Columnist Tim Graham: Horton's error costly for future

Tim Graham's column appears Thursday. His media notebook appears Wednesday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4078.

It's Homecoming week. Do you know who your quarterback is?

The annual fall football matchup is supposed to be an occasion when students, faculty and alumni exalt in their school's glory. But UNLV's faithful need look no further than the Rebel backfield to realize how deplorable their team is.

When UNLV welcomes Wyoming to Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, Chad Reed will become the third Rebel quarterback to start back-to-back games this season. No UNLV signal caller has started three weeks in a row.

The most important position on the field -- the one at which the Rebels considered themselves stacked last year -- easily is the most feeble position on the roster in 1998.

It could be the most chaotic quarterbacking crew in the country, and it stands to become considerably less stable next year.

The blame rests fully on Jeff Horton.

The Rebel head coach dug himself a hole when he gravely miscalculated his need to recruit more quarterbacks the past two seasons. For that reason alone he should not be allowed to coach UNLV another season.

Horton put all of his proverbial eggs in an unwoven basket when he banked on Jon Denton's presence and failed to bring in quality quarterbacks as insurance for the future.

It's true that if Denton was still around he would be rolling up impressive stats as the Rebels' starter. It wouldn't matter who held the clipboards or for extra points as Denton's caddies.

That's what Horton figured. With needs at so many other positions and Denton's one-season predecessor, Kevin Crook, in the fold, Horton went out and signed everything but a quarterback last spring.

On the surface, that methodology is understandable. But considering that the volatile Denton already had been suspended for two games last year, Horton should have been wary of counting on his offensive stud.

Denton was suspended again in February -- days after the '98 recruiting class was announced -- and kicked off the team for good four months later.

That pinned all hopes on Crook because Horton's previous recruiting class consisted of only one quarterback: Chris Hayward.

Horton was so enamored with Hayward's skills that he didn't feel the need to sign another. Horton claimed Hayward, a redshirt freshman out of San Clemente, Calif., "is our guy to take us into the 21st century."

Crook started the first two games this year and Hayward the next two. Neither demonstrated the ability to lead a Division I team.

If they had, Horton wouldn't have said this week that Crook was out of opportunities. If they had, Reed, who passed for 21 yards in a 38-14 loss to Brigham Young last week, wouldn't be starting again.

The Rebels gain nothing from starting Reed over Hayward. Hayward may be the quarterback of the future, but he should be gaining experience right now.

Horton stated his desire to break Hayward in slowly in order to instill confidence. But how much confidence does Hayward gain by getting beaten out of a job by a converted receiver who won't be back next year?

When the season is over, Hayward will be the only quarterback on the Rebels' roster. Horton intends to recruit two more, one of which would come from a junior college.

Another coach should do that recruiting. Another coach should be given the opportunity to do it right this time.

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