Steve Carp: Upset win helps UNLV for future

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

IT WAS A good day to be a UNLV football player Monday. On campus or on the field, guys were smiling, their heads held high wherever they went.

After 10 straight weeks of disappointment, the sun had to feel good as it shined on Jeff Horton's team. But as Horton said, it'll feel a lot better if they can finish the season Saturday at San Jose State with an encore performance of the 44-42 upset of San Diego State.

"No doubt, this was a big win," he said as he prepared to meet the team at Rebel Park. "But there's a long, long way to go. One win doesn't change what has happened. But a lot of good can erase the bad."

And it's good to see the coach have such a realistic attitude. For amid all the jubilation, celebrating, crying and hugging is the stark reality that this team is 1-10 and has just won three times in its last 22 games.

But Horton knows the climb up the ladder starts with the first rung. After tripping a few times the past 10 weeks, his team grabbed a secure foothold with a win over a very talented San Diego State team which many believed was good enough to play for the Western Athletic Conference championship here on Dec. 7.

"You could see these kids were getting better every week," he said. "The mistakes they were making in September weren't being made anymore. They just needed to get a break or two."

And Horton got one himself. Saturday's wild shootout was televised throughout the West and many of the kids UNLV is trying to recruit watched the proceedings at Sam Boyd Stadium.

They saw Jon Denton throw until his arm nearly fell off. They watched Len Ware and Damon Williams scamper into the end zone. They saw Talance Sawyer and Scott Patton come up with big plays on defense.

And they saw that wild celebration that ensued after Peter Holt's 35-yard game-winning field goal try sailed to the left. Maybe a couple of them said to themselves, "Man, that looks like fun."

"Usually, when we talk to the recruits, they sound more distant," Horton said. "But when we called them Sunday, there was a different tone in their voice. They were all fired up.

"I don't know how many of these kids we're going to wind up getting, but this definitely helped."

And it may have helped open the door for UNLV with some kids who previously weren't considering the Rebels. Make no mistake about it, this is an absolutely critical recruiting year for Horton. His job may very well depend on how well he does come early February when signing day arrives.

He knows he has to get some kids who can play defense. He needs a big running back to take the pressure off Denton. And he knows he can't wait for it to happen down the road.

But Saturday's win gave him hope that not only can the program feel good in the short term, but that the long-term forecast can result in more sunny Mondays at Rebel Park.