Hamrick will look for a man of energy

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Sept. 27, 2004 | 10:09 a.m.

Bruce Snyder, offensive coordinator, UNLV

Proven Pac-10 winner and 1996 national coach of the year.

Steve Kragthorpe, head coach, Tulsa

National coach of the year leading Golden Hurricane to a bowl in first year.

Mike Sanford, offensive coordinator, Utah

Imaginative play-caller who has excellent coaching pedigree (USC, Notre Dame, Stanford) and a top-notch recruiter.

Chris Peterson, offensive coordinator, Boise State

Third year at the controls of one of the nation's most prolific offense.

Mike Price, head coach, UTEP

If he could do it in Pullman, think what he'd do in Las Vegas. But would he leave El Paso in just one year?

Brian White, offensive coordinator, Wisconsin

Former Rebels assistant in the early '90s who still has strong UNLV connections.

Steve Spurrier, ex-Florida, Redskins head coach

Would love the golf courses but figures to command about $3 million per year. Rumored to be North Carolina-bound.

Norm Chow, USC offensive coordinator

Better believe Mike Garrett will come up with big $$$ to keep him producing Heisman Trophy quarterbacks at Troy.

Rick Neuheisel, ex-Washington/Colorado head coach

Already left two programs in shambles and under NCAA investigation.

Dan Hawkins, Boise State head coach

Likely No.1 candidate for University of Washington opening. Would be a lateral move at best.

UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick said Sunday night that there will be a search committee of one to find a successor for head football coach John Robinson.

"The president (Dr. Carol C. Harter) has given me the authority to bring in the candidate that I believe would be right for the position," Hamrick said. "There won't be any search committees responsible for that task."

It's the same strategy that worked successfully last spring when Hamrick quietly wooed Lon Kruger to replace Charlie Spoonhour as the Rebels men's basketball coach.

Hamrick, who said he was notified by Robinson on Sunday morning of his decision to retire at the end of the season, said he would begin today "putting together some thoughts on some potential candidates. I'm sure I'll have a pretty good list of candidates within about two weeks."

He said he would like to have Robinson's replacement in tow as close to the Nov. 20 season finale at San Diego State as possible.

"You would prefer to have it done as soon as the season is over so you don't miss time in recruiting," said Hamrick, a former linebacker from Marshall. "But you don't want to rush your decision based just on that. It's an important hire."

Hamrick said the school is prepared to pay the new coach a salary comparable to other head coaches in the league. That is likely in the $600,000 to $700,000 range. Unlike the hiring of Kruger, however, he said that previous college head coaching experience will not be a must for the right candidate.

"I've always said that if you can get a successful head coach that's what you try to do," Hamrick said. "But if you can't do that, there's a lot of great head coaches out there today who once were excellent assistant coaches."

And what qualities is Hamrick looking for in Robinson's replacement?

"Energy is important," he said. "Someone who can go out and sell UNLV football in the community is very important. ... Recruiting is also one of the most important aspects of a head coach and the assistants he brings in with him."

Hamrick said one advantage for UNLV in Robinson's early announcement is that there's no rush for to find his replacement.

"It's not like John is quitting now," he said. "He's guaranteed he'll coach those last seven games for us. I think one of the reasons he wanted to get this out now was to help us get going on finding a good replacement. John cares more about this program than people know. I'm disappointed that he's leaving because I like John so much and I respect him so much as a coach and as a person."