UNLV is waving goodbye to two friends to close this season. The Rebels played their last home game at Sam Boyd Stadium last Saturday, and this Saturday will be its last game under head coach Tony Sanchez. The program announced Monday that Sanchez will be let go following Saturday’s curtain call against Nevada.
“I’m grateful for my time here and proud of the strides we made as a football program, on and off the field,” Sanchez said in a statement. “I’m proud of our student-athletes and our staff and how we have positioned the program for future success. I look forward to finishing the season strong with these young men. I would also like to thank our community, our alumni and our donors for their generous support in making the Fertitta Football Complex a reality.”
Hired directly from Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School, Sanchez went 85-5 with six state championships from 2009-14, then saw his fortunes flip at the next level, going 19-40 and 12-27 in conference play with the Rebels. UNLV failed to reach the postseason in five seasons leading the program, peaking at 5-7 in 2017. UNLV is 3-8 heading into Saturday.
“We appreciate everything that Tony has done for our university and football program,” AD Desiree Reed-Francois said. “He made us better. Because of his work and his vision, we have the best facilities in the Mountain West and rival some of the best in the country. What he has done for the football community in Las Vegas during his five years at UNLV and his six years at Bishop Gorman High School has been remarkable. Further, our football team has made great progress academically under Tony’s leadership. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
Sanchez’s candidacy was backed by brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta of UFC fame, and it’s telling that Sanchez’s main accomplishment was the building of the $34 million football complex bearing the Fertitta name.
That complex and the new stadium being built by the Las Vegas Raiders will allow the next UNLV head coach a greater chance at hitting the proverbial jackpot than Sanchez had.