Joel Bitonio, Austin Corbett enjoy return to Reno, look forward to Nevada's future

Every other week, Nevada Sports Net will spotlight a local athlete as part of our "Legendary Athletes" series, which is presented in partnership with Legends Bay Casino. Today's featured athletes are Joel Bitonio and Austin Corbett, who recently held a youth football camp at their alma mater, Nevada.

When Austin Corbett was growing up in Northern Nevada, there were occasional youth football camps in town but none that featured high-level NFL players.

Three years ago, Corbett and former Nevada teammate Joel Bitonio changed that. The NFL offensive guards recently held their third annual youth camp at Mackay Stadium before this year's Nevada spring football game with more than 300 kids in attendance at the free event.

"Growing up, there would be some Nevada camps with Nevada athletes and stuff, but they never really had that opportunity for somebody at the top level to come back and be a part of that," Corbett said. "That was a big reason for Joel and I doing this. This community is everything to us. It gave us our chance, and that's what we just want to keep leaning into."

Corbett and Bitonio were both lightly recruited high school players who struck it big in the NFL thanks to their time at Nevada. Corbett played at Reed High before walking on at Nevada and becoming a four-year starter from 2014-17. Nevada was one of two FBS programs to offer Bitonio a scholarship before he became a three-year starter for the Wolf Pack from 2011-13 and a member of the Wolf Pack's historic 2010 team.

Both were second-round NFL draft picks by the Cleveland Browns with Bitonio one of the most accoladed offensive linemen in the NFL over the last decade while Corbett, who now plays for the Panthers, established himself as an NFL starter while winning a Super Bowl with the Rams three seasons ago.

"It is special," Bitonio said of returning to Nevada. "It's our third year out here doing this camp and I know Austin's from here, but Reno means a lot to me and this university. To come back in and give back to the community and see the kids afterward wanting autographs and having a good time, it's special. It continues to get bigger and bigger and hopefully we can do this for the foreseeable future."

Corbett said it was fun mingling with the youth players during the three-hour camp that included nine stations and prizes for the fastest 40-yard dash runner in each grade level. Afterward, both players signed autographs for the campers.

"The whole thing that we preach out there is just competing and having fun," Corbett said. "You're going through nine different stations. You're facing nine things you probably have never done before unless you've been at the camp. You're facing this new challenge and we always tell them, 'Go compete. Try your hardest and compete.' You're going to surprise yourself with what you do and take that into your life. It's like if you've never read this level of book before. Just say, 'I'm going to go do it. I'm going to give it my best.' Or, 'I've never solved this type of math problem. I'm going to go do it and just give it my all,' and then reflect. When you're on the field, you're not thinking, you're just doing it."

During their trip back to Reno, both players met new Nevada football coach Jeff Choate for the first time. Choate inherits a team that has gone 2-10 in back-to-back seasons, marking Nevada's first time missing bowls in consecutive years since 2016-17. Corbett said everything he's heard about Choate from friends who have played for him has been positive.

"We've got to be honest," Corbett said. "We're not in a good spot. We've had some tough years, and he knows that and he embraces that. That's why he wants this job because he knows he can make it right and get us back to competitive football, get us in championships and get the job done. That's what he wants. He's done it at other places and he wants to do it here. I believe him. I trust him. He's a genuine, energetic guy."

Added Bitonio: "I talked to Coach Choate and the O-line coach (Brian Armstrong) and the O-line and it seems like it's good energy. I know they've improved this spring with the competitiveness and the toughness of the program, and those guys are trying to take a step. It's gonna be a challenge. They have a tough schedule this year, but I know the guys are working hard and are ready to compete."

Bitonio, who donated $1 million to Nevada last spring to help complete the Wolf Pack's weight room renovation, is a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time AP All-Pro, both the most in Nevada football history.

"It's kind of surreal," Bitonio said. "I haven't really taken that step back where I've really looked at it and said, 'All right, this is what I've done in my career.' I hope I've got a few more years to play. But every year is a blessing and every time you get awarded with a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro, it's special. It started here in Reno, and it's something that I take pride in being from Nevada and hopefully continuing to have an excellent career."

You can watch the full interviews with Joel Bitonio and Austin Corbett below.