            Washington State – Defensive Line 2018-19            Hawai’i – Defensive Line 2015-17            Colorado State – Defensive Line 2012-14            Houston – Defensive Line 2011                Furman – Defensive Line 2007-10            Vanderbilt – Defensive Line 2005-06            Troy – Co-Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Line 2002-04            Troy – Defensive Line 2002                 Western Carolina – Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Line 2001                 UT Chattanooga – Defensive Coordinator 1995-2000        UT Chattanooga – Defensive Line  

Tanner Maher was named UNLV football’s Director of Strength and Conditioning by head coach Dan Mullen on Jan. 8, 2025.   Maher came to Las Vegas after two recent stops with Big 12 Conference programs over the past three seasons, spending the previous two (2023-24) as BYU’s Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning.   Prior to joining the Cougars, Maher served as Kansas football’s Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2022.   Maher made two stops in the SEC along with Mullen at both Florida and Mississippi State. During his time in Gainesville, Maher spent three years as Gator football’s Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach after following Mullen from Starkville. At Florida, he directed program design, implementation and quality control. Additionally, Maher’s responsibilities included overseeing football sports science, staff development, research and application.   In his first stint with a Mullen-led team, Maher assisted the head strength coach with creating and conducting training programs for Mississippi State football from 2016-18.   Before MSU, Maher held the position of Associate Director of Sports Performance at New Mexico State from 2015-16 after being promoted from his title of Strength and Conditioning Coach (2014-15).   A former tight end, Maher lettered two seasons at Tarleton State and was named Second Team All-Lone Star Conference in 2008. He later began his sports performance career at his alma mater as an intern and then graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach.   After finishing his collegiate career, Maher moved on to Whittier College in California to be the graduate assistant tight ends coach in 2011.   Maher graduated from Tarleton State with his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2011 and went on to earn his master’s degree in kinesiology from TSU in 2014.   MAHER’S FILE 2025              UNLV – Director of Strength and Conditioning 2023-24         BYU – Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning 2022              Kansas – Assistant Sports Performance Coach 2018-21         Florida – Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach 2016-18        Mississippi State – Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach 2015-16        New Mexico State – Associate Director of Sports Performance 2014-15        New Mexico State – Strength and Conditioning Coach 2013-14        Tarleton State – Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach 2011-13         Tarleton State – Strength and Conditioning Intern 2011              Whittier College – Graduate Assistant Tight Ends Coach  

Now in his second season at UNLV, former NFL player Akeem Davis oversees the Rebel cornerbacks. His 2023 position group was highlighted by an all-conference performance from Cameron Oliver, who tied for the Mountain West lead and for sixth in the nation with five interceptions -- the most picks by a Rebel since 2010. Oliver was named First Team All-Mountain West by Phil Steele, College Football Network and Mountain West Wire. Overall, the Rebels tied for fourth in the nation with 17 interceptions and tied for 17th in the nation with a turnover margin of plus-eight.  Davis came to Las Vegas after three seasons as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Austin Peay State University, including both the spring and fall seasons for the ASUN Conference program in 2021. In 2022, two of Davis’ DBs earned all-conference honors, including Third Team All-American Demetries Ford, as APSU grabbed 13 interceptions. In fall of 2021, the Governors ranked second in the FCS with 19 interceptions and fifth in pass efficiency defense. That season, Davis coached two consensus All-Americans in Johnathon Edwards and Conference Defensive Player of the Year Koby Perry. Prior to his time in Clarksville, Tennessee, Davis was a member of the Southern Miss coaching staff for four years beginning as a defensive graduate assistant for the 2017 season. He was elevated to USM’s cornerbacks coach in 2019 and then moved to oversee the Golden Eagles’ running backs before the 2020 season when he coached Frank Gore Jr. to Second Team All-Conference USA honors. Davis was an undrafted free agent signee by the NFL’s Washington Commanders in 2014 and spent parts of three seasons on the active roster at Washington, New Orleans, Seattle, Indianapolis and Jacksonville. He played 21 games in the NFL, finishing with 11 tackles and a forced fumble. The NFL Network documented Davis’ journey from undrafted free agent to making a 53-man NFL roster in its “Undrafted” series. Off the field, Davis established the AD47 Football Leadership Academy. AD47 is a free, one-day football skills camp dedicated to implementing the “Five Pillars” core curriculum of Character, Leadership, Discipline, Follow-through, and Grit. The academy is sanctioned and insured by the NFL Foundation and run in partnership with USA Football through the FUNdamentals program. In college, Davis played three seasons at Memphis, posting 162 tackles, three interceptions, five forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries in 34 career games for the Tigers. Davis is married to the former Sierra Byrd and the couple has a daughter, Carsyn, and son, CJ. DAVIS’ COACHING FILE 2022-PR           UNLV – Cornerbacks 2021-22            Austin Peay – Co-Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs 2020                 Southern Miss – Running Backs 2019                 Southern Miss – Cornerbacks 2017-18            Southern Miss – Graduate Assistant  

Lee Davis was announced by head coach Dan Mullen as serving in the new title of UNLV Football Chief of Staff on Jan. 9, 2025.   Davis came to Las Vegas after one season at UCF where she was Assistant Athletic Director for Executive Operations and Recruiting for the Knights’ football program. She moved to Orlando after two seasons at Oklahoma as the Sooners' Director of On-Campus Recruiting.   Davis most recently worked with Mullen at the University of Florida as the Director of Recruiting Operations for the Gators from November 2017 to December 2021. She moved to Gainesville after serving nearly seven years as Coordinator of Recruiting Operations at Mississippi State. She began her career in athletics as a student assistant for Alabama football in 2009.   Before transferring to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama, the Gulf Shores native was a volleyball student-athlete at the University of Mobile in her home state.  

McKenna Johnson joined UNLV in time for the 2023 season to serve as Director of On-Campus Recruiting. In 2025 she was elevated to Director of Executive Operations for the Rebels. Johnson previously served as Football Coordinator of Recruiting Relations & Events at Rice University and On-Campus Recruiting Coordinator for her alma mater, UTSA. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Texas school in December 2021.

First-year graduate assistant coach Kyle Buckner will help oversee the Rebel wide receivers in 2024. He came to Las Vegas from New Mexico Highlands after spending  last season as a GA coach at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. Buckner began his career at Willamette University in Oregon, coaching receivers in 2021 and ‘22. The former wide receiver at the University of Oregon earned his bachelor’s degree in general social studies from the school in 2019.

Head coach Dan Mullen completed his primary support staff with the naming of Jonathan Herd-Bond as UNLV Football Director of Player Personnel on Jan. 9, 2025.   Herd-Bond came to Las Vegas after spending the previous two seasons serving in the same position at Charlotte of the American Athletic Conference. Previous to that, Herd-Bond worked the 2022 season at Michigan as Assistant Recruiting Coordinator. He moved to Ann Arbor after working with Mullen at the University of Florida.   A 2015 UF graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sports management was a football operations intern in 2015, a recruiting assistant for the Gators from 2016-18 and then served as Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the Orange and Blue from 2019-21 under Mullen. Herd-Bond started his career in athletics as a student assistant for the powerhouse Florida track & field program.