Robinson, Rebels set to begin rebuilding

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Sept. 23, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

Can you teach toughness in football?

UNLV coach John Robinson hopes so. Otherwise, a season that is off to a disappointing 1-3 start could turn positively dreadful.

The Rebels return to the practice field tonight for the first time since their latest debacle, a 38-21 loss at Toledo on Saturday night. It was the second straight contest that UNLV, which trailed 24-0 at halftime, came out flat and was basically out of the game by halftime. The Rebels have been outscored 61-7 in the first half of their last two games.

"We've got to come out of the locker room and strike the first blow," said Robinson, who was denied his 200th career coaching victory for the second straight week. "We're not. Instead, we're ducking."

Ducking might not have been a bad idea for Rebel players who received the full force of Robinson's wrath at halftime and at the end of the game.

"This is a low ebb for us," Robinson said. "It's as embarrassed and disappointed as I've been as a coach in my career.

"Our football team is not functioning. We're not competing. We're not playing with any kind of aggressiveness or heart. We seem to be standing around and waiting for things to happen ... and they indeed happen (against UNLV)."

"I don't really know what's going on with this team right now," said senior tailback Joe Haro, who finished with 108 yards rushing. "We're just not fighting. As a team, we're just not scratching and fighting like Coach Robinson has told us to over the last couple of years.

"We're in trouble right now. We're just not playing well. ... I feel bad for letting (Robinson) down."

UNLV has a bye this week to try to straighten things out before hosting revitalized in-state rival Nevada-Reno (2-1) in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon on Oct. 5.

"I think we're fortunate in that we have two weeks to get ready for the next game," Robinson said. "We're going to start over and rebuild this football team. If we don't get the kind of attention and focus we need, we'll just start getting ready for next year."

"I'm an optimist," Haro said when asked if he thought the Rebels could turn things around. "I believe we can turn this thing around, but it's going to take a lot of commitment from everybody. And it has to start (tonight)."