Rebels denied respect in 2 conference polls

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, July 27, 1999 | 10:23 a.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- It has one of the most respected coaches in college football.

It has a newly remodeled stadium and fancy new helmets.

It even has a brand spanking new conference.

But one thing the UNLV Rebel football team doesn't have yet is respect.

That point was driven home hard at the inaugural Mountain West Conference football media day on Monday when John Robinson's squad was picked to finish last in both the coaches' and media polls.

The fact UNLV will bring the nation's second-longest losing streak -- 16 games -- into its Sept. 2 opener at North Texas probably had a big influence on the balloting.

Poll results

The Mountain West Conference football coaches' and media polls with first-place votes in parentheses:

COACHES

1. Brigham Young (5)

2. Air Force (3)

3. San Diego State

4. Utah

5. Colorado State

6. Wyoming

7. New Mexico

8. UNLV

MEDIA 1. Brigham Young (35)

2. Air Force (1)

3. San Diego State (4)

4. Utah (4)

5. Wyoming (5)

6. Colorado State

7. New Mexico

8. UNLV

But adding insult to injury was the fact the 25-man preseason all-conference squad failed to include even one UNLV player.

The only bright spot for the Rebels was that running back Jeremi Rudolph, the highly-touted junior college transfer from Southwest Mississippi Community College, was picked as the MWC's Newcomer of the Year.

Robinson had already departed the hotel here when the poll results were announced, flying back to Las Vegas to meet with former USC and NFL star Mosi Tatupu about an assistant coaching job on his staff.

But two UNLV players who remained behind to do TV and media interviews -- senior wide receiver Len Ware and sophomore linebacker James Sunia -- believed the polls will only serve to make their teammates work that much harder when fall camps starts in about two weeks.

"We'll use this for motivation," Sunia said. "It sure will carry over. I'll use it when I speak to the team. I'll ask them, 'Do you want to be known as the last place team in the conference?'

"People really haven't seen us play yet," Sunia continued. "They haven't seen what John Robinson has done for this team and this program. They're basing this on last year. But that's all right. I'd love nothing more than to prove these people wrong."

"It doesn't matter," Ware added. "We still haven't won any games. You've got to earn respect. So what if we have a new coach and a new stadium? Until we starting winning games, we don't deserve to be rated higher."

BYU was picked first in both polls followed by defending champion Air Force, San Diego State and Utah. The coaches picked Colorado State fifth and Wyoming sixth while the media poll flip-flopped those two teams. New Mexico was picked to finish seventh in both polls.

BYU linebacker Rob Morris was the pick for both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year while Utah running back Mike Anderson got the nod for Offensive Player of the Year.

"It's flattering but it doesn't help you win any games," Morris said. "It's kind of like picking the Super Bowl in July. Someone is going to be the Atlanta Falcons and someone is going to be the Denver Broncos. Hopefully, we'll be the Denver Broncos."