After injury, Dehdashtian working to be factor on D-line

After missing last season with a Lisfranc fracture of his left foot, UNLV junior defensive lineman Nick Dehdashtian is trying to make up for lost time.

He is competing for the starting job at defensive end and playing time at tackle this season, which begins Aug. 31 against Southern Utah at Sam Boyd Stadium.

“After missing a year, you can do all the running you want, but you’ve got to get back into football shape,” coach Tony Sanchez said following practice Monday morning at Rebel Park. “You have to get some of those tools and tweaks going again, and you’re starting to see that. Having a guy athletic enough to come inside in passing situations, having that quick twitch there, but also being able to play out on the edge on regular downs, that’s what makes him special.”

Dehdashtian (6 feet 1 inch, 280 pounds) was expected to make a big impact last season before getting injured in training camp.

“I didn’t get through it super well,” he said. “I took it kind of rough when it first happened, and I was in my head a lot. I came back to my teammates, and my teammates said, ‘Hey, man, we need you. You’ve got to bounce back.’ That’s all I needed, to hear they needed me back.”

He suffered the same kind of injury his senior season at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Few would blame Dehdashtian if he was concerned about getting hurt again.

“It’s like a safe haven being out on the field,” Dehdashtian said. “I’m not worried about it.”

Position breakdown

The positions are still being sorted out, so this is by group rather than each assignment. Also, the receivers are expected to play more than one position.

Notable

Guard Jeminai Leuta-ulu (6-4, 295), who attends Servite High School in Anaheim, California, committed to UNLV. He also received scholarship offers from San Jose State, Alabama-birmingham and South Dakota, according to 247Sports.

UNLV practiced for nearly 2½ hours Monday, its longest this camp.

The Rebels practice Tuesday evening at Sam Boyd for the time in full pads. Sanchez said he wanted to get the team ready for the first two games, which are each at 7 p.m.

Junior wide receiver Mekhi Stevenson suffered what appeared to be a minor ankle injury. Sanchez said he expected Stevenson back Tuesday.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @ markanderson65 on Twitter.