UNLV made massive strides in coach Barry Odom’s first year with the program, but the Rebels’ poor finish left things on a bit of a sour note.
Football
UNLV football coach Barry Odom and several Rebels players were honored when the Mountain West announced its annual awards Tuesday.
UNLV led Fresno State at halftime, but a difficult third quarter that included three turnovers resulted in coach Barry Odom’s first Mountain West loss.
Colorado trailed by 19 in the final minutes before pulling out a victory — at least against the spread — against UCLA. UNLV backers also got to the window again.
First-year coach Barry Odom and UNLV will host Bryant University on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium, a date he circled on his calendar when he was hired in December.
UNLV and other Group of Five schools are not among the Big 12’s preferred list. Instead, the conference is focused on Arizona, while monitoring Utah, Arizona State and even Oregon and Washington.
UNLV football player Ryan Keeler complained of nausea in the week before his death, and he had been prescribed medication, according to a police report.
UNLV football coach Barry Odom has hired offensive line, defensive line and strength and conditioning coaches, the university announced Wednesday.
Some Rebels were reeling after the firing of coach Marcus Arroyo on Monday, but they still participated in the cannon-painting tradition after beating UNR on Saturday.
Associate head coach and linebackers coach Kenwick Thompson will serve as the team’s interim head coach if the Rebels earn a five-win bowl bid.
Former UNLV coach John Robinson and Hall-of-Famer John Madden met in grammar school and stayed friends to the end.
UNLV hasn’t won a football game since Nov. 30, 2019, when it defeated rival UNR in the regular-season finale. That makes 699 days as of Friday, when the Rebels return to Reno to play their rival once again.
The Rebels began training camp in a quarterback competition — and they may conclude training camp the same way. Arroyo has not yet named a starter with Eastern Washington looming.
For the first time in a long time, the excitement brewing on Maryland Parkway seems genuine and authentic: The Rebels believe they can turn the program around.
Tony Sanchez won six state high school titles in six seasons at Bishop Gorman and compiled a 20-40 record in five seasons at UNLV.