UNLV: America’s Next Football Powerhouse?

By: Brock Vierra

UNLV made big news in the world of college football when it announced that it would be hiring former Missouri Head Coach and Arkansas Defensive Coordinator Barry Odom to be its next Head Coach. UNLV which beat out Tulsa for Odom’s services and is bringing in the most experienced coach to lead their football team since John Robinson. Odom announced even bigger news when former Louisville, Arkansas, and Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Bobby Petrino signed on to be UNLV’s offensive coordinator. The former SEC head coaches are tasked with lighting a fire under a program that has suffered nine straight losing seasons. Now, why would these two accomplished men take this job? Let’s talk about it.

This isn’t your old UNLV team. This is the only college program in one of America’s fastest-growing cities. This is a program with an on-campus state-of-the-art football facility financed by the former owners of the UFC and UNLV have their own field and locker rooms inside Allegiant Stadium, making it feel like their own home field instead of just a rental from the Raiders. Also, the large financial commitment made to both coaches is proving that Vegas Strip money is being fed right into the program.

With NIL being a major factor and money seemingly being close to endless, Odom must accomplish what his predecessors have failed to do and that is to build a winning culture. The question now is what happens if they do?

With USC and UCLA jumping ship for the Big 10, the Pac-12 will have at least two spots to fill and the Mountain West is the prime ground for plucking talent. Some have said Boise State, San Diego State, and Fresno State are the prime candidates due to their proximity to the Pac-12 and their on-field success. Colorado State has attempted to raise its profile by hiring Jay Norvell and SDSU’s new stadium is sure to turn some heads but Las Vegas holds several things that these other programs don’t. None of those programs have what UNLV has and that is an NFL quality stadium, an airport that is easily accessible all year long, endless lodging accommodations, and a multi-billion dollar market. San Diego is the closest but with the Padres being the only professional team in the city and with Las Vegas having the Raiders, the Golden Knights, and with rampant talks to bring both the Oakland Athletics and an NBA franchise to the city, the money is too great to ignore.

UNLV has been setting itself up for a jump since 2020. The completion of their new football facility followed by the hiring of Marcus Arroyo set UNLV up for a monster decade but COVID and the lack of on-field success have delayed their progress. Well from an off-field standpoint, UNLV has recovered nicely from COVID and Odom has already reached out to the local Las Vegas High Schools, something his predecessor lacked in his recruiting philosophy. Las Vegas is home to multiple NFL and college talents along with Bishop Gorman who is a former high school national champion.

The future is bright for the Rebels and only time will tell if their ambitions come to fruition. Whatever happens, they are a team on the rise and are building something that sparks interest. All I can say is watch out because lightning always strikes in college football and the Rebs are in a position to capture it.