✯ HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD ✯ THE SANFORD FILE EDUCATION Southern California, 1978 Bachelor’s degree in physical education PLAYING EXPERIENCE Southern California, 1973-76 – Quarterback PERSONAL DATA Hometown: Los Altos, Calif. Birthdate: April 20, 1955 Wife: Married to the former Melinda Sorensen Children: Daughter Lindsay (27) and son Mike (24) One of college football’s leading offensive minds, Mike Sanford was hired as the ninth head coach in Rebel football history on Dec. 6, 2004. Charged with reviving a program coming off four straight losing Oseasons, Sanford, 51, entered his first head coaching position after an outstanding career as one of the top assistants in the nation. While finishing 2-9 in 2005, Sanford’s undermanned squad fought through an array of key injuries to nonetheless give Reben Nation glimpses of what is quickly molding into an exciting brand of football on both sides of the ball. Sanford had spent the previous two seasons as offensive coordinator at the University of Utah, which went 21-2 overall and 13-1 in the Mountain West Conference during his time in Salt Lake City. In fact, the 2004 Utes finished ranked fourth in the nation and made history by crashing the elite Bowl Championship Series and earning a trip to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. At UNLV, Sanford replaced his college coach, John Robinson, who retired after a legendary career that included six seasons with the Rebels. “I have been preparing for this moment for 27 years as a coach and I am extremely honored and excited to be leading UNLV football,” directing an innovative spread offense. Utah, which finished last in Sanford said when he came aboard. “The UNLV job was one I looked the MWC in scoring offense in 2002, ranked third in the nation in upon with great respect over the years. Because of the way this ‘04 at 43.3 points per game and boasted Heisman Trophy finalist university and city are emerging, this football program is a gold Alex Smith, who went on to become the top pick in the 2005 NFL mine. This is a great community and campus that offer so many Draft. opportunities and advantages. This football program is ready to A 29-year college and NFL coaching veteran, Sanford went to explode.” Utah from Stanford, where he was the offensive coordinator and In his two years as Utah’s offensive coordinator, Sanford helped quarterbacks coach in 2002. Most of his coaching career has been instigate one of the biggest offensive turnarounds in the nation while spent at the collegiate level, although he spent three years as the 30 ✯ HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD ✯ BOWL GAME COACHING EXPERIENCE 1990 (1989) Rose at USC W 1990 Sun at USC L 1992 Freedom at USC L 1993 Freedom at USC W 1995 (1994) Cotton at USC W 1996 (1995) Rose at USC W 1997 Independence at Notre Dame L 1999 (1998) Gator at Notre Dame L 2003 Liberty at Utah W As an assistant coach, Sanford participated in nine bowl games with three programs. As the wide receivers coach at USC from 1989-96, Sanford assisted in two Pac-10 championships and two Rose Bowl victories (vs. Michigan in 1990 and Northwestern in 1996). The Sanford Family: (L) daughter Lindsay Hanover and her husband Hunt, son Three of his Trojan receivers were selected in Mike Sanford with his wife Anne-Marie, and Coach Sanford and wife Melinda. the first round of the NFL Draft: Curtis Conway in 1992, Johnnie Morton in 1993 and Keyshawn Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft receivers coach for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers from 1999-2001. and a consensus All-American in 1995. His NCAA Division I coaching experience includes stints at Notre As a player, Sanford was a reserve quarterback for USC’s 1973 Dame, USC, Purdue, Long Beach State, Virginia Military Institute and 1974 Rose Bowl teams (the 1974 team beat Ohio State for the and Army. A California native, Sanford is regarded as one of the top national championship). He played free safety in 1976 when USC recruiters of the Golden State, which is a key cog in the building of beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and finished second in the nation. any winning team at UNLV. Sanford, born on April 20, 1955, earned his bachelor’s degree from Sanford’s first coaching position was as a graduate assistant USC in 1978. He and his wife, Melinda, have two children: daughter, under the man he replaced, Robinson, at Southern California in Lindsay, and son, Mike, who played quarterback at Boise State from 1977. His full-time coaching chronology began in 1978 as the 2001-04, and heads into his second year as UNLV’s offensive defensive coordinator at San Diego City College. graduate assistant coach. SANFORD’S COACHING EXPERIENCE 2005-Pres. UNLV — Head Coach 2003-04 Utah — Offensive Coordinator, Running Backs 2002 Stanford — Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks 1999-01 San Diego Chargers (NFL) — Wide Receivers 1997-98 Notre Dame — Quarterbacks 1989-96 USC — Wide Receivers 1987-88 Purdue — Quarterbacks 1985-86 Long Beach State — Offensive Coordinator 1983-84 Long Beach State — Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers 1981-82 Virginia Military Institute — Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, TE 1979-80 Army — Wide Receivers, Tight Ends 1978 San Diego City College — Defensive Coordinator 1977 USC — Graduate Assistant Sanford, who helped Utah to a 21-2 record, was introduced as UNLV’s ninth head football coach in history at a press conference on Dec. 6, 2004. 31 ✯ COACHING STAFF ✯ KURT BARBER Defensive Line Special Teams Coordinator BARBER Kurt Barber heads into his second year at UNLV and will oversee the Rebels’ defensive line and special teams this fall. He was originally named AT A GLANCE linebackers coach on Dec. 8, 2004, after having just finished his second year at the University of Utah. Barber followed head coach Mike Sanford to UNLV from the Born: Jan. 5, 1969 University of Utah after two stunningly successful seasons in Salt Lake Children: Daughters — City. Barber oversaw the Utah linebackers during the 2004 season after Erica, Briahna, Nia coaching the defensive line in 2003, including producing first team All- Son — Kurt II Mountain West Conference end Josh Savage. The Utes turned in a 21-2 Education: USC, 1992 record during his two seasons, which included two Mountain West bachelor’s degree in communications Conference titles and bowl-game victories. Playing Experience: “I have been impressed with Kurt Barber from the time he was a NFL, 1992-97 (Jets, Broncos and Bears) – DE-LB player and I was coaching at USC,” Sanford said. “He is an outstanding USC, 1988-91 — linebacker coach, an excellent recruiter and does an excellent job with special teams.” Coaching Experience: Barber moved to Utah after two years coaching the defensive line at 2005-pres. UNLV – linebackers, special teams coord. Kent State. Previous to that, he served two years in the same position at 2004 Utah – linebackers Tennessee-Martin. He began his coaching career in 1998 at Riverside 2003 Utah – defensive ends Community College, where he coached the defensive line and coordinated 2001-02 Kent State – defensive line the strength and conditioning program. 1999-2000 Tennessee-Martin – defensive line A prep All-American, Barber was named Kentucky’s Mr. Football in UNLV Recruiting Area: 1987 before choosing to play for Southern California and head coach Los Angeles, Pasadena and San Bernardino Larry Smith along with then-assistant Sanford. A 1992 graduate of USC E-mail Address: [email protected] with a degree in communications, Barber was a four-year letterwinner (1988-91) for the Trojans, starting at outside linebacker as a junior and senior, including earning All-Pac-10 Conference honors from Football News. He was taken in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft (42nd pick overall) and went on to a five-year career with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears. Barber has three daughters, Erica, Briahna and Nia, and a son, Kurt II. Coach Barber outside Bill “Wildcat” Morris Rebel Park on the UNLV campus. 32 ✯ COACHING STAFF ✯ GARY BERNARDI Tight Ends/Offensive Tackles Recruiting Coordinator BERNARDI Veteran football man Gary Bernardi returns for his second season at UNLV and will oversee the Rebel offensive tackles and tight ends as AT A GLANCE well as direct the program’s recruiting efforts. A longtime assistant in the Pac-10 Conference, Bernardi has coached in 12 bowl games, including four Rose Bowls. Born: Sept. 24, 1954 He spent the 2004 season as offensive line coach and recruiting Wife: Leigh coordinator at Northern Arizona University prior to joining UNLV in 2005. Children: Daughters – Previous to joining the Lumberjacks, he spent 10 seasons coaching at Marina (22), UCLA and helped put together multiple nationally ranked recruiting Briana (19) classes with the Bruins. He began his coaching career at the University Son – Joe (19) of Arizona in 1980 and worked for the Wildcats until following head Education: CS Northridge, 1976 coach Larry Smith to USC in 1987, where he would eventually serve on bachelor’s degree in physical education the same Trojans staff as Mike Sanford. Coaching Experience: Bernardi has tutored seven NFL-bound tight ends and worked with 2005-pres. UNLV – tight ends, off. tackles, rec. coord. future pro offensive linemen such as Jonathan Ogden, Kris Farris and Tony Boselli. 2004 Northern Arizona – offensive line, rec. coord. “I have known Gary Bernardi for a long time, which included 1993-2003 UCLA – tight ends, rec. coord. coaching alongside him at USC,” Sanford said. “He is an extremely 1987-92 USC – tight ends, off. tackles, hard-working coach who has proven to be a great recruiter at places special teams coord.