Strange talk on UNLV campus
- Thread starter Rebel1986
- Start date
As UNLV demonstrates it truly cares about football I think we'll see more and more students and fans also begin caring.
In the past, UNLV has neglected football, plain and simple. Whether UNLV administration would ever openly admit to it or not, the football program has always been a painful low priority because the absolute minimum investment has always been the standard approach. Basically what you see is what you get. And history has shown that if the university itself doesn't make football its priority then why would the fans, students and rest of the community ever make it a priority?
UNLV is finally starting to realize this. More investment is going into football and the momentum is slowing shifting. That said, it is vital to keep building and keep investing and continue demonstrating from the university that it truly cares about creating a winning football culture. If the university backs down then the losing, the empty seats, the embarrassment will perpetuate on and on.
Fans by nature want to join something special. The community wants something to be proud of. UNLV has to show us, and continue showing us that football is its top athletic priority because that is the only way excitement and interest will be reciprocated in ticket sales.
Several institutions have made this type of drastic turnaround. It can be done. But it requires a process and won't happen overnight. UNLV needs to stay the right course by building and investing and promoting football like never before. If the university leads then the fans and boosters will follow and jump aboard with donations and ticket purchasing. There's no reason why Las Vegas can't have an attractive football program that the community can fall in love with.
In the past, UNLV has neglected football, plain and simple. Whether UNLV administration would ever openly admit to it or not, the football program has always been a painful low priority because the absolute minimum investment has always been the standard approach. Basically what you see is what you get. And history has shown that if the university itself doesn't make football its priority then why would the fans, students and rest of the community ever make it a priority?
UNLV is finally starting to realize this. More investment is going into football and the momentum is slowing shifting. That said, it is vital to keep building and keep investing and continue demonstrating from the university that it truly cares about creating a winning football culture. If the university backs down then the losing, the empty seats, the embarrassment will perpetuate on and on.
Fans by nature want to join something special. The community wants something to be proud of. UNLV has to show us, and continue showing us that football is its top athletic priority because that is the only way excitement and interest will be reciprocated in ticket sales.
Several institutions have made this type of drastic turnaround. It can be done. But it requires a process and won't happen overnight. UNLV needs to stay the right course by building and investing and promoting football like never before. If the university leads then the fans and boosters will follow and jump aboard with donations and ticket purchasing. There's no reason why Las Vegas can't have an attractive football program that the community can fall in love with.
first home game should be special. looking forward to seeing all the changes and showmanship to go with the team. I think it will be a very good crowd
Along with administration, booster and marketing support, the student base needs to get highly involved to assist in the turnaround. UNLV needs to have at least 3K-5K students going to every game. I cannot stress how important this factor is to game day atmosphere for student athletes and non-student attending fans. High student participation adds more people to the game, stronger cheering and motivation for the football team and just makes the overall atmosphere that much more enjoyable.
I truly hope that Sanchez try to rally the student base as much as Nellis, LVMPD and other organizations. We need to make every home game a fun environment regardless of outcome.
Most people don't realize that if you can't give money to the team to support it, the next best thing you can do is go to the game. Get your friends to go the games. Take your family. If we want UNLV Football to change, we need to do are part.
I truly hope that Sanchez try to rally the student base as much as Nellis, LVMPD and other organizations. We need to make every home game a fun environment regardless of outcome.
Most people don't realize that if you can't give money to the team to support it, the next best thing you can do is go to the game. Get your friends to go the games. Take your family. If we want UNLV Football to change, we need to do are part.
As painful as last year was to watch, it is probably better Hauck wasnt able to pull off another winning season. Had he gotten bowl eligible again, my guess is that nothing would have changed. The University would have taken a stance that there was enough money being funneled to the program. The reality is winning with the current facilities and budget are unsustainable over the long term. I think the record over the last 20 years proves that. Despite coaching changes little has changed.
I actually debated whether retaining him for the following season (after the bowl game) was a good idea. I was worried that Hauck would get into his final and likely last season and leave the cupboard bare. Although he didn't leave it bare, it was pretty sparse in areas.
I thought the team was in a much better personnel situation last year and another staff could have coached them better as well as leveraged the bowl game for stronger recruiting. Hauck squandered the bowl game season success.
There has always been whispers that Sanchez was being considered even after the bowl game season. I kind of wonder where UNLV would be today if they would have made the change back then. Personally, I think UNLV may be looking at closer to a .500 season this year. But who knows, Baer and Cotton would have not been available and these may not have come together as well as they did.
The extra year at Gorman was good for Sanchez too in terms of building up his identity and reputation by winning a national championship, appearing on ESPN with Snoop's son, etc. I think that provided some extra boost, at least for his first recruiting class.
Hauck wasn't the answer, or anything even close to it. Even after he reached a bowl game there was plenty of reason to doubt. But I think UNLV was in a position where it had to give him another year to justify his release, and actually I think the timing worked out better in the end in terms of the assistant coach availability, Gorman's success, ESPN exposure, press and media coverage and so on.
Hauck wasn't the answer, or anything even close to it. Even after he reached a bowl game there was plenty of reason to doubt. But I think UNLV was in a position where it had to give him another year to justify his release, and actually I think the timing worked out better in the end in terms of the assistant coach availability, Gorman's success, ESPN exposure, press and media coverage and so on.
A physically capable quarterback, a solid running back, Freshman All-American WR, three starting caliber tight ends, three experienced OGs, Sonny Sanitoa & Mike Hughes at DL, Lotulelei at linebacker and three talented/experienced safeties. I wouldn't call that a bare roster, he really left a great building block for a competitive team.
Really, this team entered the off-season needing shoring up with a QB of the future, impact RB, a speed WR with needed depth, athletic offensive tackles options, a center, a run stuffer at defensive tackle, at least 2-3 linebackers and some starting capable corners. If those areas have been shored up, this team can exceed expectations.
Although they only won two games, this team was two fluke last minute drives from 4 wins. If it wasn't for the injury bug at WR with the Davis/Sullivan duo along with Shaq Murray missing much of the season, 6 wins wasn't out of the question even with a horrible defense.
Ok. You are right and there are some athletes here. But something went terribly wrong with 2013 recruiting year leaving some massive depth and personnel issues. Only 8 of 21 recruits are still with the team.
Looked it up just now. Actually, only 20 kids signed with 7 being JC guys. Of the high school guy
Kapeli greyshirted but never enrolled
Feula is from Samoa and played his first year but wasn't enrolled year 2
Moffitt was moved to fullback before leaving for Diablo Valley JC
Lebowitz (Middlebury) and Riley (Portland State) both transferred
Set to start from that class are Boyd, Bornand, McTyer, Saxelid and Whitely
Possible contributors OL Chris Lopez, TE Antonio Zepeda, DL Jacobi Russell and DL Efrem Clark (JC)
http://www.unlvrebels.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020613aaa.html
Kapeli greyshirted but never enrolled
Feula is from Samoa and played his first year but wasn't enrolled year 2
Moffitt was moved to fullback before leaving for Diablo Valley JC
Lebowitz (Middlebury) and Riley (Portland State) both transferred
Set to start from that class are Boyd, Bornand, McTyer, Saxelid and Whitely
Possible contributors OL Chris Lopez, TE Antonio Zepeda, DL Jacobi Russell and DL Efrem Clark (JC)
http://www.unlvrebels.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020613aaa.html
I agree with Will here that this team actually underachieved last season. This team had a TON of injuries to deal with. Not just to key players like Davis and Shaq but to solid depth guys as well. If there was one trend last year that was impossible to deny it was that the team faded badly in the second half of games. That can be attributed to lack of depth. I may have the number wrong but at one point heading into the game Hauck had around 30 players on the injury report. I know every team has injuries and the common response to this is 'Next man up'. The reality of it is, if the 'next man up' was that good he would be the 'first man up' to begin with.
I also agree with Will there is some talent here to work with. The problem is there simply isn't enough of it just yet. I think we are heading in the right direction. We landed some players this year and already have commitment from some players next year that should provide an upgrade in talent and supply us with the depth to where if a top guy goes down the drop in talent won't be so drastic.
I also agree with Will there is some talent here to work with. The problem is there simply isn't enough of it just yet. I think we are heading in the right direction. We landed some players this year and already have commitment from some players next year that should provide an upgrade in talent and supply us with the depth to where if a top guy goes down the drop in talent won't be so drastic.
A big problem that the team had last year was conditioning. Both the number of injuries and fading in the second half is due to not having players in as good of shape as they should be in.
Fix for that problem:
The team was able to work out with strength coaches through the spring and summer. The team now has four strength coaches where they only had one last year. How big of a difference will this make to the team? I hope the additional coaches and training will show up in the second half of games.
Fix for that problem:
The team was able to work out with strength coaches through the spring and summer. The team now has four strength coaches where they only had one last year. How big of a difference will this make to the team? I hope the additional coaches and training will show up in the second half of games.
Had Hauck not made a bowl game the year before Sanchez would have been our coach last season. Let's just say that bowl game came as a surprise to UNLV and put them in a tough position to fire a coach that took them to the first bowl in 13 years.
A high school coach with one outright undefeated season that was coming off of a 13-2 season needing double OT to get by (4-6) Santa Margarita, having a 3 point victory over (2-7) Bergen Catholic and needing a strong 4th quarter to get by Legacy.
I just couldn't see anyone being on board with the hiring of Sanchez to UNLV after the 2013 season. It was a solid year but the Gaels averaged just 136 yards passing a game that season without producing a thousand yard back and the leading wide receiver produced just 376 yards in a 15 game season. Randall Cunningham Jr had to literally drag that team to a 13-2 record.
http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/bishop-gorman-gaels-(las-vegas,nv)/football-fall-13/stats.htm
I think that idea is just a rumor, the 2014 season was the only way anyone would buy into the hiring of Sanchez directly to a head coaching position. Getting the national spotlight allowed the green light on the hire.
http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/bishop-gorman-gaels-(las-vegas,nv)/football-fall-14/stats.htm
Overall, so its time to just buckle up for the ride good or bad.
Since you think it's a rumor then I suppose that's Gospel. Everyone else who knows first-hand is obviously wrong.
I know for certain there were things in the works for a specific FCS head coaching position in Southern California prior to the season.
The 2013 season wasn't a good enough performance to justify the hire as the team went just 2-4 against teams with winning records at the time. I honestly couldn't see the regents approving the hire or the it would have been at less money than the 2 million dollars approved.
The 2013 season wasn't a good enough performance to justify the hire as the team went just 2-4 against teams with winning records at the time. I honestly couldn't see the regents approving the hire or the it would have been at less money than the 2 million dollars approved.
With UNLV and football, its hard to reconcile actions with logic most of the time. So you can't assume Tony wasn't ready to be hired last year based off any facts that would go in to a logical analysis. But, there is no doubt the hire would have been met with more even more skepticism last year. The national championship, TV show with Snoop, etc. certainly helps Tony sell himself and the program and help convince casual fans to give him a chance.
Follow the money....that's it. Do you honestly think Sanchez flying in a jet for recruiting trips has anything to do with just LAST season at Gorman. They wanted him in place before last season. Again, UNLV's hands were tied. Can you imagine what would have happened to the team if they had fired Hauck after going to a bowl game? I'm not sure UNLV football could look any worse than they did, but firing Hauck after 2013 would have been the final knockout blow to an already staggering program.
I am not sure how you came up with how a team with a 13-2 record could have gone 2-4 against teams with winning records, that is fuzzy math that is similar to the stats you have provided in the past that was just wrong. With only 2 loses how can they go 2-4? Based on my math they went 5-2 against teams with winning records, and any of the out of state teams they played would have been ranked in front of any team in Nevada. As for Santa Margarita, they were ranked 386 in the nation (max preps) and the highest ranked team below BG was Palo Verde who were ranked 1014 in the nation (max preps). As for the two loses, the first was a 7 point loss against Mountain Point who ended the season ranked 6th in the nation (max preps) with a 14-0 record, the second loss was a 16 point loss to Booker T. Washington who finished the season 14-0 and ranked #1 in the nation (max preps). I can understand how losing to the #1 and #6 teams in the nation can be considered a failure.
As for Santa Margarita (ranked #386 in the nation), this is another case of your failure to tell the truth and try to twist things to make it look like a 4-6 team is not very good. This is the same 4-6 team that beat Mater Dei 16-7. If you don't know who Mater Dei is, you may want to look them up. They finished the season 11-3 and ranked the #10 team in the nation. Santa Margarita must really suck if they can only beat the 10th best team in the nation! If this team had played in Las Vegas, they would have been very competitive and very likely considered the number 2 team in the state of Nevada.
We all know that you do not like BG and try to give every excuse in the book for why Sanchez was able to win games at BG. Trying to say that he has an unfair advantage financially because he was at a BG may work for the other programs in Nevada, but it doesn't work for his winning a national championship. There are a lot of other programs throughout the country that have just as much or even more of a financial backing than BG, including someone of the programs that they have played, and not one of them was ranked in front of BG last year.
P.S.
The basketball coach at Kentucky must really suck, along with the football coach at Alabama since they both have unlimited funding also. Since it only takes good financing, why don't you apply to Alabama to be their head coach since you seem to think you are such an expert on everything and they could save a few million dollars.
As for Santa Margarita (ranked #386 in the nation), this is another case of your failure to tell the truth and try to twist things to make it look like a 4-6 team is not very good. This is the same 4-6 team that beat Mater Dei 16-7. If you don't know who Mater Dei is, you may want to look them up. They finished the season 11-3 and ranked the #10 team in the nation. Santa Margarita must really suck if they can only beat the 10th best team in the nation! If this team had played in Las Vegas, they would have been very competitive and very likely considered the number 2 team in the state of Nevada.
We all know that you do not like BG and try to give every excuse in the book for why Sanchez was able to win games at BG. Trying to say that he has an unfair advantage financially because he was at a BG may work for the other programs in Nevada, but it doesn't work for his winning a national championship. There are a lot of other programs throughout the country that have just as much or even more of a financial backing than BG, including someone of the programs that they have played, and not one of them was ranked in front of BG last year.
P.S.
The basketball coach at Kentucky must really suck, along with the football coach at Alabama since they both have unlimited funding also. Since it only takes good financing, why don't you apply to Alabama to be their head coach since you seem to think you are such an expert on everything and they could save a few million dollars.
Prior to the 2014 season, there was also no way to justify a transition from a FCS coach that went 80-17 with 3 FCS championship berths in seven years to a guy that went 41-6 on the high school level with just one undefeated season in 2009.
If the administration had any inkling towards that idea at the time that would have been a harder sell than Rollie Massimino when he followed up Tark.
Hauck had stunk it up with his 6-32 record prior to 2013 but how would anyone had justified the hiring of a coach with no college football experience and success that was mainly on the local level.
The 2014 season by Bishop Gorman and Hauck resigning set a whole a whole new set of wheel in motion for the hire.
Prior to 2014
4-6 versus OOS programs with winning records
Overall Career
7-5 versus OOS programs with more than 10 wins
9-6 versus OOS programs with winning records
Losses
Booker Washington (FL) 14-0 (2013)
Mountain Pointe (AZ) 14-0 (2013)
Bergen Catholic (NJ) 8-4 (2012)
Armwood (FL) 15-0 (2011) (forfeited)
Hamilton (CA) 15-0 (2010)
De La Salle (CA) 14-0 (2010)
Wins
St John Bosco (CA) 12-2 (2014
Santa Margarita (CA) 6-5 (2014)
Centennial (CA) 12-3 (2014)
Bingham (UT) 13-2 (2014)
Servite (CA) 4-7 (2014)
Brophy Prep (AZ) 10-4 (2014)
Bergen Catholic (NJ) 2-7 (2013)
Crespi (CA) 4-7 (2013)
Santa Margarita(CA) 4-6 (2013)
Servite (CA) 6-6 (2013)
Servite (CA) 3-7 (2012)
St Louis (HI) 5-5 (2012)
Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD) 11-1 (2012)
Chandler (AZ) 14-1 (2011)
Del Oro (CA) 10-4 (2010)
Dixie (UT) 8-4 (2009)
If the administration had any inkling towards that idea at the time that would have been a harder sell than Rollie Massimino when he followed up Tark.
Hauck had stunk it up with his 6-32 record prior to 2013 but how would anyone had justified the hiring of a coach with no college football experience and success that was mainly on the local level.
The 2014 season by Bishop Gorman and Hauck resigning set a whole a whole new set of wheel in motion for the hire.
Prior to 2014
4-6 versus OOS programs with winning records
Overall Career
7-5 versus OOS programs with more than 10 wins
9-6 versus OOS programs with winning records
Losses
Booker Washington (FL) 14-0 (2013)
Mountain Pointe (AZ) 14-0 (2013)
Bergen Catholic (NJ) 8-4 (2012)
Armwood (FL) 15-0 (2011) (forfeited)
Hamilton (CA) 15-0 (2010)
De La Salle (CA) 14-0 (2010)
Wins
St John Bosco (CA) 12-2 (2014
Santa Margarita (CA) 6-5 (2014)
Centennial (CA) 12-3 (2014)
Bingham (UT) 13-2 (2014)
Servite (CA) 4-7 (2014)
Brophy Prep (AZ) 10-4 (2014)
Bergen Catholic (NJ) 2-7 (2013)
Crespi (CA) 4-7 (2013)
Santa Margarita(CA) 4-6 (2013)
Servite (CA) 6-6 (2013)
Servite (CA) 3-7 (2012)
St Louis (HI) 5-5 (2012)
Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD) 11-1 (2012)
Chandler (AZ) 14-1 (2011)
Del Oro (CA) 10-4 (2010)
Dixie (UT) 8-4 (2009)
Tony Sanchez will have every opportunity to turn in a great coaching effort during his tenure. I don't agree with some of the things I saw with Bishop Gorman but he is a guy that talks with energy and confidence.
The Gaels dominated the Nevada playoffs under his watch and always played tough football.
I will give you the underlying facts but I'm hoping he turns in a great career at UNLV so the program actually starts to win some games.
Am I a skeptic,?
Yes, but I still actually hope that his leadership skills and eyes for details are more keen that I suspect and he gets it done.
The Gaels dominated the Nevada playoffs under his watch and always played tough football.
I will give you the underlying facts but I'm hoping he turns in a great career at UNLV so the program actually starts to win some games.
Am I a skeptic,?
Yes, but I still actually hope that his leadership skills and eyes for details are more keen that I suspect and he gets it done.
Saw that debate quite a bit. I even argued that it would be a terrible idea to fire the guy after that. Turns out I was on the losing end of that
Will
I understand what you are trying to say but how you go about it is ridiculous sometimes.
UNLV was not going to hire Sanchez two years ago whether his team passed for 300 yards a game or 100 yards a game. Their near wins and near losses again would have been irrelevant in the hiring processes. Whether or not they had a 1000 yard rusher was again irrelevant. UNLV nor any other school would remove a coach from their list of candidates because he didn't have a 1000 yard rusher on his team. What if he had 3 guys that ran for 800 yards what the hell is the difference.
The reason Sanchez wouldn't have been hired two years ago is simple. We were coming off our first bowls season in 13 years.
Coaches get fired after bowl seasons at schools like Auburn, and Michigan and Florida because 6-6 and making the John Deere Weedwacker Bowl in Podunk Mississippi isn't good enough. 6-6 or 7-5 seasons at UNLV with some wins over Reno would probably be enough to keep a guy in the job for 10 years here. A school like UNLV would have looked foolish firing their coach after the first bowl season in 13 years. Not to mention the recent contract extension. Any prospective candidates for the job probably would have had reservations after seeing a school fire a coach after their most successful season in over a decade.
Whether or not Sanchez was on the radar two years ago is up for debate. If he was those stats and reasons you listed would have had absolutely no bearing on UNLVs decision. Please try and cover up your anti-Sanchez anti-Gorman sentiment a little better than that. Why you felt the need to once again point out stats that supposedly shine poorly on Gorman or Coach Sanchez is beyond me at this point. They had no bearing what so ever on the initial point of this thread or on UNLVs decision to hire him.
I understand what you are trying to say but how you go about it is ridiculous sometimes.
UNLV was not going to hire Sanchez two years ago whether his team passed for 300 yards a game or 100 yards a game. Their near wins and near losses again would have been irrelevant in the hiring processes. Whether or not they had a 1000 yard rusher was again irrelevant. UNLV nor any other school would remove a coach from their list of candidates because he didn't have a 1000 yard rusher on his team. What if he had 3 guys that ran for 800 yards what the hell is the difference.
The reason Sanchez wouldn't have been hired two years ago is simple. We were coming off our first bowls season in 13 years.
Coaches get fired after bowl seasons at schools like Auburn, and Michigan and Florida because 6-6 and making the John Deere Weedwacker Bowl in Podunk Mississippi isn't good enough. 6-6 or 7-5 seasons at UNLV with some wins over Reno would probably be enough to keep a guy in the job for 10 years here. A school like UNLV would have looked foolish firing their coach after the first bowl season in 13 years. Not to mention the recent contract extension. Any prospective candidates for the job probably would have had reservations after seeing a school fire a coach after their most successful season in over a decade.
Whether or not Sanchez was on the radar two years ago is up for debate. If he was those stats and reasons you listed would have had absolutely no bearing on UNLVs decision. Please try and cover up your anti-Sanchez anti-Gorman sentiment a little better than that. Why you felt the need to once again point out stats that supposedly shine poorly on Gorman or Coach Sanchez is beyond me at this point. They had no bearing what so ever on the initial point of this thread or on UNLVs decision to hire him.
