UNLV dismissed coach Tony Sanchez on Monday with two years left on his contract.
Sanchez will coach Saturday’s season finale against Nevada. The Rebels are 3-8 this season and 19-40 in his five seasons at the school.
“I’m grateful for my time here and proud of the strides we made as a football program, on and off the field,” Sanchez said in a statement. “I’m proud of our student-athletes and our staff and how we have positioned the program for future success.”
Sanchez didn’t produce a single winning season during his tenure. His best mark was 5-7 in 2017.
After a 4-8 mark in 2018, athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois laid out expectations of a bowl bid in 2019.
But that didn’t occur as the squad endured two four-game losing streaks as well as taking a 1-6 record in Mountain West play into Saturday’s finale.
“We appreciate everything that Tony has done for our university and football program,” Reed-Francois said in a statement. “He made us better. Because of his work and his vision, we have the best facilities in the Mountain West and rival some of the best in the country.
“What he has done for the football community in Las Vegas during his five years at UNLV and his six years at Bishop Gorman High School has been remarkable. Further, our football team has made great progress academically under Tony’s leadership. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
Sanchez was scheduled to make $600,000 in base salary each of the next two seasons as part of a three-year extension he signed prior to the 2017 season.
Sanchez was the coach at high school power Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas before being hired by the Rebels. He went 85-5 and won six straight 4A state championships.
