Oregon offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo was named head coach at UNLV, the school announced Wednesday.
It will be the first head coaching job for the 39-year-old Arroyo, who spent the past three seasons with the Ducks.
UNLV also considered former Maryland interim coach Matt Canada and LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.
Arroyo played quarterback at San Jose State from 1998-2002 and passed for 4,672 yards, 28 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois was director of compliance at the school during Arroyo’s playing career.
“We set out to find a teacher and a competitor with the character, competence, energy and intellect to bring out the best in our 105 young men and recruit and develop the next group of Rebel football student-athletes,” Reed-Francois said in a statement. “We looked for a leader that is a great evaluator of talent, who can sell what makes UNLV, our community, and our program unique, and helps develop and prepare our student-athletes for the next level.
“When Marcus and I reconnected during the search process, his alignment with these attributes became evident. I am confident he is the right coach to lead UNLV football’s ascent.”
Arroyo’s arrival comes as the school is making a push to elevate the program. UNLV opened a $34.8 million football complex in October and will play at the new Allegiant Stadium in 2020, the facility built for the NFL’s Raiders, who are moving from Oakland.
“UNLV Athletics is a department on the rise, and my family and I are thrilled to be a part of the Rebel family during this special time,” Arroyo said in a statement. “The uniqueness of Las Vegas is unrivaled and the opportunity to train, practice, and compete, in some of the country’s best facilities in one of the world’s most vibrant cities cannot be understated.
“We will work tirelessly to elevate UNLV Football to the championship caliber program that it is positioned to be. I can’t wait to get started, and I look forward to meeting our student-athletes, support staff, and fans.”
Arroyo replaces Tony Sanchez, who was fired last month. He went 20-40 in five seasons.
