LAS VEGAS — UNLV spent much of the offseason preparing its offensive linemen to play multiple positions. One game into the season, that flexibility has become necessary.
Austin Boyd is out after leaving the fourth quarter of UNLV’s 27-21 loss to Memphis, leaving Griffin Scroggs, BJ Tolo and Joe Metzger among the options in the middle of the offensive line. Scroggs missed the opener, Tolo took over after Boyd left, and Metzger already played both guard spots during his first game with the Rebels.
Boyd had become an important part of UNLV’s protection system after moving to center during the offseason. Offensive line coach Louie Addazio praised his ability throughout camp to identify fronts, communicate protections and provide stability in the middle, responsibilities the Rebels now have to redistribute before Saturday’s Mountain West opener at Hawai‘i.
Scroggs, Tolo and Metzger all spent time working at center during the offseason. Addazio entered the season with several players already familiar with the position rather than having to prepare a new option during game week.
Scroggs brings another veteran option to the group. PFF charted him for 971 offensive snaps from 2023 through 2025, including 513 in 2024 and another 441 last season, with work at both guard positions and right tackle.
The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Scroggs arrived at UNLV after previous stops at Georgia and Appalachian State. He did not play against Memphis, but his offseason work at center gave him time with the calls and protection responsibilities Boyd had been handling before the injury.
Tolo has considerably more college experience than the 11 offensive snaps he received against Memphis would suggest. He played 854 snaps for New Mexico State in 2025 after logging 636 the previous season, giving him 1,490 offensive snaps over those two years.
He also handled a substantial pass-protection workload last season. PFF charged Tolo with 19 pressures across 524 pass-blocking snaps, including two sacks, before he transferred to UNLV and began cross-training along the interior.
Metzger gives Addazio a different type of flexibility. He did not start against Memphis but still played 41 offensive snaps, working 32 at left guard and nine at right guard as the Rebels rotated their interior throughout the game.
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound transfer also arrived with 1,229 offensive snaps over his final two seasons at Holy Cross. His immediate value at UNLV has been the ability to move between positions, giving Addazio another way to rearrange the interior without taking an experienced lineman off the field.
UNLV can approach the position several ways Saturday. Scroggs can move into the middle after spending the offseason there, Tolo has extensive starting experience and already entered when Boyd went down, and Metzger can remain at guard or become part of a larger reshuffling if Addazio prefers a different combination.
The stakes of that decision became obvious against Memphis. Jackson Arnold completed 25 of 37 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns in his UNLV debut, including 17 of 21 for 203 yards before halftime, when the Rebels consistently gave him enough time to work through the offense.
Memphis did not sack Arnold during the first two quarters but finished with six, all after halftime. PFF charted Arnold with 232 passing yards and both touchdowns from a clean pocket compared with 59 yards when pressured.
Hawai‘i will test the replacement group differently. Memphis brought considerably more size and physicality, while UNLV coach Dan Mullen has emphasized the speed he sees throughout the Rainbow Warriors’ defense.
“You watch them defensively, they’re fast on defense,” Mullen said. “Memphis, very good defense. Memphis big, physical defense. This team, not quite as big, but they’re really fast, quick guys all over the field.”
Stanford still moved the football consistently against Hawai‘i, finishing with 483 yards in a 37-27 win. The Cardinal passed for 310 yards, rushed for 173 and averaged 6.7 yards per play, while the Rainbow Warriors finished with five tackles for loss and one sack.
UNLV can reduce some of the pressure on its new center combination by running the football well enough to stay out of obvious passing situations. The Rebels rushed for 169 yards against Memphis despite losing significant yardage on sacks, with Jai’Den Thomas carrying 12 times for 44 yards and Jaylon Glover gaining 49 on seven attempts.
Arnold also remained part of the rushing attack, breaking a 54-yard run in the opener. Stanford found similar opportunities against Hawai‘i, averaging 4.6 yards per carry as Micah Ford finished with 99 yards and three touchdowns on 25 attempts.
Consistent production on first and second down would keep Scroggs, Tolo and Metzger from spending the night trying to sort through Hawai‘i’s speed in third-and-long situations. It would also allow UNLV to preserve the play-action and quarterback-run elements that helped Arnold during his best stretches against Memphis.
Boyd’s absence will force a change in the middle, but it does not leave UNLV searching for someone who has never handled the position. Scroggs, Tolo and Metzger all spent time there during the offseason, giving Addazio several ways to put the rest of the line together Saturday.
“You’re always looking to put the best five on the field,” Addazio said. “I’m a big believer in make it work to get the best five guys on the field. So, in order to do that, guys got to play different positions. I just think that’s critical.”
