Fast facts about new UNLV football coach Marcus Arroyo
University of Oregon offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo has been named as UNLV’s head football coach. Here are a few things to know about the new lead Rebel:
He’s willing to travel anywhere for a player
Just about no one had heard of running back Chuba Hubbard when he was tearing up 110-yard high school football fields in Edmonton, Alberta. Arroyo, then the running backs coach at Oklahoma State, had connections in Canada who insisted he check out Hubbard.
That led Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy to make an early recruiting pitch to Hubbard before some Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 Conference powers caught on.
Arroyo would leave to become Oregon’s offensive coordinator, but his recruiting work paved the way for Oklahoma State to land one of the top running backs in North America. As a redshirt sophomore this season, Hubbard leads the nation with 1,936 yards rushing, was named Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year and just missed out on being a Heisman Trophy finalist.
He’s been on an excellent recruiting staff
Arroyo is part of an Oregon staff that ranks first in the Pac-12 in recruiting this year, according to 247Sports’ composite ratings. The Ducks also finished first last year and were second in 2018.
That talent translated into a team that won the conference championship this season and will play Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
He’s no stranger to the Mountain West
Arroyo played QB at San Jose State, then in the Western Athletic Conference, from 1998 to 2002. He passed for 2,334 yards and 15 TDs for the Spartans in 2000. He also began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant with his alma mater in 2003.
Arroyo also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Wyoming for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. There, he installed a new spread offensive system and coached a unit that finished seventh in the nation in fewest turnovers lost.
He has NFL experience
Hired to coach quarterbacks for the 2014-15 season, Arroyo was forced into the offensive coordinator role for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Jeff Tedford took a medical leave of absence. With Arroyo calling the plays, Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson became the first wide-receiver pair in Buccaneers history to each put up more than 1,000 yards receiving.
He has Las Vegas Bowl ties
Arroyo served as Oregon’s co-offensive coordinator with Mario Cristobal during the 2017 season. When Cristobal was named head coach after the regular season, Arroyo’s first game as full offensive coordinator was the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. The Ducks scored 28 points, but lost 38-28 to Boise State.
He has crossed paths with his new boss
UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois was San Jose State’s compliance director when Arroyo played quarterback for the Spartans from 1998 to 2002.
He’s beaten UNR
Arroyo-led San Jose State outgunned the Wolf Pack in a 64-45 shootout on Nov. 10, 2001. Arroyo threw five touchdown passes for the Spartans in a game that set the NCAA record for total offense.
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