Sanford starting to shape sideline

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2004 | 9:09 a.m.

New UNLV football coach Mike Sanford added three assistant coaches to his staff Monday, including one who should be very familiar to Rebels fans.

Mike Bradeson, the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the past four years under John Robinson and a member of the Rebels coaching staff since 1996, will coach defensive backs.

"Shoot, I've got some roots here after coaching here nine years, so yeah, I am excited about being retained," said Bradeson, 45.

Bradeson has long been regarded as the team's top recruiter and hardest working assistant. He joined the Rebels under Jeff Horton in 1996. Among his star pupils are two-time All-American safety Jamaal Brimmer and current NFL defensive backs Kevin Thomas (Bills) and Sam Brandon (Broncos).

"I have known Mike Bradeson a long time and have coached against him for a long time," Sanford said. "He is talented and a very hard working coach. I think he is one of the best secondary coaches in the country."

Sanford also hired East Carolina offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Noah Brindise for the same jobs at UNLV, although Sanford has made it clear he will be calling the plays.

Brindise played quarterback for Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida from 1995-97 and coached quarterbacks for him for two years with the Washington Redskins before leaving for East Carolina two years agao.

Sanford said Brindise had an opportunity to join Spurrier at South Carolina or ex-Florida coach Ron Zook at Illinois but choose UNLV instead.

The third new assistant is interior offensive line coach Keith Uperesa, who spent the 2004 season as a tight ends and offensive line assistant at Utah.

A former all-WAC tackle at BYU, Uperesa was offensive line coach at USC for two years (2001-02) and is expected to spearhead a new recruiting emphasis on Hawaii.

The three join three other assistant coaches Sanford brought in last week -- linebackers coach Kurt Barber, veteran tight ends/offensive tackles coach Gary Bernardi, who also will oversee recruiting, and wide receivers coach Kris Cinkovich, another holdover.