Hello Rebels,
I know it hurts. Coming THIS close to a program-altering bowl bid and falling short by losing to your rival stings. Many of you are angry, frustrated, wondering what can be done to right this ship and propel yourselves to Mountain West glory. I understand, because I've seen this journey before.
But first, why I'm writing to you today.
You see, I'm a newly converted fan.
Granted, not a fan like I am a Michigan fan. As a matter of fact, if you played Michigan I'd be hoping that the Wolverines beat you by 40. But against every other school in the country I'd be pulling for you.
Part of the reason is that I like your story, a school with little football success trying to build a program out of the nothingness of the desert in a town fueled by tourism and just starting to understand, and embrace, it's community. In an effort to grow you've hired a local high-school legend to coach your team in what must feel, to some, like a last-ditch effort to save FBS football in your town.
In short, you're the Houston Cougars before Art Briles came to town. With, one major difference.
Location.
Houston is geographically advantaged in that they're in Texas. All they need do every year is recruit a 150 mile wide circle and they can compete in, and sometimes win, the American. They can also grab enough talent to occasionally knock off the big boys.
You don't have that advantage, so you have to work a little harder. So you scratch, and claw (my wife has dubbed you the Desert Rug Rats) and hope to build a winner. And I think you can. Because over the past 13 years that I've been a Vegas regular I've grown to like you, a lot. I think you have one of the better fields in the country (The Big Roulette Wheel) you have great uniforms, a good mascot and, until recently, a good logo. You also represent my 2nd home town. Las Vegas. A city that I love probably even more than my actual home town of Houston.
And I don't just mean the casinos. I love the things that locals do, I've even been to a UNLV hockey game for chrissakes. You are my new #2, team that is.
But there are some things we need to discuss.....
1. If not Sanchez, then who?
I realize that there are quite a few of you who are ready for Sanchez to go. The losses to Air Force, BYU and especially Howard were hard to swallow. Top all of that off with a loss to Nevada - Reno and you had to be crying in your Mimosa on Sunday morning.
The problem with this is who would you hire that is a better fit? When Art Briles took over at Houston he went 7-6 then 3-8 and then 6-6 before he started his run that got him the Baylor job where he got all rape-enabling and was rightly drummed out of coaching. UNLV however is a different animal altogether. You've never been nationally ranked to end a season and you've only had 3 bowls in your history, we're not counting the forfeited 1984 California Bowl, and you've never won a bowl not played in Las Vegas. You have zero winning tradition and zero history to fall back on. To counter that you need a coach like Sanchez who does have a winning history at Bishop Gorman, and who knows how to win championships.
2. 5-7 is better than last year.
I realize it's not much, but the team has shown steady improvement over the last 3 years of Sanchez coaching them. You were 2-11 in 2014, then Sanchez took over and you finished 3-9 in 2015 and then 4-8 in 2016 before finishing 5-7 in disappointing fashion this year.
But the point is, you believed. You believed, even after the Howard loss, and especially after the Fresno State win, that you belonged, that you were going to be bowl bound after all this time. Remember though, you've only been playing football since 1968, many schools have title droughts longer than that.
3. For the first time, you have talent.
Armani Rogers is going to be a great quarterback for you and Lexington Thomas might just end up as the best running back in school history. Oh yeah, you're loaded at the WR position as well. Yes, you need a serious talent upgrade on defense, and on the offensive line (hiring a new strength and conditioning coach, a better one, would do wonders) and your special teams are not, but there's a base there that could compete in the Mountain West provided the young players develop.
I, for one, like the idea of Andre Collins Jr. and Kendall Keys lining up on the outside next year with a host of options in the slot. And I really like the young talent on this defense, they just need to get stronger. I think you have the makings of a good season next year, and an improvement on your 3rd place divisional finish this year.
The thing to remember is that you're on pace. Yes, it's hard being a fan of the Desert Rug Rats, and it's going to continue to be hard as long as you remain in a Group of Five conference. But that's life in college football today.
What I can say is that you're about to graduate to the big leagues when the Raider's new multi-Billion dollar play-pen is built and you are allowed to play there.
But, be careful with that. Many teams have moved off of campus only to look back wistfully at their old digs. I, for one, LOVE the Big Roulette Wheel and will be sad to see that field go. You're doing some great things embracing an emerging city culture, don't goof it up.
Go Rebs!!
Sincerely.
Cory
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