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Posted 11/17/2009 at 04:29 AM
The big local story over the weekend, aside from the latest amazing performance by the incomparable Manny Pacquiao, was the firing of UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford. The termination was not at all surprising. I reported several weeks ago that Sanford would be relieved of his command as soon as the Rebels were no longer in the hunt for a bowl bid. Saturday’s lopsided loss at Air Force brought down the curtain on any post season possibilities and, sure enough, even with just the one game remaining against San Diego State, Sanford got the axe right away, although he will coach the finale.
Personally, I’m really sorry it didn’t work out for Coach Sanford. Mike’s a terrific guy, and I enjoyed our conversations over the past several years. I don’t see him getting another head coaching opportunity at the D-1 level anytime soon, but I have no doubts Sanford will land as an offensive assistant in short order. Say whatever you want about his abilities as a head coach, but there’s no denying his talent in working with offenses in general and QB’s in particular.
I’m going to focus on a couple of key points Coach Sanford made on Monday during his press conference. First, a rundown on some of Mike’s comments, then my take on what he said.
Sanford: “I came from a university community that understood the commitment necessary in the area of finances, facilities and community support to truly compete at the BCS level. I wasn’t given enough time or given enough resources to do it. Five years was not enough time to build this program from where it was when we inherited it.”
“If people really want to win here, they need to put their money where their mouth is. I don’t believe that’s ever been done here. I came here with the idea that would happen. But projects that were talked about never got done, and may never get done. (UNLV is) the only school in the MWC that doesn’t have a student-athlete activity center, which is huge in recruiting. There’s more of a commitment at Reno in facilities than there is at UNLV.
“Our locker room is the worst in college football.”
“People that are successful in college football make their commitment before the winning. Here, it’s let’s see if they win, then we’ll help them. (Instead) UNLV keeps changing coaches and that doesn’t work.”
“I would not be doing what my coaching staff and I believe is right if I did not bring out the truth about where this program is and what it needs to do to be successful. And it’s not changing coaches.”
I basically agree with much of what Coach Sanford said today. But Mike had to know coming in that this was not USC or Utah (two of his previous stops). However, I also feel that Sanford has a right to be disappointed in the lack of progress in at least improving what’s in place. That’s not on Sanford, but rather on the athletic department. Let’s face it, UNLV missed badly on the A.D. front with both Charlie Cavagnaro and Mike Hamrick. Cavagnaro was a total disaster in every regard. Hamrick was far more qualified, but for whatever reason he was never able to connect with the local movers and shakers. Sanford didn’t directly point the finger at the athletic department, but he really didn’t have to. Make no mistake, hiring the right man to head up the athletic department is of paramount importance and if UNLV doesn’t sign one of two outstanding local candidates, things will not change for this school’s football program.
On the other hand, the lack of funds, less than stellar facilities and questionable community support have little to do with UNLV’s consistent inability to tackle opposing running backs. I don’t know whether it’s the personnel or the schemes, but the rushing yardage surrendered on a consistent basis by the Rebels is beyond alarming, and they actually got worse in that regard this season. There is zero doubt in my mind that, beyond anything else on or off the field, the abject failure of this team to defend opposing ground attacks is the single biggest reason they couldn’t at least forge a .500 record in these last two campaigns.
Coach Sanford has every right to be extremely proud of his accomplishments in improving the character and academics of the UNLV football program. Mike was adamant from his first day on the job that there was a responsibility that came with the privilege of wearing the uniform and he hit a grand slam on that count. He recruited good kids who stayed out of trouble and the formerly unacceptable graduation rate of football players is now a rock solid 60%, which is better than the overall school average.
My biggest fault with Sanford was, without question, his tendency to blame the players for failing to execute when things went badly. I’m old school in this regard. The Rebels lost their share of games under former coach John Robinson. And every time I would ask Coach JRob about what happened, he gave the same answer. He blamed himself. Now I know that at team meetings and practices, he no doubt got all over players who blew assignments, lacked focus or just didn’t get the job done. But publicly, John Robinson invariably gave all the credit to the players when the team did well, and shouldered the entire blame himself when they lost. That’s the kind of coach I’d like to play for, and I can’t help but wonder if Coach Sanford would have been better served adapting a similar philosophy.
I honestly can’t tell you whether or not Mike Sanford is a good football coach. I know the results weren’t good, but you’ll have to decide for yourself how much of that responsibility falls on the coach. It’s an easy call at schools where there’s a winning tradition, and a strong support system. At a program like UNLV, where winning at football is an unfamiliar concept, it’s a very tough call. But the bottom line is that I do feel Mike Sanford leaves the program in better shape than when he arrived. Hopefully, his successor will find a way to get the Rebels to the next level. But first and foremost, and before UNLV fans even consider that possibility, it’s incumbent upon the school to put the right man in charge of the athletic department and then go from there. Otherwise, I’ll be writing this very same column about five years from now.
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