Coaches make injury report

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Dec. 17, 1999 | 10:48 a.m.

The good news for the Fresno State Bulldogs is that their team has no serious injuries to report for Saturday's EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl game against Utah.

The bad news is that the coaching staff can't make the same claim.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle had to undergo emergency root canal surgery on Monday. And defensive line coach Ruffin McNeill, who spent the previous two years as defensive coordinator at UNLV, spent five days in the hospital with pneumonia shortly before the team arrived in town this week.

* CROWD WOES: It appears Saturday's game will be lucky to hit the 20,000 mark in actual attendance, a major blow to Las Vegas Bowl officials who were openly talking about getting close to a sellout a few weeks ago when the matchup was made.

"We'll have a crowd announcement (today)," Las Vegas Bowl public relations man Michael Mack said on Thursday afternoon. "I believe we're getting close to 20,000."

However, even if the game draws only 22,000, it will set an attendance mark for the contest.

The Las Vegas Bowl attendance record is only 21,514 for Oregon's 41-13 victory over Air Force in 1997. Last year's North Carolina-San Diego State game, played in a steady and chilly 40 mph wind, is No. 2 on the all-time attendance list at 21,429.

The smallest crowd to witness a Las Vegas Bowl occurred in 1996 when only 10,118 viewed Nevada-Reno's 18-15 win over Ball State.

* PEP RALLY: Both head coaches will make brief comments at a pep rally at the Fremont Street Experience tonight at 7.

Marching bands and cheerleaders from both schools will also be on hand and will perform in a "Battle of the Bands" competition. The pep rally is free and open to the public.

Immediately following the pep rally, Lil' Elmo and the Cosmos will perform classic rock hits.