Hauck holds Rebels together

Coaching changes often create divided locker rooms, but there has been no evidence of discord this season between Mike Sanford's and Bobby Hauck's guys inside Lied Athletic Complex.

First-year coach Hauck wanted players recruited by himself and Sanford to form a united UNLV team.

He did his part to ensure that was the case by continuing to start and play upperclassmen, resisting the temptation for an all-out youth movement, even as the losses piled up.

"I appreciate Coach Hauck," senior running back Channing Trotter said. "He's given us all a fair shot. He said, the first day that he came in, that we're all his guys."

Nineteen Rebels seniors will be honored today before their final game at Sam Boyd Stadium, a 7 p.m. kickoff against Air Force (7-4, 4-3 Mountain West Conference).

UNLV (2-8, 2-4) will be challenged to stop a Falcons running game that ranks second in the nation with an average of 315.6 yards per game. The Rebels allow 211.9 yards rushing per game.

An upset of Air Force, a 19-point favorite, would be a memorable send-off for UNLV's seniors.

But this isn't the ending they had hoped for.

Some seniors talked about how much they wanted to go to a bowl game for the first time, but it became obvious early this season that would not happen.

It would have been easy for Hauck, once the season got away, to play the freshmen -- his guys -- and cast the older players aside.

He did give more freshmen a chance to play, but he didn't abandon the veterans. Five freshmen could start against the Falcons, but so could 11 seniors.

"Coach Hauck let us all know it would be the seniors' responsibility to help guide the team," senior quarterback Omar Clayton said. "It's our responsibility to earn our positions on the field. The seniors have done well with it. There hasn't been a lot of strife or animosity between the older guys and younger guys."

Maybe that's why there wasn't a mass defection of players during the offseason, a fairly common occurrence after a coaching change.

The only true hint of division occurred early last month when junior wide receiver Phillip Payne posted messages to his Twitter account saying life was better under Sanford. Payne was suspended for two games.

There was no obvious rallying to Payne's side, though players also didn't publicly rebuke him.

As the season winds down -- the Rebels finish with games at San Diego State and Hawaii -- there is a hint of sadness from the soon-to-be-departing players.

Even with this season's struggles, they say the foundation for future success is being established.

"I wish I had one more or two more years to play for Coach Hauck," senior defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui said. "I can see this program good for the next (few) years."

Should the Rebels eventually turn around the program, many of those players will want to be around to see it.

And Hauck will want them back. Just as he wanted them to be an integral part of this season.

"We want these guys to feel good about their experience," Hauck said. "When we do get to one of those bowl games, we want these guys to feel good about coming back and being part of it. Once you're in, you're in the family."

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