Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

rebels football:

UNLV assistant LaRussa has unfinished business from previous stint with program

Andy LaRussa

Courtesy UNLV Athletics

UNLV football special teams coordinator Andy LaRussa during spring practice on March 18, 2015.

Rebels Spring Practice With Tony Sanchez

Linemen run through drills during UNLV football spring practice at Rebel Field Monday, March 16, 2015. Launch slideshow »

When Andy LaRussa says UNLV can have a winning football program it’s not some first-year assistant coach writing a check he can’t cash.

LaRussa, the Rebels’ new special teams coordinator and safeties coach under first-year coach Tony Sanchez, saw first-hand that winning games here isn’t impossible.

He got his start in Division I coaching at UNLV from 2005-08, breaking in as a volunteer coach receiving no pay and working his way into a position coach.

In 2008, UNLV beat big-conference schools Arizona State and Iowa State, but was upset at home by San Diego State in the last game of the season needing a win to become bowl eligible.

“I always felt I had unfinished business here,” LaRussa said. “We were so close. I always felt we could win here. My wife and I always talked about coming back here and having a chance to win.”

LaRussa’s wife, the former Briana Bernardi, played softball for the Rebels and holds two degrees from UNLV. They met at the university.

When Sanchez reached out last December to LaRussa with the opportunity to return to Las Vegas, he knew the sky was the limit. He was a second-year coach at Colorado of the Pac-12 Conference, but couldn’t resist returning.

First, he has a high opinion of Sanchez from recruiting his players at Bishop Gorman High. And, most important, he was already fond of the area. The Rebels are in their first week of spring practices under the new regime.

“No. 1 it was because of coach Sanchez,” LaRussa said of his decision to return to UNLV. “His energy. His enthusiasm. His excitement. I was really excited with what he was preaching, what he had done at Gorman.”

The UNLV basketball team won two Mountain West titles and had a Sweet 16 appearance during LaRussa’s first stint in Las Vegas. He saw the passion of UNLV fans and wants to help give them a football team they can similarly support.

“This town wants football to be successful,” he said. “When we win here, it will be unbelievable. We will have the best fan base. We are excited about the possibility.”

LaRussa worked in multiple capacities on Mike Sanford’s UNLV staff, including film coordination, as a graduate assistant and in the weight room. He’s also coached at Northern Arizona and San Jose State before catching on at Colorado of the Pac-12 Conference in 2013 as the defensive ends coach.

He’s one of several notable hires by Sanchez, who is making the rare jump from high school coach to the college ranks, and is surrounding himself with proven assistants. His staff includes former Nebraska interim head coach Barney Cotton as offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator Kent Baer, formerly of Colorado.

The general consensus is they’ve immediately upgraded the program.

Click to enlarge photo

UNLV football special teams coordinator Andy LaRussa during spring practice on March 18, 2015.

“We have a lot of great coaches who came from a lot of great place to be here,” LaRussa said.

LaRussa was a defensive end and linebacker in college at Southern Utah and played for two seasons professionally in Italy, where he has dual citizenship. He is still competing.

LaRussa last weekend finished the LA Marathon with a time of 3 hours, 39 minutes, finding that training for a marathon is a great stress reliever after a long day of coaching.

“When you get out on the road, you can organize your thoughts,” he said.

The biggest thought on LaRussa’s mind is building a winner at UNLV. The Rebels won two games last year and have four all-time bowl game appearances. But, as LaRussa has told the others, the program’s potential is unlimited.

“I love Las Vegas. Love the city,” he continued. “It has a special place in my heart. I want to see this place be successful.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21

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