Cinkovich making transition from prep to college coach

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

UNLV head coach John Robinson didn't have to look very far for a replacement when wide receivers coach Garrick McGee left in December for a coaching job at Northwestern.

Robinson dipped into the prep ranks and hired highly respected head coach Kris Cinkovich away from nearby Las Vegas High School.

"It was the Monday after we had lost the state championship game (to Reno High School)," Cinkovich recalled. "Coach (Rob) Boras called me and said that there was an opening and would I want to talk to Coach (Robinson)? I said absolutely. It was a hell of an opportunity."

Cinkovich had accomplished just about everything he could at the prep level anyway, guiding the Wildcats to the 2001 state 4-A championship while producing a number of Division I players including University of Washington wide receiver Corey Williams and Air Force wide receiver Anthony Park. And although he had spent his previous 12 years coaching at the high school level, he had college coaching experience as well including one year on Jim Strong's staff at UNLV in 1991 as a running backs coach.

"We all had gotten to know Kris over the last few years," Robinson said. "And we all thought he was an outstanding coach. He's about as much of a football junkie as you can be. He goes everywhere in the country trying to learn more about the game."

Robinson felt that Cinkovich's high school experience was a plus, not a minus.

"Like all high school coaches, he can coach everything," Robinson said. "I think he has a really bright future."

Robinson has shown his faith in Cinkovich's talents by not only giving him the Las Vegas area to recruit but also handing over to him one of the key assistant coaching spots on his staff.

The Rebels are promoting senior Earvin Johnson for All-American honors in their preseason guide. But one of the big keys to the team's offensive success next fall will be the development of a second wideout to replace graduated Michael Johnson and take some of the pressure off of Earvin Johnson.

"Obviously Earvin is established," Cinkobich said. "I think he's ready to have a great year. We'd better get him the football because he's a great football player. And he's putting in the time it takes to do so."

Junior Terry Furlow, who originally transferred in from Fresno State to play quarterback, started the spring at No. 1 at the other wide receiver spot with two talented sophomores, Donell Wheaton and Tremayne Kirkland, still in the running as well as impressive looking redshirt freshman Marques Johnson. Furlow is likely to remain No. 1 heading into the fall.

"I was hoping that someone would have jumped up and nabbed it this spring," Cinkovich said. "But it really isn't any surprise that it hasn't happened. I think our level of performance at the position has gotten better. But our level of consistency has to improve. I like some of these younger kids. We've got to get some experience on them. And that's what spring ball has been good for."

Cinkovich is working for an offensive coordinator, Bruce Snyder, who was the national coach of the year in 1996 as a head coach at Arizona State. And Robinson won the same award in 1978 after coaching USC to a national title.

"That's been an unbelieveable part of the job," he said. "Every day I come to work is a great learning experience for me as a coach. I really like what I'm doing."

Nantkes, who has missed all of spring practice while recovering from a dislocated pubic bone, was given the OK by doctors to begin light throwing.

"I can't drop back or anything like that," Nantkes said. "But I can stand there and throw 20-yarders."

Nantkes said he will return to Vancouver in four weeks to see just how much progress has been made in rehabilitating the injury.