Big Play Energy: Kayden McGee’s Moment Arrives

Not everyone gets the spotlight right away, especially not at a place like UNLV, where a team full of veterans, transfers, and hungry up-and-comers made every snap earned, not given.

But redshirt freshman Kayden McGee didn’t wait for permission. When his opportunity finally came, he made it count on one of college football’s biggest stages.

It happened fast, and it changed everything.

UNLV took a 7–3 lead during the first quarter of the LA Bowl when Hajj-Malik Williams connected with McGee for a 49-yard touchdown strike. The freshman got behind Cal’s secondary on a post pattern, caught the ball in stride at the 13-yard line, and cruised untouched into the end zone for his first collegiate score.

One catch. Forty-nine yards. Six points.A dream realized.

“That moment was more than anything I could’ve dreamed of,” McGee said. “I was up in the hotel room that morning practicing celebrations… but once I actually scored, I blacked out. I didn’t know what to do.”

The emotion on his face said it all. It wasn’t just a big play. It was a payoff.

The signs were already there. During the regular season against San Diego State, McGee caught two passes for 48 yards, both explosive. But it was more than stats. It was a signal.

“That was the moment it clicked,” he said. “I felt like the time was now. Coach Marion had seen me running past the defense in practice and said, ‘You think you can do that in a game?’ I said, ‘Without a doubt.’ He gave me the chance. And it happened.”

But the spotlight didn’t come overnight. McGee, who came to UNLV from Muskogee, Oklahoma, with the nickname “Big Play,” spent his freshman year learning, waiting, and grinding.

“I just locked in,” he said. “Watching guys like Ricky, Jacob [De Jesus], Cam, and Jackson Woodard… they set the tone. No bad energy. Just business.”

McGee credits wide receivers coach Del Alexander for helping him stay ready.

“Coach Del stayed on me. Told me my shot would come, but only if I was locked in. He was right.”

Midway through the season, UNLV was thrown into sudden turbulence. Matthew Sluka, the Holy Cross transfer who had been expected to lead the offense, abruptly left the team just days before the Fresno State game.

It could’ve derailed everything.

“It was a dark moment,” McGee said. “None of us saw it coming. We weren’t even told, we just found out.”

But what happened next changed the season.

Enter Hajj-Malik Williams, the veteran, the steady hand, the quiet leader.

“When Haj got the job, it was all smiles,” McGee said. “He’d been a leader from day one, even when he wasn’t the starter. He never tucked his tail. And when it was his time, we were all behind him.”

The Rebels responded by dominating Fresno State, a moment McGee says brought the team even closer.

“That week, we were all over ESPN. Group chats were blowing up. It tested us. But instead of folding, we locked in.”

Williams didn’t just take over; he elevated everyone around him.

“Hajj still checks in with me,” McGee said. “We still talk. We still play catch sometimes. He didn’t just step in; he became the guy. And we rallied around him.”

The offseason brought even more change. Head coach Barry Odom left for Purdue. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion became the new head coach at Sacramento State. But instead of entering the portal, McGee stayed.

Why?

Because Del Alexander stayed.

“I stayed because of Coach Del,” McGee said. “He stepped up during the bowl prep. He’s been real with me from the start. Like a father figure.”

The new regime led by Dan Mullen and offensive coordinator Corey Dennis has only added fuel.

“It still feels like we’re building on what we started,” McGee said. “The energy is the same, maybe even higher—Coach Mullen preaches tempo. Coach Dennis is chill, but he doesn’t let anything slide. He’s on us.”

Dennis, a former quarterbacks coach at Ohio State, has brought a championship pedigree to Las Vegas.

“You can tell he came from a place like that,” McGee said. “He sees what it takes, and he’s bringing that here.”

The wide receiver room looks different now. Transfers like JoJo Earle and Troy Omeire bring high-end talent from Power Five programs. But according to McGee, the chemistry is even better.

“These guys are older, experienced, and they fit in right away,” he said. “We all laugh and joke, but we’re serious when it’s time to work. There are no shy guys in that room.”

From the outside, fans talk about stats, speed, and big plays. But inside? Respect is earned with preparation.

“Your film work. Your notebook. That’s what earns it,” he said. “Coach Del sees everything, how you take notes, how you carry yourself.”

Asked who brings the most noise?

“Jaden Bradley,” McGee said, laughing. “He’s loud—all energy. But honestly, everyone brings something. It’s a fun group.”

Living in Vegas has its perks and its quirks.

“It’s fast out here,” McGee said. “Back home in Muskogee, everything closes by 11. In Vegas? You can get food at 2 a.m. The city never stops.”

His go-to?

“McDonald’s,” he said without hesitation. “Large fry, 20-piece nugget, chocolate shake. Coach Dell drops his head every time I say it, but I can’t give it up.”

He laughs, then admits: he even DoorDashed just breadsticks from Little Caesars. “Embarrassing,” he said. “But worth it.”

Off the field, McGee’s personality shines.

“I’m goofy,” he said. “You see me serious on game day, but off the field? I’m just having fun, messing around with the guys. That’s who I am.”

And yes, he sings in the car. YoungBoy. R&B. Even Mariah Carey. His pregame playlist always ends with “For Your Glory.” A reminder of why he plays.

For McGee, every game in Allegiant Stadium is a dream realized.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “As a kid, you dream of playing in an NFL stadium. We get to live it every week.”

And the Fertitta Football Complex?

“Unreal,” he said. “Barbershop, hot tubs, cold tubs, full nutrition. You can walk into any coach’s office, any time. It’s home.”

He’s even played as himself in EA Sports College Football.

“Every game,” he laughed. “I always created myself as a kid. Now I don’t have to. I’m already in it.”

What does Kayden McGee want people to say about him after 2025?

“That I lived up to the name Big Play McGee,” he said. “That I made plays, showed up, and left a mark.”

And what will UNLV Football be in 2025?

And if it happens, don’t be surprised if No. 16 is dancing in the end zone again. This time, with a little more practice.

Full Interview:

Michael Cooper is the founder of The Scarlet Standard and covers UNLV football, conference realignment, and the Mountain West.Follow @CooperMikeLV on X and Instagram @ScarletStandardMedia.