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Baer

UNLVWINS

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May 14, 2005
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Baer is probably like this whole coaching staff sucks real bad! Why do I have to take the blame and go?
 
Baer is probably like this whole coaching staff sucks real bad! Why do I have to take the blame and go?
If he is that much of a moron to think that, then it's a very good thing that he's gone.
 
It is probably a good thing. Baer was pretty bad. LaRussa is just like a bad GA.
 
It is probably a good thing. Baer was pretty bad. LaRussa is just like a bad GA.
Of course it's a good thing. We got rid of the guy in charge of the defense that ended up 113th in total defense and the guy in charge of one of the worst overall special teams in the nation.
 
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Of course it's a good thing. We got rid of the guy in charge of the defense that ended up 113th in total defense and the guy in charge of one of the worst overall special teams in the nation.
When they’re that horrific, makes you wonder what was seen in them in the first place. I mean, if you finish middle of the pack, arguments for or against, but when you are consistently at the bottom - seems like it should have been more known that they couldn’t do the job before they even got the job.
 
I knew Baer was bad before Sanchez brought him here, he stunk up Boulder.. the CU Buffs as well!
 
When they’re that horrific, makes you wonder what was seen in them in the first place. ...
...seems like it should have been more known that they couldn’t do the job before they even got the job.

Three years ago when Baer and Cotton were hired they both were really good hires - as far as D1 credentials, credibility, contacts, and experience - for a head coach that was coming from the high school level and in need of immediately available subordinates. It appears that one or both are not going to take the program to the next level but for Sanchez having those two on the staff initially really made it a lot more legit.

Hiring a replacement for Baer might show us how tough it is to fill such a position at UNLV - and now the replacement comes in knowing the pressure is on him to turn things around or he will be out the door with Sanchez within two years.
 
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When they’re that horrific, makes you wonder what was seen in them in the first place. I mean, if you finish middle of the pack, arguments for or against, but when you are consistently at the bottom - seems like it should have been more known that they couldn’t do the job before they even got the job.
Hindsight is always 20/20 but everyone needs to keep in mind that we aren't UCLA or A$M where great coaches are breaking down doors to get in and we don't have the money, the facilities or the incredible local recruiting pool of an up and coming program like UCF. Baer was/is very well respected in the coaching community and comes from a solid coaching tree stemming from Bruce Snyder, Tyrone Willingham and Dick Tomey. His stint at CU wasn't good but name the last DC in Boulder worth a damn since Barnett was forced out by the Boulder administration when they basically set him up with the NCAA. The guy has been the DC of some good defenses at USU, ASU, Stanford & the Domers. Heck, his defenses with the Domers made him a finalist for the Frank Broyles award. It was also reasonably expected that he would be able to kill it in recruiting Utah, Arizona and So. Cal. Yes he failed but I don't think anyone could have seen how badly he was going to fail with his hiring and promotion of Larussa, his move to a passive defensive front and completely failing in recruiting.

As for LaRussa, he's who Baer wanted. His resume was OK but nothing to write home about. He had the connections to UNLV. Most of all, the DC, who you were stealing away from CU to try and help build a terrible program into conference contender, wanted him and we could afford him. I really can't say it was a bad hire at the time. In hindsight, it was terrible but that happens routinely around college football out side the Power 5. For every UCF there are 40 other programs that don't climb out of the ashes because of coaching failures.
 
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I mean, you don’t just all of a sudden suck.
It's actually not too uncommon. Look at Bob Diaco who was the DC for the Domers from 2010 - 2012. He took a terrible defense and made them into the #2 defense in the nation. He won the Broyles award as the best assistant in college football. Then he became HC of UConn where his overall team was very poor but as their DC he quickly built them into one of the best defenses in the country with basically no talent. Of course, Nebraska hires him as their DC for a cool $1 MILL a year. He simply made the traditionally great Blackshirts into a defense that was almost as bad as ours and he had several players to work with who are going to play in the NFL.
 
...
Hiring a replacement for Baer might show us how tough it is to fill such a position at UNLV - and now the replacement comes in knowing the pressure is on him to turn things around or he will be out the door with Sanchez within two years.
It's going to be VERY tough for several reasons:
1] Any replacement is going to talk to Baer and he'll tell them that he never got the promised support and facilities he needed to get it done, which wouldn't be a complete lie either;
2] There are so many new coaches around the country who were hired who are harvesting the best DCs and up coming DCs already;
3] We simply don't have the money to get a very experienced DC; and
4] We still don't have the new coaching facilities or the new stadium.

We really can't expect a miracle hire of an experienced DC. I think that the best we can do is to either promote Tony Samuel to DC and let him install his attacking defense while hiring another Defensive Assistant Coach who is also a Great Special Teams Coordinator or we have to take a risk with a very young and inexperienced DC who is an up and coming coach.
 
I think that the best we can do is to either promote Tony Samuel to DC and let him install his attacking defense while hiring another Defensive Assistant Coach who is also a Great Special Teams Coordinator or we have to take a risk with a very young and inexperienced DC who is an up and coming coach.

I'm not sure that's the case, but I definitely see your point. We had two existing positions open and a third one by NCAA rule allowed, so in some ways are filling two openings with three people. Should help some (hopefully). I think if Sanchez really has confidence in a high-level P5 defensive position coach (or a "co-DC" role) who is in a position where maybe the opportunity to move up is stifled by age of those "ahead" of him, you would have a shot. Certainly not like we are getting Bama's LB coach or something, I wouldn't insinuate that... Not sure what the answer is, but the change is needed.
 
I'm not sure that's the case, but I definitely see your point. We had two existing positions open and a third one by NCAA rule allowed, so in some ways are filling two openings with three people. Should help some (hopefully). I think if Sanchez really has confidence in a high-level P5 defensive position coach (or a "co-DC" role) who is in a position where maybe the opportunity to move up is stifled by age of those "ahead" of him, you would have a shot. Certainly not like we are getting Bama's LB coach or something, I wouldn't insinuate that... Not sure what the answer is, but the change is needed.
Yeah. A co-DC might be the best bet. Also need the special teams coordinator replaced. Money is a big issue though.
 
A co-DC title would probably mean spending more money than we have. Promoting from within may be what we have to resort to, but it's tough to do when our defense has been awful. Even if that isn't fair.
 
A co-DC title would probably mean spending more money than we have. Promoting from within may be what we have to resort to, but it's tough to do when our defense has been awful. Even if that isn't fair.
I was thinking that the Co-DC would be taking LaRussa's spot if Samuels was promoted to DC. It would still cost us a good chunk of change but not quite as much in total if Cody Green moved up from GA to become the 10th coach.
 
Gotta spend money to make money. We keep with that excuse and nothing will change, just look back at the last 20+ years. It's the one thing that I see (myself included of course) all of us say every hire and fire, "what do you expect, we don't have the denero." I, for one, am sick of that being the reason we can not hire well coach/asst coach after coach/asst coach. Build it (in this case spend it - fund-raise for not just structures maybe?) and they will come. I feel we only fund raise for the shinny brick and mortar stuff.

I'm probably way off in my assessment but it's just how I feel tbh. It's like a broken record tenure after tenure...but athletics can build 'state-of-the-art' structures staff after staff. Structures can't coach, maybe UNLV is thinking they can use them for recruiting strong star laden rosters to carry shit coaching with athletic talent to the promise land and reduce their salary budgets.

~Uneducated rant over...lol~ Liek I said I'm probably way off target here, but it is my observation.
 
Gotta spend money to make money. We keep with that excuse and nothing will change, just look back at the last 20+ years. It's the one thing that I see (myself included of course) all of us say every hire and fire, "what do you expect, we don't have the denero." I, for one, am sick of that being the reason we can not hire well coach/asst coach after coach/asst coach. Build it (in this case spend it - fund-raise for not just structures maybe?) and they will come. I feel we only fund raise for the shinny brick and mortar stuff.

I'm probably way off in my assessment but it's just how I feel tbh. It's like a broken record tenure after tenure...but athletics can build 'state-of-the-art' structures staff after staff. Structures can't coach, maybe UNLV is thinking they can use them for recruiting strong star laden rosters to carry shit coaching with athletic talent to the promise land and reduce their salary budgets.

~Uneducated rant over...lol~ Liek I said I'm probably way off target here, but it is my observation.

I don't disagree, but it is what it is.

I think they have to go with an up and comer. Whether it is a DC at a smaller school, or a position coach at a bigger school.

Good news about the job. UNLV has been a program on the rise, albeit a slow one. You have a pretty good offense on the other side of the ball which takes some pressure off. Also we've been so bad, that statistically it should not be too difficult to come in and show significant improvement.

The flip side is that we have been bad, and have been bad for decades now. Haven't had a decent one since J Rob. Harder to overcome.

Talent already has improved through recruiting. Had a lot of young guys get minutes last season. Cupboard isn't bare, but recruiting still needs to step it up big time of the defensive side of the ball.
 
Gotta spend money to make money. We keep with that excuse and nothing will change, just look back at the last 20+ years. It's the one thing that I see (myself included of course) all of us say every hire and fire, "what do you expect, we don't have the denero." I, for one, am sick of that being the reason we can not hire well coach/asst coach after coach/asst coach. Build it (in this case spend it - fund-raise for not just structures maybe?) and they will come. I feel we only fund raise for the shinny brick and mortar stuff.

I'm probably way off in my assessment but it's just how I feel tbh. It's like a broken record tenure after tenure...but athletics can build 'state-of-the-art' structures staff after staff. Structures can't coach, maybe UNLV is thinking they can use them for recruiting strong star laden rosters to carry shit coaching with athletic talent to the promise land and reduce their salary budgets.

~Uneducated rant over...lol~ Liek I said I'm probably way off target here, but it is my observation.
With what we offer, it’s far, far below what our expectations are. We want the tourney every year, we want a S16 now and again, we want to win conference. In general, that “costs” probably about 2M to hire. We pay far less so we get less. And if there is success, we won’t be able to retain because they’ll be a hot conmodity. UNLV does not open the wallet to retain. They just don’t. Didn’t for Kruger, didn’t for Schloss... every other coach has been canned.

If you aren’t spending the money up front for a known entity, it costs you less upfront, you cross your fingers and hope for lightning in a bottle, then cross your fingers more and hope offers don’t come in .... sorry, even as UNLV fan, you offer me double 2.5x pay in an area where I can raise a family, I’m long gone.
 
Breaking ground on the new training facilities in January should be a big boost towards UNLV moving forward and will show both recruits and potential coaches that UNLV is upgrading as promised. Next will be for the stadium construction to move above ground and the structural framework to start developing. When fans, players, recruits, etc. see the stadium development moving forward, this should help to build excitement.
 
.....You have a pretty good offense on the other side of the ball which takes some pressure off.... .
Great point that's made even better because the offense is run dominant. It can really help rest the defense and a smart DC prospect will see that.
 
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Breaking ground on the new training facilities in January should be a big boost towards UNLV moving forward and will show both recruits and potential coaches that UNLV is upgrading as promised. Next will be for the stadium construction to move above ground and the structural framework to start developing. When fans, players, recruits, etc. see the stadium development moving forward, this should help to build excitement.
Unfortunately, the delays in both the coaching facility and the new stadium simply dug us much deeper into a hole. Because this has gone on for so long the potential players and coaches have adopted the outlook of "I'll believe it when I see it completed" when it comes to UNLV. Really can't blame them either.
 
The stadium we knew would be 2020 at the earliest. It has broke ground, and is on it's way.

The practice facility has had more delays, and given it was being done by UNLV, then good reason for skepticism.

Hopefully it truly breaks ground next month and the coaching staff have something a little more tangible to sell with recruits.
 
There in-lies my issue, using top not facilities to utilize high level recruiting to overcome the lack of coaching.

It's Rice/Mendenhall all over again.
 
There in-lies my issue, using top not facilities to utilize high level recruiting to overcome the lack of coaching.

It's Rice/Mendenhall all over again.
You have to accept that it's a chicken & the egg scenario when it comes to getting talented coaches. You need top notch facilities in order to get top notch coaches. Then you need the money to pay and to keep them. One thing is for certain; it will take time at UNLV. The fact that TS made the tough call on Baer & LaRussa, that we are improving our facilities, that we are improving in recruiting, that we are improving our depth, that the offense is growing at a steady pace and that we have won more games for three consecutive seasons is evidence that we are trending in the right direction.You can't turn UNLV around quickly in football for numerous reasons. Stay the course and keep moving forward. If we do, I think we'll get there.
 
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Baer being hired was a good thing. He was a coach with tremendous experience. He had familiarity with the conference (stint at San Jose State) the region (Colorado and Wasington)

He had some solid years at Notre Dame and San Jose State. He also had some poor showings at Colorado and Washington.

But Sanchez did the right thing in hiring him. He needed experienced guys around him to help with the transition.

He also did the right thing in firing him.

The defense wasn't improving. These were predominantly his guys. Schematically Baer rarely influenced a game. He had to go. I don't think it was so much he was a bad coach but more he had lost the feel for calling a game.

A name to keep an eye on is Tim Skipper. He was on the short list for the DC position when Sanchez was putting together his first staff. He's widely touted as an excellent recruiter and was praised for his work as LB coach at both Florida and CSU. Also worked on the Fresno State staff. Has a lot of MWC ties..
 
There in-lies my issue, using top not facilities to utilize high level recruiting to overcome the lack of coaching.

It's Rice/Mendenhall all over again.

I don't think facilities are trying to be a replacement for coaching.

I get the idea of spending the money on a coach vs facilities. The problem is that the coach is temporary and facilities stay. Also a coach may not come without the facilities.

Recruiting needs to happen regardless, and you need good players to win. Our football facilities have been some of the worst in the conference. Now they look to best arguably the best. That won't directly win us games, but it should help.
 
Not sayin' it won't happen but Tim Skipper is getting paid $460,000 a year at Florida through the 2018 season with a $225,000 buy-out.
Do you think Dan Mullen is going to keep him on the staff? Mullen has already said he's bringing in his DC from Miss. St. If that's the case, I imagine Todd Grantham will want to hire his own staff, including someone as LB coach. Skipper will probably be released from Florida.
 
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Baer being hired was a good thing. He was a coach with tremendous experience. He had familiarity with the conference (stint at San Jose State) the region (Colorado and Wasington)

He had some solid years at Notre Dame and San Jose State. He also had some poor showings at Colorado and Washington.

But Sanchez did the right thing in hiring him. He needed experienced guys around him to help with the transition.

He also did the right thing in firing him.

The defense wasn't improving. These were predominantly his guys. Schematically Baer rarely influenced a game. He had to go. I don't think it was so much he was a bad coach but more he had lost the feel for calling a game.

A name to keep an eye on is Tim Skipper. He was on the short list for the DC position when Sanchez was putting together his first staff. He's widely touted as an excellent recruiter and was praised for his work as LB coach at both Florida and CSU. Also worked on the Fresno State staff. Has a lot of MWC ties..

I think we are a ways off from being able to compete straight up depth and talent-wise on defense. I think we need to run some type of exotic and aggressive defense that can help hide deficiencies and lack of depth. We need to put pressure on the offense instead of sitting back and getting picked apart. 35 years of watching Rebel football has shown me the defense is not going to win most battles playing straight up
 
Depends on if he is retained. Dudes gotta eat...
Even if he's not retained, he gets paid to Feb 2019. With the recruits that he's in on and the recruiting that he has been doing, it looks like he's staying.
 
I think we are a ways off from being able to compete straight up depth and talent-wise on defense. I think we need to run some type of exotic and aggressive defense that can help hide deficiencies and lack of depth. We need to put pressure on the offense instead of sitting back and getting picked apart. 35 years of watching Rebel football has shown me the defense is not going to win most battles playing straight up
That's particularly true when we are undersized in the front 7.
 
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