QB coach hopes to get Thomas back on track

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2002 | 10:29 a.m.

Vince Alcalde said he has had just one brief meeting with UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas. But expect the duo to be spending a lot of time together the rest of this year.

That's because Alcalde, a 36-year-old Henderson resident who was the offensive coordinator of the now-defunct Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL, was officially named the new quarterbacks coach for John Robinson's Rebels on Monday.

Robinson, in his first major press conference since taking over athletic director duties for Charles Cavagnaro on Jan. 1, also announced the hiring of his son, David, as tight ends coach and the formation of a new central athletic recruiting center to be run by soon-to-be former Rebel assistant football coach Joe Hubbard.

Robinson also hired Diane Dickerson, former owner and partner of Merica Dickerson Advertising and Public Relations in Las Vegas, as associate athletic director for development. A veteran of more than 25 years in marketing and advertising, she is expected to play a key role in fund-raising.

But it is the hiring of Alcalde, a former Boise State quarterback who was recruited to that school by current UNLV defensive coordinator Mike Bradeson, that will draw the most scrutiny.

It will be Alcalde's job to get Thomas, who struggled through a disappointing junior season, back on track.

"I think Vince is a perfect fit for us," Robinson said. "I think he'll be a perfect fit for our quarterbacks, wide receivers and the passing game as a whole. I'm totally convinced he'll be a great addition to our staff."

Alcalde said he believes many of Thomas' problems last season can be traced to fundamentals.

"Footwork is where it starts for a quarterback," Alvalde said. "If your feet aren't the same your accuracy isn't going to be there. I see that initially as somewhere to start and then we'll see where it goes from there."

David Robinson, 38, spent the last three seasons as defensive line and associate head coach at Cal State Northridge, which recently disbanded its football program. Before that, the Long Beach State graduate spent five years as an assistant for his father at USC.