OPPORTUNITY FOR OPTIMISM: Win within reach for Rebels - Sports

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Oct. 24, 2009
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OPPORTUNITY FOR OPTIMISM: Win within reach for Rebels

UNLV has good shot to end MWC road skid against winless Lobos

By MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

UNLV Football

GAME DAY

• UNLV VS. NEW MEXICO

• WHEN: 5 p.m. today

• WHERE: University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.

• TV/RADIO: The Mtn. (334), KWWN-AM (1100)

• LINE: Pick; total 59

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Few people are more optimistic than UNLV football coach Mike Sanford.

He not only speaks hopefully about winning each week, he seems to truly believe the Rebels will accomplish the task no matter how difficult the challenge, no matter how many doubters snicker.

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Finally, here's a chance for the Rebels (2-5, 0-3 Mountain West Conference) to meet Sanford's expectations and win without stunning those outside the program. In fact, this is a game they must win, facing possibly the nation's worst team in New Mexico (0-6, 0-2) at 5 p.m. PDT today.

"A win this week is extremely crucial for us," UNLV quarterback Omar Clayton said.

The Rebels have lost when they were favored (Wyoming), lost to a winless team (UNR) and lost three times by at least 20 points (UNR, Brigham Young and Utah).

Those losses make up the team's four-game skid, which is nothing compared to the ongoing school-record 20-game conference losing streak.

The Lobos' only close game this season was a 20-17 defeat to New Mexico State. Their other losses have been by at least 20 points.

New Mexico is last in the MWC in scoring offense, scoring defense, total offense, pass defense, turnover margin, first downs, third-down conversions and sacks allowed.

The Lobos will be without coach Mike Locksley, who was suspended for one game for an altercation with an assistant. Assistant head coach George Barlow is handling the head coaching responsibilities.

"Even though it's an interim coach, I've got a feeling that Mike Locksley's very involved," Sanford said. "We expect to see their best. Our biggest concern is improving ourselves. We've got enough concerns within our own deal."

The Rebels have had a season's worth of worries in the past month, but if they play up to their capabilities, they could record an easy victory. And maybe a month ago, oddsmakers would have agreed without qualifications.

But those setting the lines have gone back and forth on this point spread for a reason. UNLV was as much as a 3-point favorite, New Mexico once was a 1-point favorite, and the line now is at pick 'em.

Sanford's job status comes more into question with each defeat, and this week's development of a speeded-up search for a permanent athletic director doesn't temper the talk.

Imagine what a loss to New Mexico would do.

"Our deal is continuing to fight," Sanford said.

Sanford isn't blind to the speculation, but he has tried to remain focused on winning games. A victory tonight might have little bearing on his long-term prospects at UNLV, but at least it would stem some of the negativity.

For a week anyway. A trip to Texas Christian, which is trying to make a BCS bowl game, is on the schedule for next Saturday.

But UNLV's players could at least take a little momentum into that game as well as new-found confidence.

"This game is big," Rebels wide receiver Phillip Payne said. "We need to get a win somewhere. I think that will make it carry over to other weeks and get a string going."

The Rebels need it. Otherwise, ugly will only begin to describe the already cloudy atmosphere that surrounds the program.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. bulldogfan wrote on November 17, 2009 01:02 PM: Coach hill may come to your school, who knows. Probabaly not though because his players rank very high on academics so he will probably will get a contract extension. The problem is you guys will probably bad mouth him just like we do in fresno when he loses a game. When the dogs are winning its --wow we've got a great team this year--one loss later--fire hill get a new coach. So it doesnt matter who the coach is. Jake wrote on October 25, 2009 06:19 PM: Green Dragon is just a bandwagoner, don't mind him, he is just a jerk. I think Pat Hill would be a good pick and a nice fit for UNLV. The key a great program is the right person as Athletic Director. The guy they got now is not the guy, hell he was just an average trainner. The Road win is a joke and Mike Sanford the blunt of this joke of a football coaching staff. See ya Mike Sanford! Mike Sanford wrote on October 25, 2009 05:58 PM: Yes the Rebels are in the mist of bad season, the southern nevada communities are having a tough time. No matter how bad the economy is here in Nevada, Las Vegas has the money to up grade the stadium and hire a great coach. It is very clear that Green Dragon is an outsider and knows very little about Las Vegas. The 18,000 people who came from Provo to see BYU play two weeks ago had to stay somewhere? Same with 11,000 Utah fans and the 9,000 Hawaii fans. So the Casinos will feel the pinch if the Rebels close down the program. So Green Dragon you sound like a moron with no cares about so nevada. Why don't you get on the same bus as Mike Sanford and leave town? Bob wrote on October 25, 2009 05:46 PM: Hey Green Dragon You are either a fan of UNR or a pot head or both, you are not a Rebel fan so you should keep you thoughts to yourself. See you don't care that the Rebels have poor coaching, youdon't care that there is some people more then you give credit to that enjoy supporting the Rebels, you don't care because you are not a UNLV Fan. Green Dragon doesn't care he just a big mouth...... If you dislike the Rebels so much don't go to the games. Bo wrote on October 25, 2009 03:24 PM: Green Dragon Regular You are some know it all.... UNLV will not put the program to rest for two years..... You have no clue what it takes to run a athletice program, dispite UNLV poor showing on the field, they make money from the football program, I know hard to believe, but its ture. So if they do what you say, UNLV will close down most if not all their athletic programs, going back to the dark ages. The only writing on the wall is the crap your writting! So Green Dragon Regular if you don't like UNLV don't go to the games just do what ever you do and ignor the football program, it doesn't fans like you as much as you don't need the football program.. Green Dragon Regular wrote on October 25, 2009 09:55 AM: All you dreamers out there who think UNLV could lure a winning head coach with a "couple million dollars" a year- Any of you read the paper's financial section lately? "There is so much money in las (sic) Vegas..." Really? Is that why Strip projects are being cancelled or left unfinished? Is that why City Center just got valued at less than half its cost?? Is that why UNLV's budget is facing huge cuts? Is that why the town is now SHRINKING? Wake up and smell the coffee geniuses- UNLV's endowment is less than half of that of the other MWC schools, and any head coach who has even looked at UNLV has been turned off by the lack of community support (a.k.a. "Fans") or the quality of life in Las Vegas. Remember Rick Pitino? Football head coaches are higher paid and in far more demand than basketball coaches. Best thing UNLV could do, given the financial situation and the football program's poor history, would be to leave the MWC, mothball football for two years, enter a lower tier of collegiate athletic conferences, and try to re-field a team in two to three years at that level. The writing's on the wall, but none of the folks who graduated from CCSD or UNLV seem to be able to read it. Fire Sanford Supporter wrote on October 25, 2009 09:34 AM: We don't need anymore offensive minded coaches that think you can ignore the defense and just score more points than your're opponent. Just look at the #1 team Florida and #2 Alabama, they wIn with DEFENSE! Most all of the Superbowl winners have the best DEFENSE! Pat Hill's 60% overall win percent is not all that great, but compared to Sanford's 25% he don't look bad, but he too throws the DEFENSE under the bus. TCU beats BYU 38-7 with DEFENSE! UNLV has zero chance of beating TCU because they have NO DEFENSE! KB wrote on October 24, 2009 11:48 PM: The replacement should be Fresno State's Pat Hill! His teams can play with any one...... GreenHornet wrote on October 24, 2009 11:46 PM: I would hire Chris Peterson or Pat Hill, these to guys can coach and there teams are for real! NO assistant, hire just well known Headcoaches! Flight Time wrote on October 24, 2009 11:44 PM: UNLV has not had a winning coach since 1984 25 years, so we have won three bowl games and a couple of league titles, but really not any kind of success. I look at the list below and I have to agree, spend the money and lets build a program that will be a top 25 school in football. I can't be alone on this, go after the finest coaches and pay them the money and let win...... If you look at all the money we spent on the last 6 coaches, we should be a top 20 program. I like the list, e-mail that list to the boneheads that run the University they are worthless. IM pulling for Pat Hill he is a former assistant under Tony Knapp, back when we won more then we lost. Read All Comments