Hauck’s changes not drastic

ELY -- A new boss often establishes early on the personality and style that define how business is conducted under his watch. College football coaches are no different.

Previous UNLV coach Mike Sanford changed almost everything right away -- from his overhaul of the team's offense to something as seemingly trivial as entering the practice field through a different gate.

New coach Bobby Hauck certainly has his own way of doing things. He runs more high-tempo practices and eventually wants to transition to a more traditional offense.

But unlike Sanford, Hauck doesn't feel the need to change everything.

He is keeping much of the spread offense for now, is the first coach in the program's 43-year history to stay with the same helmet design as the previous year and thought continuing to move training camp out of the Las Vegas heat to Ely's cooler climate and higher altitude was a good idea.

"I'm not hung up on having all the answers," Hauck said. "I'm hung up on trying to find any way we can to win. Just because we're here doesn't mean that everything that went on before here was wrong. It just wasn't the right mix."

Make no mistake, Hauck is imprinting his personality and style on the program. Players standing on the sideline watch team drills intently, and the assistant coaches make it clear the head man is the one who makes the key decisions.

Hauck's practices don't include nearly as much tackling as Sanford's, but the Rebels now run about twice as many plays. Once a play is finished, the ball is quickly snapped for another one.

Though there is no shortage of yelling from Hauck and his staff, there is plenty of teaching as well. Hauck called the team together toward the end of Thursday morning's practice to go over the two- and four-minute drills. He broke down what sounded like football basics but wanted to make sure his players would be prepared.

"When situations arise in a game, they instantaneously need to react and there's no time to think," Hauck said. "If you haven't practiced it and you haven't taught it, then there's no way you're going to get that reaction that you want."

Thursday's double-practice session at Broadbent Park also underscored a key philosophical difference between Hauck and Sanford.

Sanford believed in having the more physical practice in full pads in the morning and the lighter workout in shoulder pads and shorts in the afternoon.

Hauck takes the opposite approach.

"I always think in the morning of the two-a-days, it's harder to get everybody going," Hauck said. "We want it to build through the day and have it finish with a bang.

"I always feel like if you don't do it that way, if you have your heavier practice in the morning, then half the time that afternoon practice is more like a walk-through than a practice."

Hauck is in his eighth season as a head coach after going 80-17 in seven seasons with Montana.

He has evolved, keeping some ideas and discarding others, but remains essentially the same coach who took over his alma mater after the 2002 season.

"You can run all kinds of different schemes, but (what is) a constant is effort and attitude," said offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie, who has coached under Hauck since 2003. "That's what we're putting our stamp on."

Sanford couldn't wait to put his stamp on the Rebels when he arrived. He implemented the spread offense and stuck with it, even when dropback quarterback Rocky Hinds appeared uncomfortable with the system.

That hasn't been Hauck's tack. He is moving toward a two-back offense but isn't in a rush.

Hauck is especially hands-on when it comes to special teams and has a defensive background. Sanford was hired for his offensive mind after helping Utah to a 12-0 season in 2004 capped by a Fiesta Bowl victory.

Hauck is "in our meeting room, he's behind us, he's always in our drills fine-tuning our techniques," senior linebacker Ronnie Paulo said. "I like that. We haven't had that in the past."

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