Scuffle after loss sums up Rebels’ problems

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 10:19 a.m.

It appears the frustration of a probable winless season may finally be hitting the boiling point around UNLV's football team.

Shortly after the Rebels (0-9, 0-6) lost arguably their best shot at a 1998 victory --- a 20-16 loss to a crippled Tulsa (3-5, 1-4) team that had lost five games in a row itself --- the few fans of the announced crowd of 15,187 still left at Sam Boyd Stadium started to let UNLV's players and head coach Jeff Horton have it.

"The players aren't the problem," one fan shouted toward UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro, who was huddled with UNLV president Dr. Carol C. Harter as players slowly walked off the field.

What did Cavagnaro, who has said he will wait until the end of the season to evaluate Horton's performance, think of the contest?

"A tough game," he said simply.

But the nastiest incident took place outside the UNLV locker room afterward.

Offensive coordinator Buzz Preston, whose squad ranks dead last in the NCAA in total offense again this week, had to be physically restrained from going after the unhappy father of UNLV receiver Sam Brandon.

Brandon, a redshirt freshman from J.W. North High in Riverside, Calif., who scored UNLV's only touchdown in a 10-7 loss at SMU two weeks ago, saw little action down the stretch in Saturday's loss to the Golden Hurricane. He finished with just one catch for 14 yards.

Brandon's father, Michael, voiced his complaints about the team's record and his son's lack of playing time in no uncertain terms with Preston and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander. That's when tempers reached the boiling point.

"I don't need this kind of B.S. now Mr. Brandon," Preston shouted. "We just played our (butts) off to try and win a game."

Alexander, secondary coach Mike Bradeson and a female bystander had to jump in between the onrushing Preston and Brandon before cooler heads finally prevailed.

A few minutes later, a dejected Horton walked out of the locker room with wife, Teri, not knowing what had just transpired.

Horton, who still has one more year remaining on his contract with UNLV, was asked if the thought of pulling a "Terry Bowden" and resigning had entered his mind.

"No, no," he said. "I don't quit at anything. As long as they want me to be here, I'll be here. I'm a blue collar kind of guy. Until they change the locks on me, I'll be here."

Is Horton concerned he won't get that chance to coach UNLV next year?

"Nah," he said. "You control what you can control. I can't make people's minds up for them or influence them. I tell the players to do their job and all I can do is do my job to the best of my ability. If that's good enough, so be it. If it's not, then so be it."

Does Horton think Cavagnaro and Harter are still in his corner?

"I have no idea," he said.

Horton said no meeting has been set with Cavagnaro to discuss his future.

"I haven't been told of one," he said. "I just keep working."