UNLV REBELS

Kurt Nantkes

7

Class: Senior Hometown: Aurora, Colo. High School: Hinkley HS

Height / Weight: 6-4 / 225 Position: QB Birthdate: 11/12/1979 Experience: 3L

UNLV: A former professional baseball player who looks to hold on to the starting quarterback position as a senior ... Missed spring practice with a pubic-bone injury suffered during a hit at New Mexico last season ... Ranked the No. 2 quarterback in the MWC by College Football News and the No. 55 signal-caller in the nation by Phil Steele's preview magazine ... Needs just 420 yards passing to move onto UNLV's all-time top-10 list ... A confident veteran who is married, has children and will turn 25 years old during the season ... A former all-state high school quarterback and minor league pitcher who abandoned his baseball career to join UNLV football program in 2000 ... Spent 1999 pitching for an Oakland Athletics' Class A minor league team in Phoenix ...

2003: Started the first 10 games under center ... Finished ranked sixth in the MWC and 81st nationally in total offense with 158.9 YPG, and ranked fifth in the MWC and 84th nationally in passing efficiency with a 106.7 rating ... Got off to a stellar start at New Mexico before leaving the game just before half with an injury ... Started the next week vs. SDSU but injury kept him immobile and largely ineffective ... Missed his first start of the year against Colorado State and did not play ... Came off the bench in the season finale to lead team to a come-from-behind victory at Wyoming, throwing for three TDs ... Enjoyed his best game statistically as a Rebel in the season-opener against Toledo, throwing for three TDs and 308 yards ...

2002: Played in nine games, primarily in relief ... Saw first significant action of season at Toledo, hitting 8-of-16 passes for 138 yards, one score and one pick ... Also threw for a TD vs. New Mexico and Air Force ... A last-minute starter in season finale vs. league-champion CSU ... Overcame two early interceptions to hit 16 of 26 attempts for 185 yards and three TDs, including hitting TE DeJhown Mandley for game-winning score from 29 yards out with just over a minute to play ...

2001: Played in five games en route to earning first Rebel letter ... Made debut late in Arizona game and completed two of three pass attempts for 33 yards and first career touchdown ... Relieved Jason Thomas briefly in second quarter vs. SDSU and completed both pass attempts, including one for a score ... Also played vs. Wyoming and Utah before making first career start at New Mexico in Game 10 when Thomas was sidelined with flu ... Hit 12 of 28 attempts for 159 yards, one TD and one INT ...

2000: Redshirted ...

HIGH SCHOOL: A 1998 graduate of Hinkley HS in Aurora, CO ... A two-year letterman as a quarterback and 1997 all-state signal-caller ... Led the Thunderbirds to a 13-1 record and the Class 4A state title under coach John Pounder in 1997 ... Threw for 2,132 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior as well as adding 635 yards rushing and 10 more scores ... Named MVP of state championship game after throwing for 198 yards and two TDs and rushing for 135 and another score ... Played outfield and pitched for baseball team under coach Dean Adams ... Led his club to two state semifinal appearances ... Named all-conference and all-state as a senior ... Finished with 8-1 record with 1.07 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 62 innings ... Also batted .491 with eight homeruns and 33 RBI ... Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 32nd round of the 1998 MLB draft ...

PERSONAL: Kurt Merritt Nantkes was born on Nov. 12, 1979, in Denver ... The son of Richard Nantkes and Robin Klimper, both of whom attended Northern Colorado ... Kurt and wife, Mande, were married on March 23, 2002 ... The couple has a son, Conner (5) and a daughter, Trennah Madeline, born this summer ... Majoring in managerial finance.

ROBINSON SAYS: "Kurt Nantkes has a chance to come back and have a great senior year. He is very bright and very competitive. Last year everything seemed to go wrong and he nursed some serious injuries. Our pass offense will be better and he has the chance to make it outstanding."

NANTKES' OFFENSIVE STATS
PASSING
YEAR	A-C	YDS	PCT	TD	INT	LG
2003	323-167	1883	51.7	12	10	50
2002	71-35	405	49.3	6	5	34
2001	38-18	229	47.4	3	1	29
TOTAL	432-220	2517	50.9	21	16	50