Finalists for athletic director post don’t stir ex-Rebels

Prominent UNLV supporters in Las Vegas are hoping for the best for the school's next athletic director, but some are disappointed a candidate with school ties isn't among the finalists.

Three candidates, all with Pacific-10 Conference connections, constitute the final three. They are Washington State senior associate athletic director John Johnson, Arizona AD Jim Livengood and former Oregon AD Bill Moos.

Johnson is scheduled to interview today, and he will be available to the public at 3 p.m. at the student union ballroom. The other candidates are scheduled to interview early next week.

A job offer is expected to be made Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, then the search for a football coach will resume in earnest. UNLV president Neal Smatresk said a football hire should occur quickly.

The school needs to considering the recruiting clock. Because the football program is temporarily without direction, the chances of signing junior college players early is remote.

"I think this is a critical time for UNLV," said former star Rebels and NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, now a minister. "I'll make myself available to be a consultant. We're already behind, so we've got to get a coach in here ASAP."

Cunningham hoped the next athletic director would have local ties, such as his former UNLV backup quarterback Steve Stallworth or former coach John Robinson, who expressed interest.

UNLV interim athletic director Jerry Koloskie and Stallworth, the South Point Arena general manager, were told Tuesday they were out of the running.

"I'm sure they all (the finalists) are qualified, but we've had qualified guys," said former quarterback Bob Stockham, who works for a local sign company and is helping restart the Rebel Football Foundation. "I've been here 18 years, and we haven't had a good athletic director yet, and that's nothing against John Robinson because those were special circumstances.

"I thought the ideal thing was to go with Steve Stallworth and Jerry Koloskie together."

One notable person to disagree about the finalists list was KVBC-TV owner and former state university system chancellor Jim Rogers.

He said the local candidates did not have the credentials to take over a Division I athletic department, and Rogers praised UNLV for choosing three finalists with the necessary experience.

"I think it's harder at an institution like this one to be an athletic director than president," Rogers said. "Everybody in academia can be good. Everybody in sports can't be good."

The chief argument by supporters of the local candidates is they already know the area's major movers and shakers, giving them a fundraising head start.

"I was pulling for a local, quite frankly," said Palms co-owner George Maloof, a former UNLV defensive back. "I'm a little disappointed, I really am. I think we had good candidates here locally. I'm sure Neal has his reasons."

Smatresk said he was impressed with Koloskie and Stallworth but that the finalists emerged on their merits.

"All of these individuals, in our opinion, can take UNLV athletics to the next level," Smatresk said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.