LAS VEGAS — Cohen Fuller is back on the field with UNLV after missing part of fall camp while getting cleared, and the veteran defensive lineman admitted Friday there were moments when he wondered whether he would get another chance to play.
Fuller said support from the coaching staff and people around the program helped him continue pushing toward a return. “It was a very stressful process, but the coaches and the UNLV fans and family really just made it so welcoming and kept me inspired, encouraged to not give up on what I was trying to do,” Fuller said.
There were still moments when Fuller was not sure everything would work out. “It was times where I lost faith, but I knew to always trust and believe in God,” Fuller said.
Fuller’s eligibility situation is separate from the classwide court ruling that created a possible path back for Laterrance Welch and Donovan Spellman. Fuller filed his own federal lawsuit against the NCAA in June challenging eligibility rules that affected his ability to return for another season.
The lawsuit was filed June 29 in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, where Fuller also sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the NCAA. Fuller’s return to practice confirms he went through a clearance process with UNLV, but the university has not publicly detailed every step that led to him getting back on the field.
Defensive line coach Ricky Logo said Fuller missed a couple of practices while getting cleared and is still catching up after returning. UNLV has gradually increased his workload rather than putting him immediately back into a full practice. “He’s a little bit out of shape,” Logo said. “He’s a little bit behind. Missed a couple practices to get cleared, but today he got more reps. So each day throughout the practice, we’re adding more reps for him.”
Fuller joked that Logo would probably give a different answer when he was asked what kind of football shape he was in. “You got to ask Logo that one,” Fuller said. “To me, I’m always in the best shape because Logo calls me old every other day.”
Logo said Fuller’s experience is one of the biggest things he brings back to a young defensive line room. Fuller played significant snaps last season and returns alongside Lucas Conti as two of the veterans the Rebels can lean on up front. “Experience,” Logo said. “Bringing a guy that played a lot of snaps last year. Playing experience is a big thing, especially being as young. So having Lucas Conti and Co Fuller leading our defensive front helps bring the young guys along.”
That has become part of Fuller’s role this offseason. UNLV spent portions of last season dealing with communication problems along the defensive front, particularly when it came to gap integrity. Fuller believes that has improved because younger players have become more comfortable speaking up.
“I think the best thing that we’ve fixed with gap integrity is that nobody is a quiet voice anymore,” Fuller said. “I think we’ve gotten every young guy to start to speak up.”
Fuller said the adjustment from high school to college football can become as much mental as physical. Getting younger players comfortable communicating has been one of the areas where he believes the defensive line has improved. Logo pointed to communication as an offseason emphasis as well. “We can’t have 10 players doing one thing and another one not knowing what to do,” Logo said.
Kal-El Togafau, Eli Logo and true freshman Poe Purcell are among the younger defensive linemen competing for roles during camp, with Purcell already being given plenty to handle. The 325-pound true freshman arrived with the size to compete early, but Logo said part of the adjustment is learning that he cannot rely on overpowering opponents the way he sometimes could in high school.
“I’ve thrown a lot on that kid,” Logo said. “We’re expecting him to play.”
Fuller has also been impressed by how much Purcell already understands. “He reminds me of me my senior year of college,” Fuller said. “So him coming in as a freshman, he knows what I learned my junior and senior years of college. I didn’t learn that stuff at JUCO. He already knows this stuff. So, like, he’s going to be great.”
Fuller has spent much of the offseason helping the younger defensive linemen with that transition. He said teammates regularly reached out to him for additional work and film study during the summer, including coming to his house to watch football and asking what they needed to improve.
“Let’s get some work, Co. Let’s go over some film. What do we need to do?” Fuller recalled. “And you can see it on the field every day. They have really gotten a lot better.”
Fuller has also tried to get younger players comfortable leading before they reach the point in their careers where he did. He said he sends Bible verses to the younger players and encourages them to speak up, including when they see Fuller making a mistake.
“Don’t be scared to lead,” Fuller said. “Take leadership at a young age because once you get to my age, it’s going to be easy. I didn’t start becoming a leader till I got older.”
Fuller said the message means more after spending part of the offseason unsure whether he would get another chance himself. The eligibility process forced him to think about his previous opportunities and whether he had done enough with them.
“It honestly taught me, like, don’t take it for granted,” Fuller said. “Everything you do, do as if it can be taken away from you at any moment.”
Fuller said it felt like football had been taken from him even while his situation was still being worked through. The time away gave him a chance to think about whether he had given the game everything he could.
“I just sat down, like, did I give it my all? Did I do what I needed to do to be great?” Fuller said. “And I didn’t feel like I did enough. So now that I’m out here and I get it back, I’m gonna do everything I can to be great.”