Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

UNLV football names new running backs, cornerbacks coaches

IdahoUNLV

Jeremy Rincon

UNLV running back Lexington Thomas warms up before the Rebels game against visiting Idaho Sept. 24, 2016, at Sam Boyd Stadium.

UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez announced today the hiring of DeAndre Smith as the Rebels’ new running backs coach and David Lockwood as cornerbacks coach.

Sanchez didn’t waste any time replacing assistant coaches Jamie Christian and J.D. Williams after they left the program Nov. 30 for opportunities at Fresno State.

Smith, who will replace Christian, coached running backs at Purdue this year and at Syracuse from 2013 to 2015.

As a player, Smith was the 1990 Division I-AA Offensive Player of the Year and an All-American while quarterbacking at Southwest Missouri State. His son Ryan Smith played for Sanchez at Bishop Gorman.

“Let me start by saying that both of these coaches are also known as phenomenal recruiters,” Sanchez said in a news release.

“I have known DeAndre Smith a long time and we are excited that he is bringing his expertise and experience to our program,” Sanchez said. “He takes over a rushing attack that was already one of the best in the Mountain West and we envision it becoming even more effective under his leadership.”

Purdue’s rushing attack ranked 125th in the country last season, with only 96 yards per game. But the Rebels will return all of their running backs from this season in which they averaged 241 yards per game.

Lockwood will take over cornerback coaching duties at UNLV after holding the same position at Arizona for the last four seasons.

Prior to that, Lockwood coached defensive backs at Kentucky and was a defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

“David Lockwood will bring his passion and vast knowledge to an area of our team that needs to improve,” Sanchez said. “He has coached at the very highest levels of the sport and served as a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten Conference. He also played during some of the best days of the West Virginia program so he knows what it takes to win and we are excited to see him work with our cornerbacks.”

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