Tony Sanchez Most Important UNLV Football Coach Ever?

[RebelinWA]

The tennis facility donation from the Fertitta family was back in 1993 with a later additional amount for an upgrade, and this is the only building as far as I know that is named after a member of the Fertitta family prior to the football complex. If there are multiple buildings named after the Fertitta family, what buildings are those? I do not know of any past donations made to UNLV football, prior to the one they gave through Coach Sanchez, by the Fertitta family. I do not know of any donations to the football program, prior to that for the football complex, so I am not sure where it comes from that a donations for a new football complex was in play by the Fertitta family?

Where did it come from that they already were going to donate to a new football complex and agreed to donate a large share than what they were planning to donate?

Ah, I just realized the other building I was thinking about was the new hotel college. The Fertitta's contributed through Station Casinos, and not in their own name.

 

[Rebel1986]

Exactly. Before Sanchez the UNLV football infrastructure was a disaster. JRob talked about. So did Sanford. The only improvement to UNLV infrastructure was around 2000 under JRob where UNLV was able to install artificial turf and lights. That was it! The Fertitta complex was designed by the same design firm that built both Gormans and Univerity of Oregon football complex. UNLV’s practice facilities are elite. They are an exact duplication of the UO facilities who were built by Nike. Not my opinion. But the opinion of a former Oregon Duck:

“Third-year defensive back Deommodore Lenoir knows his way around elite facilities, as he spent his college career at Oregon, and he said UNLV stacked up nicely.”

“UNLV, I love their locker room,” Lenoir said. “It reminds me of Oregon’s. The whole setup was exactly how ours was. The facilities are just like Oregon’s, too.”

Next will be an enclosed and air conditioned football field.

Actually the may grand stand area with the press box was built under JRob

 

[RebelScrub]

I think a football complex would have been in play regardless of Tony being here. The Fertitta family already have multiple buildings with their name on it on campus, so they might have been in play to donate towards a complex. The difference is I don't think they would have put up as much money, nor put in the effort to make it as nice as it is without him.

They agreed to donate a larger share than what they were planning to in order to get Tony one more year. Even after their man got fired, I have to hand it to them for following through and putting their money where their mouth was.

Without Tony Sanchez there wouldn’t be a Ferttita football complex. Without the Fettita football complex Odom and now Mullen would not have even considered the UNLV job. It’s that simple. UNLV football right now has P4 infrastructure in place and competive facilities with any program in the country regardless of conference affiliation.

P4 infrastructure..D3 leadership.

Staying in the MW will prove to be a fatal error down the line.

 

[utestream]

P4 infrastructure..D3 leadership.

Staying in the MW will prove to be a fatal error down the line.

No. I would say that Mullen and those that bankrolled Mullen diasagree with you. I am not saying that you are guaranteed P4. However, there is a reason that two years ago many people believed that SDSU, WSU, OrSU, Memphis, and UCONN had a better chance of moving to the Big 12 than UNLV. Due to a combination of factors and smart leadership amd decisionmaking by your incredible AD Harper, most now believe that UNLV has a better shot at P4 than any of those schools. Why? UNLV bet on themselves by investing in themselves. If
Mullen leaves after 2 years, it will likely mean that UNLV will have had four years in a row of 9+ wins, a 2025/2026 attendance of more than 40,000 per game and one of the strongest tv viewersipship metrics in all of G5/6. Two years ago, would you have even thought that was possible? The alternative. Jump to pacwhatver, have a huge P4 exit fee , spend less on your profit sharing, NIL and new coaching staff, end up as a middling Pacwhatever program and miss the next round of expansion.

 

[Bullmastiff 1]

No. I would say that Mullen and those that bankrolled Mullen diasagree with you. I am not saying that you are guaranteed P4. However, there is a reason that two years ago many people believed that SDSU, WSU, OrSU, Memphis, and UCONN had a better chance of moving to the Big 12 than UNLV. Due to a combination of factors and smart leadership amd decisionmaking by your incredible AD Harper, most now believe that UNLV has a better shot at P4 than any of those schools. Why? UNLV bet on themselves by investing in themselves. If
Mullen leaves after 2 years, it will likely mean that UNLV will have had four years in a row of 9+ wins, a 2025/2026 attendance of more than 40,000 per game and one of the strongest tv viewersipship metrics in all of G5/6. Two years ago, would you have even thought that was possible? The alternative. Jump to pacwhatver, have a huge P4 exit fee , spend less on your profit sharing, NIL and new coaching staff, end up as a middling Pacwhatever program and miss the next round of expansion.

As far fetched as UNLV to the BIG12 may seem...

There are some things that make me think it's at least a 50/50 shot now.

Main reason being investment into the program..

Why hire Dan Mullen to coach in what amounts to basically CUSA?
Why pay Dan Mullen 3.5 million dollars when any of the following coaches could have been landed at a far cheaper price tag. And when I say cheaper I mean 1.5 million per cheaper

After Odom left UNLV could have folded the tents. They didn't. They could have landed any of these guys and nobody could have said they weren't at least trying to keep things going. Not all of them would have been exciting but none of them would look like UNLV was 'punting.'

Harsin: Easy sell to fan base.
Mora Jr: Decent resume, done well at UConn of all places.
Rolovich: Wouldn't have been super popular but he's coached at a P4 and in MWC.
Neal Brown: Great results at Troy, Odom like tenure at WVU.


HELL, even Marion or Scherer could have been seen as trying to keep some continuity.

All could have been had for far less than Mullen. None would have been considered a 'disaster' hire. (Maybe not palatable to everyone I get that.

Either Harper and Company have been given a blueprint by the BIG12 and what it would take to join. Or we are pouring money into a sinking ship that is the G5.

 

[dcut03]

No. I would say that Mullen and those that bankrolled Mullen diasagree with you. I am not saying that you are guaranteed P4. However, there is a reason that two years ago many people believed that SDSU, WSU, OrSU, Memphis, and UCONN had a better chance of moving to the Big 12 than UNLV. Due to a combination of factors and smart leadership amd decisionmaking by your incredible AD Harper, most now believe that UNLV has a better shot at P4 than any of those schools. Why? UNLV bet on themselves by investing in themselves. If
Mullen leaves after 2 years, it will likely mean that UNLV will have had four years in a row of 9+ wins, a 2025/2026 attendance of more than 40,000 per game and one of the strongest tv viewersipship metrics in all of G5/6. Two years ago, would you have even thought that was possible? The alternative. Jump to pacwhatver, have a huge P4 exit fee , spend less on your profit sharing, NIL and new coaching staff, end up as a middling Pacwhatever program and miss the next round of expansion.

I agree that UNLV is betting on themselves, which is a bit refreshing. It shows confidence and that we aren't just a flash in a pan. Or at least that we are truly going all in.
We can all speculate how much the B12 is truly interested in us. I personally would like to think there is a least a little smoke to that fire. Everything that we have done, including the P4 free pass, makes it look like there at least some sliver of hope.
To play devil's advocate there could be another reason. It is possible that the B12 has said no to us (which is 100% true) and listed all of the reasons why not and we are trying to shove their reasons down their throats. Showing a commitment to football, making big time hires, and hopefully exciting our historically underwhelming fan base along the way. Check, check, check. Now by doing those things, it doesn't mean that the B12 will take us. There are a lot of reasons why they wouldn't. I'm sure they already feel a bit diluted by elevating other G5s, and doing that again may create skepticism for actually working. I am guessing that most of the B12 fanbase would rather not bring in another G5. Their first choice is possibly picking up some ACC scraps if they implode, but there is no guarantee that happens.
Another caveat to this that in 10 years this all may not matter. Turning down the PAC now, may not completely shut that down in the future. Having a little extra cash right now can help this momentum thing going forward, and P4 is really the only answer to having this athletic department truly relevant and to potentially thrive down the road.
So we shoot our wad now. We use all the momentum from the Odom era to go balls to the wall, and at the very least stay relevant as a G5 in a weaker league. If the finances cannot sustain this down the road, then we change our budget accordingly.

 

[Boston Rebel 2]

I bet we could have gotten the same no exit deal from the PAC they are desperate.

 

[utestream]

I bet we could have gotten the same no exit deal from the PAC they are desperate.

I don't think so. I believe that SDSU and some others believed that they could stick it to UNLV. Otherwise, UNLV would have been offered before Memphis. I can't imagine SDSU, CSU and others allowing UNLV to have an out clause that they themselves did not possess. Furthermore, this difference in out clause is one of the reasons that many list UNLV as most likely from those choices to the Big 12. Without the large exit fee and with minimal debt, UNLV could afford to take one third or one quarter of the Big 12 norm. With their debt, the MWC exit fee and the the Pac exit fee, I doubt that SDSU could, even if offered. However, even if your assumption was true, would UNLV then have had the money for Mullen, his entire staff, increased NIL and profit sharing. Mullen, hist staff, larger NIL and profit sharing >>...>>> a membership in the Pac whatever. I believe that SDSU, not UNLV, will regret their decisions, if UNLV gets a Big 12 invite at a reduced payout. From a business perspective, this is opportunity cost.

 

[Boston Rebel 2]

I don't think so. I believe that SDSU and some others believed that they could stick it to UNLV. Otherwise, UNLV would have been offered before Memphis. I can't imagine SDSU, CSU and others allowing UNLV to have an out clause that they themselves did not possess. Furthermore, this difference in out clause is one of the reasons that many list UNLV as most likely from those choices to the Big 12. Without the large exit fee and with minimal debt, UNLV could afford to take one third or one quarter of the Big 12 norm. With their debt, the MWC exit fee and the the Pac exit fee, I doubt that SDSU could, even if offered. However, even if your assumption was true, would UNLV then have had the money for Mullen, his entire staff, increased NIL and profit sharing. Mullen, hist staff, larger NIL and profit sharing >>...>>> a membership in the Pac whatever. I believe that SDSU, not UNLV, will regret their decisions, if UNLV gets a Big 12 invite at a reduced payout. From a business perspective, this is opportunity cost.

SDSU may have thought that but we see how that worked out for them. At that point when they saw options dwindling I think we could have been the ones doing the sticking.

They haven't collected any of the fees yet so I can't imagine any of that is going to Mullen or increased NIL. Profit sharing possibly.