UCLA is set to go on the road for the first time in 2015, heading to Las Vegas to play a UNLV program that has just one winning season in the last 15 years. However, the hiring of former Bishop Gorman coach Tony Sanchez has invigorated the Rebels’ community. The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mark Anderson answered some questions about UNLV, and what Sanchez has done in his first few months on the job.
1. What has Tony Sanchez done to show the UNLV community that he can snap the program out of its doldrums? Does this feel markedly different from the last few coaching hires?
He has really sold the community. There was initial skepticism, as there always is with UNLV football, but Sanchez had a dynamite introductory news conference. Then he assembled a veteran college coaching staff and a promising first recruiting class given the late start. Sanchez has been aggressive in recruiting, and already has nine commitments for the 2016 class, which is unheard of at UNLV this far out. He also has incorporated Las Vegas in his promotion of the program to recruits and the community, which has gone over really well locally.
UNLV’s first game under him was competitive. The Rebels were more than three-touchdown underdogs, but had their chances to beat Northern Illinois. This remains a tough job and there is still an enormous amount of work to do to turn around UNLV, but Sanchez couldn’t be off to a much better start. There is rare optimism, something that hasn’t existed with this program since John Robinson’s first three or four seasons.
2. Given the Rebels’ recent struggles, what would be a reasonable timeframe for Sanchez to make them into a bowl contender? What most needs to change about the team for that to happen?
It helps that the Mountain West is way down from what it used to be when BYU, Utah and TCU were in the league, so that could speed up the process. It wouldn’t be completely crazy if the Rebels were pushing for bowl eligibility in 2016. They played in a bowl just two seasons ago. My expectation is 2017 is the key year in that regard.
As for what needs to change, there is so much. Continue reading “Five questions: Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mark Anderson on UNLV” »