LAS VEGAS — Alexander Perez knows some of the players he will face Saturday from high school and little league. He remembers playing against UNLV at Allegiant Stadium last season.
He also remembers who didn’t recruit him.
“I really didn’t get the opportunity to get recruited by those guys, so I kind of have a chip on my shoulder sometimes when I’m playing them,” Perez said during Air Force’s Tuesday media availability.
The Bishop Gorman graduate will get another opportunity against his hometown program when the Falcons host UNLV. He described last year’s meeting as a hectic experience in front of family and friends. He says he is calmer entering the rematch.
Perez recalled knowing his responsibilities during last year’s meeting but relying heavily on what he had learned in practice. Playing at Allegiant added to an afternoon that already carried enough pressure.
“It was a crazy experience, especially playing back at home in Allegiant Stadium,” he said. “The environment was pretty wild.”
UNLV won 51-48. The teams combined for 1,200 yards, and Anthony Colandrea scored the winning touchdown with 36 seconds remaining. It was a game that gave neither defense much room to recover from a mistake.
“I definitely feel that I’m a lot more experienced now and I’m a little more calmed down than last year,” Perez said.
Perez pointed to recognizing run and pass more quickly and improving in man coverage. Jackson Arnold will test both when he keeps the ball or leaves the pocket.
Perez called Arnold a good dual-threat quarterback and emphasized the need for Air Force’s defenders to carry out their assignments.
The familiarity on the other side will be personal, too. Perez said there are Rebels he knows from high school and little league, although he did not single out one player he particularly wanted to face.
His years at Bishop Gorman helped prepare him for those matchups, he said. Practices put him against players headed to major college programs, and the schedule brought more opportunities against that level of competition.
“It’s good just to get to see them again and kind of see how we’ve all progressed since high school,” Perez said.
Air Force has given him a better setting for this meeting. The Falcons enter 4-1 after holding Navy and Northern Illinois to single-digit scoring totals. Perez said the returning secondary has become more cohesive and communicates better than it did last season.
Perez said teammates encourage one another between possessions while identifying what needs to change.
The hometown connection still gives the game an edge.
“To just have that reminder in the back of my head,” Perez said, “like there’s people that didn’t really take a chance on me.”
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