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twitterUNLV FOOTBALL:
Sanford, UNLV agree in principle on three-year extension
Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 | 3:48 p.m.
A source within the UNLV athletic department on Monday confirmed that terms have been agreed to in principle on a three-year extension for Rebels football coach Mike Sanford.
Sanford, whose team went 5-7 this season but missed a shot at bowl eligibility with a 42-21 loss at San Diego State on Nov. 22, is entering the final year of the five-year deal he signed when he first came to UNLV. His first three teams each went 2-10, and this year's three-win improvement on those marks included grabbing some national attention early in the season with a 23-20 overtime victory at then-No. 15 Arizona State.
The Rebels started the season 3-1 before enduring a five-game losing streak, which included a handful of defeats late in close games. They held fourth quarter leads over Colorado State, BYU and Air Force during that stretch. All three of those teams will be playing in bowl games this season, including the Cougars appearing in the Dec. 20 Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Specific details for the contract extension are still being finalized, and Sanford is currently out of town recruiting.
For more on this story as it develops, stay tuned to www.lasvegassun.com/rebels.
Discussion: 16 comments so far…
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This is ridiculous! He should NOT get any extension. We need a Coach that will draw in the talent the same way Kruger has done.
As a Rebel, I don't ask for much. In fact, we could lose every game except for the Canon game and I'd be okay with that record. But to have all this time to recruit talent and build your own program and to have it still no better off than what you inherited, means you have have to go.
pathetic. and neither the rj or the sun will interview hambrick. think rebel fans deserve an explanation from the horses mouth. so frustrating.
There were only two choices really: fire him, or give him an extension.
Given the state of the State's economy right now, paying him and his staff $1.0MM NOT to coach next year was not an option.
After 5 wins and a decent recruiting class coming in, an extension is not a crazy choice.
the key issue is the buyout provision. I don't know what UNLV considers a 'reasonable' buyout, but in no circumstances should it amount to more than one (1) year's salary.
In effect, that would be a four year contract, two years guaranteed, two years not guaranteed.
That is a deal that protects UNLV's interests in case he stinks up the field next year, and allows him the freedom he needs to recruit players he can win with next year.
We'll see if our Board of Regents is up to the task of actually READING his contract and thinking about it, rather than offering up a rubber stamp of approval.
unlvrunrebs,
As soon as we're able to get Hamrick on the record, you'll have it. Trust me.
UNLV.......what a mess what a big mess.
He either has to be extended or fired.
Can't just have a lame duck in there.
I just can't see how you justify the extension. It was close, but the loss to SDSU should have sealed Sanford's fate.
To extend him after the loss at SDSU speaks volumes about how UNLV views the football program.
This holiday season I'm thankful for Coach Kruger and our basketball team.
Mike Sanford will be fired next November. We only have to wait one more year until this bum is shown the door finally. The scary thing is that the next coach won't be any better as long as the total loser Mike Hamrick has any say in the matter. Might as well stick with the bum Sanford because things aren't getting any better folks. UNLV Athletics is a complete DISASTER and will be for the forseeable future.
Lon Kruger is not good either. He should be replaced with someone who knows how to RECRUIT talent.
But that is UNLV now. Scared to make the right hire. Stubborn and unwilling to admit their mistakes. Force feeding mediocrity down our throats and wanting us to believe it is greatness.
Sad to see something that I once loved in such a sad state of affairs. Things won't get better anytime soon. UNLV Athletics is down and will be there for awhile. Maybe someday things will change but I am not holding my breath.
Enjoy the 3-9 season that Sanford is going to give us in 2009. UNLV fans deserve exactly what you are about to get. A lack of pride is what brought us to this. Cheering on Mediocrity is what brought us to this.
No school in the country would have given Mike Sanford a contract extension. Not even TEMPLE.
UNLV is officially the worst Football program in the history of College Athletics. Enjoy!
Sufferin' From Having To Be....Sufferin'.
Blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah.
And furthermore, blah blah blah blah, useless statistics, blah blah blah blah Sanford fired blah blah blah blah blah Temple blah blah blah blah blah blah! Blah blah blah I'm a loser blah blah blah blah.
Blah blah blah UNLV blah blah blah sucks blah blah blah!
When you beat a rival you feel two things: Exuberation and Satisfaction. Both of these apply to this extension. Yes I'm happy that Sanford can continue his progress but I'm even more satisfied that all you Sanford haters are crying in your cheerios this morning. Feels almost as good as when we beat reno on Saturday.
Mike Sanford is 0-4 against our rival UNR.
That means he has never won a game against them.
John Robinson was 5-1 against UNR.
Sufferin ... Sanford WILL NOT be fired next November, even if he goes 2-10 in 2009, because the university will not have the money to buy him out. That's why they didn't fire him this time around, they don't have the money to pay another coach.
And the Sun wont hold Hamrick's feet to the fire like they should because they might as well be athletic department employees. Or cheerleaders.
When I referred to a rival Sufferin', I meant you stupid. Boy, you and tgin are like sisters.
How about this, the Sun writers are around the inner workings of the program quite a bit more than you tgin and thus have more foresight. I'll definitely respect their opinion over your crappy one any day.
Yes, FC, just keep following them blindly like you do all things UNLV. You wouldn't actually want to think for yourself now, would you?
Every one just hold on some very good BIG time recruits are on there way to UNLV Baltimore , Md. Horace Miller LB 215lbs 6"1" and Courtney Bridget Jr. CB 6'3" 190lbs CORNER not to many of these around with 4.4 speed 10 interceptions on the year winning the 1-A State Championship and losing only 1 game in 4 years . Coach Patterson is the real deal just give it a little more time.
If you think I have blinders on then you have a comprehension problem. I have explained in explicit detail every position and/or stance I've taken on everything. Don't be such an ass as to lump me in with your UNLV apologists. I stuck up for Kruger when lots of people wanted him fired. But I guess I was wrong on that one too right tgin. Generally, the Sun and I agree on most things UNLV. But since they're in the locker rooms, have rapport with the players and have an inside scoop on what's really going on, I guess they have blinders on too.
Congrats FastCameron. Now that Sanford is firmly in place, the good spread-option recruits will find their way to UNLV in droves. Sanford is very well known among the top spread high school coaches, and UNLV will be one of the top-20 schools in the nation for any spread-option talent who wants to take their skills to the next level.
Oh and Cameron, good idea to get your digs in now, because when Sanford's program starts winning big, these boo-birds will be nowhere to be found.