Graney: UNLV is 4-0 because of Dan Mullen’s leadership

OXFORD, Ohio — He remembers January, when guys were shaking hands and introducing themselves and putting names to faces.

When near 60 transfers who had rolled into UNLV’s football program hoping to make a difference began forging relationships.

Have they ever.

And there is one constant: Dan Mullen.

Say what you want about the job Mullen and his coaching staff have done. They’ve been outstanding. But the way in which Mullen has created a team in such a short amount of time is perhaps even more impressive.

And all of it was on display Saturday.

Didn’t quit

They could have packed things in at halftime. Could have accepted how poorly they executed for 30 minutes and merely played out the string while awaiting a long flight home.

But in Stadium, in rallying from deficits of 14-0 and 24-10 and 38-24, UNLV showed the sort of fight and resilience Mullen has instilled in the team.

“We didn’t flinch,” Mullen said. “These guys are unbelievable in their ability to find a way to win. That’s not me. That’s them. That’s the locker room. That’s the players. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Well, it’s sort of him.

Like a lot of him.

UNLV is 4-0 to begin a season for the second straight year. And it took absolutely everything the Rebels had and then some to get this done.

Leaders are needed at times like this. Guys like Mullen, whose halftime speech was more meant to inspire than degrade.

Who rightly calmed his team down after it was clearly being outplayed.

“I walked in there and said, ‘Listen guys, we’re hurting ourselves,’” Mullen said. “They’re a good football team, and they won’t make a lot of mistakes. We just have to be sound and execute.

“The second any individual thinks he has to make a play to make things happen, we’ll get blown out. Just do your job and execute. I think we did that.”

His staff also did.

Credit offensive coordinator Corey Dennis for calling a sound game, for having quarterback Anthony Colandrea take what the RedHawks gave him and not force things vertically.

Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s side couldn’t stop anything in the first half, but adjustments were clearly made given how little the Rebels allowed thereafter.

Miami’s two second-half touchdowns came on a 100-yard kickoff return and an interception off a tipped pass returned for a score. UNLV’s defense stood strong when it mattered most.

“Our defense looked like ‘The Bad News Bears’ in the first half,” Mullen said. “After that, nothing. Nothing. Talk about a coaching job from Paul and his staff. It was all about keeping our composure. Corey called great plays. Our line got better in protection. Receivers made plays. We just executed a lot better.”

Mullen sees something special in this group. Sees a team that, whether things are going well or not, doesn’t change much of its demeanor. And that has a lot to do with Mullen.

He has coached at big-time places like Mississippi State and Florida, produced some of the best quarterbacks college football has known.

Now he is at UNLV, trying to continue what has been winning ways lately for a program that has injected life into a fan base that was among the most apathetic for so many years.

And a win like the one Saturday says a lot about how far the Rebels have come under him in such a short time. How they believe in him and his messaging. How they have bought in.

Another bye

Now, the Rebels will enjoy yet another bye before opening Mountain West play Oct. 4 at Wyoming.

“It’s all about how we continue to prepare,” Mullen said. “If we play better when we face Wyoming, it’s a good time for a bye. If we don’t, it’s not. But you go in our locker room right now and say, ‘We’re going to fly to Laramie and play Wyoming tomorrow,’ and our guys would be like, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ Our guys love to play ball.”

And they love playing for him.

That’s pretty obvious.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.