Tony Sanchez Named UNLV Football Coach: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

UNLV's football program planned to look far and wide for its next head coach. It wound up finding the perfect candidate right at home.     

The Rebels officially announced Tony Sanchez, the head coach at national power Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, will fill their vacant position on Thursday. 

"Tony Sanchez may be a new face to the college game but he is a dynamic leader, a proven winner and an outstanding coach," UNLV President Donald Snyder said in a statement. "He also understands the importance of academics. He has the passion and dedication to elevate UNLV football and provides a strong connection to the Las Vegas community."

Sanchez, 40, has led Bishop Gorman to an 85-5 record and state championships each of the last six seasons. Bishop Gorman went 15-0 in 2014, and the UNLV release indicates the program is expected to win the high school national championship.

Sanchez will take over for the departed Bobby Hauck, who went 15–49 in five seasons in Las Vegas. Hauck resigned last month after the Rebels dropped from a surprising 7-6 in 2013 to 2-11 the following season. He had two years remaining on his contract.

Isaac Brekken/Associated Press

"Athletics are part of the overall student experience at a major university and we need to be competitive," Snyder said. "Given the state of our football program, it was time for a completely new approach. We have tried the traditional route in the past and it has not worked. This begins a new era of UNLV football. We want to generate excitement and energy for the fans, the alumni and all of Southern Nevada."

While certainly a step up from the high school ranks, Sanchez will have his work cut out building a winner at UNLV. The program has appeared in four bowl games since its inception, only two of which have come outside Las Vegas. Hauck's 2013 team was the program's first winning season since 2000. UNLV has 10 winning seasons total since becoming a Division I program in 1978.

Sanchez says he'll look to build the program from within the Las Vegas community.

Season	Overall
2014	15-0
2013	13-2
2012	13-1
2011	16-0
2010	13-2
2009	15-0
Total	85-5 (.944)

“You’ve got to find the local homegrown kids and give them an opportunity and a reason to stay home,” Sanchez told Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated. “That is huge. You talk about putting more people in the stands, getting more community support and people rallying around the program, I think it always starts in your backyard. Home is always home, but you’ve got to give them a reason to want to stay home.”

The program he's taking over will prove a stark contrast Sanchez's time at Bishop Gorman, where he never finished with fewer than 13 wins.

It'll be interesting to see whether Sanchez can work magic at Las Vegas' premier collegiate institution after doing the same at the high school level.

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