Holtz says Hauck hire was right call

Lou Holtz thinks UNLV made the right choice in selecting a sitting head coach to run its football program.

A coach such as Bobby Hauck, who went 80-17 at Montana, doesn't have the learning curve of someone who hasn't held a head post, said Holtz, the former Notre Dame coach and current ESPN analyst.

"That's what I said about the University of Notre Dame: They should hire someone who's successful," Holtz said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "You don't jump around. You don't question. You just do it."

The Fighting Irish hired Brian Kelly in December, luring him from Cincinnati, where he was 33-6 with two BCS bowl bids in three seasons.

But Holtz said Hauck would be better off keeping the spread offense rather than adopting a two-back attack. "I think the two-back is outdated," Holtz said.

Hauck has said UNLV will keep some spread concepts in its offense this season, largely because it better suits the personnel he inherited. Also, Hauck said his long-range plans aren't to run strictly a two-back offense.

"What we want to be is multiple and balanced," Hauck said. "I don't think that saying we're an I-formation football team is accurate. We want to make people prepare for a broad-based offense every week."

Holtz was doing a series of interviews to promote the Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. Rebels senior offensive tackle Matt Murphy is a nominee for the Good Works Team, which honors college football players for outstanding contributions in volunteerism and community involvement.

■ SHINING SAFETY -- Alex De Giacomo made two interceptions and broke up four passes the past two days in practice.

But the senior safety wasn't satisfied.

"I should've had all picks," he said.

De Giacomo has made the most big defensive plays in practice, and he pushes to keep learning. Just before a red-zone play Monday, De Giacomo asked defensive backs coach J.D. Williams about an alignment, then combined with senior linebacker Starr Fuimaono to tackle junior quarterback Mike Clausen.

"He's got great understanding of what we're doing," Hauck said. "He's shown a lot of leadership in the groups. I'm enthused with what he's doing."

■ INJURY UPDATE -- Sophomore wide receiver Mark Barefield (knee) and junior defensive end B.J. Bell (ankle) were held out of practice Tuesday, but Hauck said he expected both to be back soon.

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