Preston has Rebels' 'O' in a Buzz'

MESQUITE --- New UNLV offensive cordinator Al "Buzz" Preston has heard all the gloomy predictions for the Rebels this year.

But Preston is well aware that preseason predictions are just that ... predictions.

After all, it was just a year ago that Preston was the running backs coach at Washington State, a team that also was supposed to go nowhere. The Cougars were picked to finish seventh in the Pac-10's preseason poll.

Instead, Washington State shocked the nation by going 10-2 en route to its first Rose Bowl appearance in 67 years. And the Cougs gave national co-champion Michigan all it could handle in a 21-16 Rose Bowl loss.

Now Preston, who replaced Charlie Stubbs as UNLV's offensive coordinator, hopes to experience another Cinderella season in Las Vegas.

"Hey, it's always good to come up from the bottom," Preston said during a break from two-a-day workouts at Virgin Valley High School here Monday afternoon. "It's a challenge. But I'm very confident that we have the team that's going to step up to meet that challenge and show everyone that we are where we need to be as a program."

Preston coached for four seasons at Wazzou and recruited such standout players as running backs Michael Black and DeJuan Gilmore as well as wide receiver Nian Taylor to Pullman.

"It's always tough leaving a school, espcially when you have worked really hard at it and put a lot of time, heart, tears, blood and sweat into it," he said. "It's also tough because I'm leaving behind some kids that I recruited there. Then to leave them, it's hard."

But the opportunity to get another step closer to his ultimate goal, becoming a college head coach, was too much for the 41-year-old University of Hawaii graduate to pass up.

One of his biggest boosters was Washington State head coach Mike Price.

"Coach Price is probably the reason I'm here right now," Preston said. "When (UNLV head coach) Jeff (Horton) called and talked to him about me, there wasn't hesitance on (Price's) part to say that this guy is ready to get the job done. I'll always be grateful to Coach Price for that."

Preston replaces a coach in Stubbs, who left UNLV to join the staff at the University of Alabama, who helped produce the WAC's top-rated passing game last year.

"Charlie did a tremendous job, " Horton said. "It's no secret that we were probably one of the better teams in the country at throwing the ball the last couple of years. Buzz has brought in his own style and is his own person. I think the kids have responded well to him."

One thing that Preston did to get his new players' attention was to hang a large photo of his Rose Bowl ring in his office.

"He was a running backs coach at Washington State, not an offensive coordinator," wide receiver Damon Williams said. "But a Rose Bowl, that's big time. Winning a Pac-10 championship, that's big time. ... Everybody who goes into his office can't help but notice that picture of his ring. We want to get one like that, too."

"It's hard for me to really compare him with Coach Stubbs because I haven't been in a game with him yet," quarterback Kevin Crook said. "That's where all the coaching really comes out. But so far he's been a great coach to work with. I love him."

Preston's first year as an offensive coordinator certainly wasn't made any easier by the departure of star quarterback Jon Denton to Eastern Kentucky.

"We'll overcome that," Preston said. "That's the nature of the beast sometimes. You've just got to move on. I wish (Denton) well."

Preston is a big fan of Crook.

"He's doing well," he said. "He's picking things up, is working hard and has a lot of confidence. I'm looking forward to him doing a lot of really good things for us. But the thing that people need to realize is that it's a team sport. Everyone, not just Kevin, has to step up and get the job done for us to be successful."

Although quarterback Ryan Leaf got most of the national attention for Washington State last year, the Cougars also had a 1,000-yard back in Black. And Preston is stressing an improved running game so far in fall practice drills.

"You've got to be able to run the football effectively and hold onto the football or you're not going to be able to win very many games," Preston said.

"He's come in here stressing the run," Williams said. "We want to run for 150 yards per game. That's our goal. If we can do that, it should open things up for our passing attack. In the past people could rush just three or four guys and drop everybody back into coverage. But if we can establish the run, they won't be able to do that anymore."

With games at Northwestern, Wisconsin and Colorado State as well as a home contest against Air Force the first four weeks of the season, Preston will jump right into the fire in his first year as a college offensive coordinator.

"I like that," he said. "Those are the kind of challenges you have to look forward to. If you're worried about who you're going to play and whether you can beat them, you might as well not even play."

REBEL NOTES: Middle linebacker Dusty Pearce, a J.C. transfer who was being counted on to challenge for a starting position, spent Monday in Las Vegas undegoing an MRI on a sore knee. Horton was not optimistic. "I think there's probably something wrong in there," Horton said. ... The Rebels hold their annual media day this afternoon. ... Things should become a lot more intense on Wednesday. That's the first day of practice in full gear.

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