Columnist Ron Kantowski: Crash course for Rebels

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005 | 10:02 a.m.

Ron Kantowski is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

Well, the Rebels didn't perform very well during the WAC portion of their schedule. So let's see how they do in the Mountain West.

The early promise UNLV showed in a bittersweet 24-22 loss at New Mexico on Labor Day basically has become a more distant memory than the details of the Louisiana Purchase.

If memory serves, James Monroe (you know, the guy they named a Sun Belt team for) and Robert Livingston negotiated the buyout of a huge tract of land on the lower Mississippi from the French that basically enabled the United States to double in size.

The only thing that has doubled in size since the Rebels played the Lobos so doggone tough in the opener is the frustration of first-year coach Mike Sanford, his players and especially Rebels fans, most of whom expected UNLV to create some unrealistic expectations by beating up on second-tier WAC schools during September.

But it didn't exactly happen, and how WAC is that?

UNLV beat Idaho 34-31 on the last play of the game, gave up state bragging rights and the deed to the Fremont Cannon in a 22-14 setback at UNR and got terminated by the Sandman during Logan's Run II up at Utah State on Saturday, falling 31-24.

Anybody who recalls the cheesy science fiction flick of the 1970s knows the Rebels could use a little "sanctuary" right about now. But it won't come easy at resurgent Wyoming on Saturday, especially with the UNLV quarterback situation suddenly looking more muddled than the Supreme Court batting order.

Shane Steichen has a broken finger and may elect to have surgery. Even if he doesn't, he hasn't exactly set Sanford's world on fire the past couple of weeks and is directly responsible for all seven turnovers UNLV has committed thus far.

"At some point," Sanford said as he sampled a slice of pepperoni pizza during his weekly meeting with the media on Monday, "if we keep fighting, keep competing, don't give up and don't give in, then at some point, it's got to turn."

Of course, there are those who may look at the seven Mountain West Conference games that remain, consider that UNR and Utah State wouldn't be favored in any of them, and draw the conclusion that when it comes to turning, the Rebels' season may be heading in a southerly direction with its turn signal mindlessly blinking.

But even if wins become hard to come by, Sanford made it clear Monday that exiting the road to respectability is not an option for his players.

"If we wind up playing with 30 guys, we'll play with 30 guys," he said.

"If somebody thinks we are going to win just because we've got a new offense and a new coaching staff, that's not it. Winning isn't real easy. Winning is hard."

Especially for a program that hasn't made a habit of it since ... well, the Ford administration.

Sanford could have pointed out that each of the Rebels' three defeats were by less than a touchdown (or at least a touchdown and a two-point conversion) and perhaps hang his helmet on that. But you get the impression he's not about moral victories, only ones that count in the standings.

I still think there will be a lot of those ... starting next year. This year, the Rebels simply don't appear to have enough players to make it happen, although the pepetually upbeat Sanford would never admit it.

"We're going to stay the course," he said. "Looking at our schedule, I believe we have a very legitimate chance to win every game."

Hmmm ... looking at the same schedule, I might point out that the Rebels also have a very legitimate chance to lose every game.

That's probably because I wasn't covering the team during the Ford administration.