Tony Sanchez Is Inspired Choice to Be UNLV's Next Football Coach

In this era of college football head coaching, when so many of the men being hired are simply recycled from the current group already at the FBS level, UNLV is trying to do something new that will hopefully lead to a new breed of appointments. 

According to Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Rebels are set to hire Tony Sanchez following the resignation of Bobby Hauck. 

If you are wondering who Sanchez is, Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated has a short answer:

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Sanchez, 40, won his sixth consecutive Nevada Division I state championship and capped a 15-0 season at the Las Vegas powerhouse on Saturday. He also likely clinched the program’s first mythical national title, as Bishop Gorman is ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.com and USA Today. Sanchez’s record is 85-5 at the affluent private Catholic school.

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Sanchez isn't a household name who is going to get casual fans excited, but this is UNLV we are talking about. The Rebels have been irrelevant in the Mountain West Conference for years, finishing under .500 12 times since 2001 and winning two games in eight of those seasons. 

Established college coaches at the FBS level weren't going to be beating down the door to take the UNLV job, so the school had to find another person to help it escape this decade-plus drought. Sanchez may not be the biggest name, but he's the right choice for UNLV. 

Tomm Looney of The JT The Brick Show on Fox Sports Radio noted on Twitter that Sanchez was a strong fit for what UNLV needs:

Sanchez should have no problems recruiting in the area. He knows the high school scene very well, based on his success at Bishop Gorman and his long tenure at the school. 

When a school hits rock bottom, as UNLV obviously has, risks have to be taken. There's more to the Rebels' problems than just who is coaching the team. 

In Anderson's report on the hiring of Sanchez, being able to upgrade the facilities is crucial for UNLV to compete in the Mountain West:

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UNLV’s football program needs all the financial help it can get. (Athletic director Tina) Kunzer-Murphy and (interim President) Snyder have talked about how the school needs to upgrade its facilities in an effort to compete for recruits. The Rebels lag behind most of the other Mountain West schools in facilities, and Colorado State received approval on Friday to build an on-campus stadium.

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A separate report from Anderson on December 1 noted that Lorenzo Fertitta, who is CEO of UFC and resides in Las Vegas, could offer financial support to the football program:

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Lorenzo Fertitta, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship and vice chairman of Station Casinos, said he has not spoken to anyone at UNLV regarding a financial commitment to the school’s football program.

Rumors have swirled the Rebels would hire Bishop Gorman High School coach Tony Sanchez to be their head coach with the financial backing from the Fertitta family.

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While that doesn't sound like anything is imminent, any discussion of additional money to upgrade a compound would be a huge help to this program. 

Former head coach Mike Sanford, who was at UNLV from 2005-09 before being fired, said at his exit press conference five years ago that there is a bigger issue than just the head coach, via Ryan Greene of the Las Vegas Sun:

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In the last 20 years that UNLV has played close to or at BCS-level competition, no football coach has left this program with a winning record, which includes a man — John Robinson — who is being inducted into the college football Hall of Fame next month. In my opinion, this must be a systemic, infrastructure and commitment issue, and not a coach issue.

There's a mentality (within the community) of 'Well, let's see if they win, then we'll jump on the bandwagon and help them.' And that's not going to work. It hasn't worked, like I said, for 20 years. UNLV keeps changing coaches, and that's not the answer.

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Here we are five years later: UNLV has had one winning season since Sanford left, and things aren't any better. Finding the right head coach is a crucial step in the process, and Sanchez has the makings of a star at the college level. 

Rebuilding a college program does take money and facilities as well, but there are coaches who can make an impact right away. It's going to be a learning process, as with any new job, though the best parallel might be with Gerry Faust. 

Notre Dame memorably hired Faust away from Archbishop Moeller prior to the 1981 season. He struggled in five years with the program, posting a record of 30-26-1 before resigning.

There won't be nearly as much pressure on Sanchez at UNLV, which is good, as it allows him the chance to develop in ways that Faust really wasn't going to get with Notre Dame at the peak of its popularity in the sport. 

Thinking outside the box is what makes sports great. Sanchez is a local product who undoubtedly understands where UNLV is and where it can go. He will need help to get it there, but given the time and resources, he should turn the Rebels into a consistent bowl contender. 

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