UNLV: Marvin Menzies to T.J. Otzelberger
It’s been a long time since Jerry Tarkanian roamed the sidelines on Vegas, but this program still has a lot of potential. Marvin Menzies wasn’t the guy to get things going for the Rebels again though. The administration made the right decision pulling the plug on his tenure after just three seasons.
A lot of big names were thrown about as candidates early in the Rebels’ process, but they ended up going with T.J. Otzelberger. He did wonders at South Dakota State directing the program to multiple 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances.
This represents a massive step up in terms of pressure for Otzelberger though. The bright lights of Las Vegas are a lot different than playing in front of a few thousand people in South Dakota. Otzelberger is a good tactical coach, but there’s no indication he’ll be able to attract talent to UNLV.
UNLV isn’t a national power anymore, but they still should have been able to do better than Otzelberger. Hiring him is a real indication of how far this program has fallen since its zenith.
Grade: D+