Tony Sanchez, UNLV agree to 3-year extension
UNLV is sticking with Tony Sanchez for the long haul.
Sanchez agreed to a three-year contract extension to remain the coach of UNLV’s football team through the 2021 season, the university announced Friday.
Sanchez’s original four-year contract was set to expire after the 2018 season. University leaders and Sanchez are still finalizing the terms of the agreement.
“I knew very well how tough of a job this would be, and was told that by a lot of people, and it really was,” Sanchez said. “We have gotten better with the academic issues we once had, and we’re more competitive on the field and more consistent. Now I’m happy I get the opportunity to finish what I started.”
Sanchez, who signed his original deal in December 2014, is 7-17 after two seasons with the Rebels.
“We’ve talked about this extension for a while,” said Sanchez, a former coach at Bishop Gorman High School. “I was excited to get that stability from (UNLV president) Len Jessup. Our biggest accomplishment so far is getting the academics right. We called players out on it. Now we have one of the best APR scores ever. But now it’s time to get that Mountain West title, and we have five years to do it.”
Sanchez is the 11th coach in UNLV history.
“Tony signed a four-year contract, and halfway through it, we are even more convinced he is the answer to the question of how to make UNLV football consistently successful,” UNLV athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy said. “Continuity is important in turning this program around, and Tony’s success in building a roster, building the brand and building interest and support throughout the community has earned him an extension to see that vision realized.”
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.
