Win or lose against Kansas on Tuesday in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, UNLV has recalibrated its standing in college football under first-year coach Barry Odom.
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Broadcaster Matt Neverett got some vindication with UNLV clinching a share of the Mountain West football title months after facing ridicule and mockery.
UNLV lost to San Jose State on Saturday, but still managed the program’s most wins since 1984. And the Rebels will likely still play in the Mountain West title game.
Barry Odom is a really good football coach. But perhaps more impressive than on-field results has been the attitude Odom instills in his team. A winning one.
New eras have to start somewhere. This particular one did for Marcus Arroyo and UNLV football in a 34-6 loss to San Diego State on Saturday night in Carson, California.
Tony Sanchez, fired with one game remaining in his fifth season as Rebels football coach, leaves the program in much better shape than anyone who has held the job.
Cristian Garcia reached his current position through hard work and faith and defying odds, along the way stepping in to prevent a 19-year-old woman from a possible sexual assault.
In going 5-7 last season, UNLV still allowed averages of 31.8 points and 458.7 yards, still ranked ninth among 12 conference teams in total defense and still struggled forcing turnovers.
The third year under coach Tony Sanchez is now in the books as a 5-7 record with no bowl game, no return of the Fremont Cannon and enough legitimate questions about his staff that demand to be answered.
In its season preview, Athlon Sports wrote Rogers was the closest thing to Cam Newton in college football, that it was tough not to get over-excited about the UNLV redshirt freshman.
Regents should have zero influence when it comes to those a university hires to run athletic programs, and that includes voting to approve the contracts offered coaches.
The law was enacted in 1948 and made it illegal to frown, grimace, scowl or offer any expression that might reflect negatively upon the good citizens of Pocatello. In short, officials desired a community full of characters similar to the one Will Ferrell played in “Elf,” where smiling was their favorite.
When explaining publicly its football program’s academic predicament UNLV needs to be forthright and honest and there should be no shortage of bodies explaining why and how this happened.
UNLV’s former football coach, like most coaches, said he didn’t read the newspaper. But a story about former Rebels quarterbacks staking their claim as NFL assistant coaches brought back a favorite Mike Sanford memory.
There is always this: At least the Hauck kids never gave Dad the middle finger as a young UNR football fan once offered UNLV as it was departing the field following an in-state rivalry game.
