Rogers denies making push for Livengood

Jim Rogers was adamant Monday that he isn't the driving force behind Jim Livengood's candidacy to become UNLV's next athletic director.

Speculation arose after KVBC-TV, a Rogers-owned station, broke the news Friday that Arizona athletic director Livengood was interested in UNLV's vacant position.

Also, Rogers attended Arizona, and its law school is named after him. Livengood has been the Wildcats' athletic director for nearly 16 years.

"I haven't talked to one regent," said Rogers, the former state university system chancellor. "I haven't talked to the chancellor. I haven't talked to the foundation.

"I've made no phone calls to support him. At the same time, I don't want my friendship to hurt him. My feeling is they would do really well to get Jim Livengood. If there is somebody better than Jim Livengood, they should hire him. That's all I care about is getting the best."

Rogers said UNLV president Neal Smatresk called him about 10 days ago to get his opinion on Livengood. About five days ago, Rogers said Livengood called to ask if he would fit into Las Vegas, and later Rogers relayed the conversation to Smatresk.

Rogers said he believes Livengood would make a good AD at UNLV.

"(Rogers' wife) Bev and I couldn't go to dinner with (Livengood) because it would cost us a quarter of a million dollars," said Rogers, who praised Livengood's fundraising ability and called him "consensus-builder."

Smatresk, who called Rogers "an honorable man," said the decision is up to him and the search committee.

"I'm not under pressure from anybody, and all I want to do is run the search and find a good candidate," Smatresk said. "Jim and I are good friends, and that's as far as it goes.

"Jim Rogers hasn't pushed anybody."

The search committee meets again this afternoon after a series of interviews over the weekend and on Monday. Chairman Gerry Bomotti said he didn't know if any major decisions would be reached today.

"I know Neal wants to move it along because we have to hire a football coach," Bomotti said. "It's one meeting in the process. I can't predict what might come out of it."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.