Sanford’s firing not surprising

After his team held off UNLV 42-35 last season in Provo, Utah, Brigham Young football coach Bronco Mendenhall, while sharing an elevator ride to the press box with reporters, remarked how much the Rebels had improved.

A year later, Mendenhall isn't completely sure why UNLV didn't build on that improvement, speculating that tailback Frank Summers' departure to the NFL set the team back.

But Mendenhall wasn't surprised to see fifth-year Rebels coach Mike Sanford fired Sunday after again failing to field a winner. Sanford, 4-7 this season and 15-43 overall, will coach UNLV's season finale against San Diego State on Nov. 28 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"I think all of us know that when we become head coaches, you have to show significant progress within at least three years, and five is a long time ... to stay at the same place," Mendenhall said. "So I believe that any of us, not only Coach Sanford, you have to win in Year 5, and evidently there weren't enough wins if that is what the reasoning was."

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said Sanford's successor won't be starting over from scratch.

"When it comes to the talent part of it, they did a heck of a job in recruiting and really put a pretty good foundation in place for down the road," Calhoun said. "You look at the skill guys they have on offense, and then defensively they're going to have a bunch of guys who are returners next year, especially on the back half."

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, the defensive coordinator on Urban Meyer's Utes coaching staff in 2003 and 2004, when Sanford was the offensive coordinator, said he thinks Sanford will "land on his feet. He's done a lot of good things at other places he's been."

• NO BUCKEYES -- Fourth-ranked Texas Christian's chances of playing for the national title appear remote, but the odds might have been better if the Horned Frogs had played and beaten Ohio State.

In 2007, the teams reached a deal to open this season against each other. But the agreement was never finalized, largely because of a TCU scheduling conflict.

Frogs coach Gary Patterson downplayed how important a victory over Ohio State might have been, pointing to a schedule that includes victories at Clemson and BYU.

No one can accuse TCU of ducking quality opponents. It has played powerhouses such as Oklahoma and will fill future schedules against teams such as Louisiana State. Patterson seems to bring up these facts begrudgingly.

"I never felt like it did you any good to go and talk up your team," Patterson said. "I think you always have to talk on the field."

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