Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

UNR players take offense at Sanford’s comments

UNLV head coach Mike Sanford fired the first shot in this week's Battle for the Fremont Cannon when he said the Rebels will refer to in-state rival Nevada-Reno only as "the team up north."

Predictably, that didn't go over too well with the Wolf Pack, especially when Sanford added: "We're not going to give them the respect of calling them by their name."

And heading into Saturday night's 31st meeting between the two schools, a full-blown war of words has broken out.

"They are disrespecting us," UNR senior running back and co-captain B.J. Mitchell told the Reno Gazette-Journal after seeing the quotes that appeared in Tuesday afternoon's edition of the Sun. "They can talk all they want. Game day is Saturday night. We'll see if they can back it up.

"This is my fourth year playing these guys. They have done their stuff every year and it doesn't surprise me anymore."

The Gazette-Journal said Wolf Pack head coach Chris Ault laughed when shown Sanford's comments.

"Usually the guy rowing the boat doesn't have time to rock it," Ault said, alluding to UNLV's five-game winning streak in the series, which is tied at 15-15. "I love it. Let's go."

Ault then added more fuel to the fire when he told a group of UNR boosters on Monday that "we are expecting to show up and kick UNLV's (rear end), it's plain and simple."

That statement, along with those of Mitchell's, now are plastered all over the Rebels locker room.

"I saw that stuff," senior safety and co-captain Joe Miklos said with a smile. "As simple as that, huh?

"I don't want to engage in anything back and forth," he continued. "We'll see what happens on the field. It definitely got our notice, though. It's up in the locker room right now."

"It's interesting that (Ault) is coming out and saying some of the things he's saying," Sanford added.

Senior defensive end Leon Moore fired a few shots of his own at "the team up north" when asked about the Wolf Pack's bulletin board material.

"Their coach said plain and simple he expects them to come out and kick our (rear end)," Moore said. "Plain and simple they've expected to do that five years in a row and it hasn't gone that way.

"I believe B.J. Mitchell said we're the ones doing a lot of talking and that Saturday night you have to bring your pads and you can't do a lot of talking. Well, Saturday night I expect to see a quiet stadium, no blue rising, empty seats and a 'W' on the board for us."

During this week's Mountain West coaches' teleconference, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, who was the defensive coordinator with the Cougars when Meyer started his "team down south" routine, was asked what he thought of the practice.

"The approach that we've taken is to give the teams respect, call them by what the name is," Mendenhall said. "Our players, I think in general, kind of think it's silly and think they're above taking those kind of tactics."

Moore is the third Rebel in 14 years to earn the honor, which recognizes players' accomplishments in off-the-field activities. Safety Jamaal Brimmer (2004) and offensive guard Tony Terrell (2002) also made the squad.

Among the activities in which Moore has participated are that of a guest activities director at Camp Cartwheel, a summer program for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, as well as numerous appearances to area schools to read to students and speak about sportmanship and the importance of staying in school. He also has been involved in the Backpacks 2 Go program in North Las Vegas and volunteered his time to Rebel Football Plays Santa, which sees the team adopt a local needy family and then delivers gifts near the holidays.

"It's a huge honor, not just for the award, but for the kids to actually want me to come out and talk to them and play around throwing the football or to read them a book," Moore said. "Lord knows I'm not the best reader in the world but, hey, if the kids enjoy me coming out, it's great."

Among the other players who joined Moore on the Good Works All-American team are Texas quarterback Vince Young, Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley and UCLA linebacker Dan Nelson.

Starting right tackle Jesse Knight, who suffered a neck stinger in Saturday night's 34-31 victory against Idaho, had to leave practice early so he could get an MRI.

Knight said he has full strength back in his arms from the injury but that he is still experiencing some numbness in his shoulder and chest area.

"They just want to make sure I didn't rupture anything in there," Knight said.

Meanwhile, starting outside linebacker Beau Bell (groin) participated in non-contact agility drills but is still listed as questionable for Saturday night's game.

archive