Been awhile since I posted. Here goes.
I was at the game on Saturday. It was both frustrating and exciting. This is going to take time. In each of the last 3 games, UNLV was in position to win as late as the early 4th qtr. Saturday they lost in OT. This is a program still lacking in depth. Still learning how to win/close out games.
Here is something to consider for the fire Sanchez crowd. Jim Tressel was hired by Youngstown State in 1986. He was 33 and it was his first head coaching position of ANY kind. I was a student the first 5 years Tress was HC. I watched the transformation first hand. And, there were plenty of times it was hard to watch. I kept supporting the team and program though. It was my school. I knew several players and wanted to have their backs. Now I live in Vegas and UNLV is my hometown University. It's wayyy to early to throw in the towel.
In Tressel's first season, YSU was 2-9, with a win though over then arch rival Akron. UNLV hasn't won much yet under Sanchez. They did beat UNR though last year in Reno. 2nd season was 8-4, another win over Akron and first trip to 1AA/FCS Playoffs. Then in year 3, it was like watching the Keystone Cops as the team went 4-7. In year 4, which was 1989, YSU finished 9-4 and won their first ever FCS playoff game. YSU then went on to dominate FCS football in the 90's. Coach Tressel eventually moved on to THE Ohio State University and had great success. It took him time though at YSU to change the culture. Upgrade the facilities. Get EVERYONE to "buy in". To turn a program that was excellent at grasping defeat from the jaws of victory, to a program that won games in every manner possible. Tress was 2-9, 8-4, 4-7 his first 3 years. A combined 14-20. After 4 years, the record was 23-24. And, we are talking about a NCAA College Football Hall of Fame HC.
I see alot of Jim Tressel in Coach Sanchez. And, I still believe he can and will get this program to a point of winning 7-8 games a year. In a year where everything clicks, maybe 9-10. Let's give him the entire length of his contract before deeming Coach Sanchez and this new era a failure. GO REBELS!!