Las Vegas Bowl: Former UNLV coach Hauck back at Rebel Park for SDSU practice

By Jesse Granger

Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016 | 2 a.m.

As former UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck walked through the palm tree-laden entrance and under the arching red sign, it conjured up memories of a football program he once led.

Wednesday morning, for the first time in two years, Hauck patrolled the fields at Rebel Park on the campus of UNLV.

He returned to Las Vegas this week as the special teams coordinator for the San Diego State Aztecs, who will take on Houston this Saturday in the Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium. Another old UNLV head coach, Jeff Horton, and former Rebel Hunkie Cooper are also part of the Aztecs' staff.

“We came out here and we were laughing,” Hauck said. “A bunch of the guys were giving me grief and joking about all of my years chasing players around and yelling at them out here.”

Hauck spent five years on that turf trying his best to resurrect a football program that had struggled for decades, and nearly succeeded.

“It brings back memories of a lot of good guys and friends,” Hauck said. “There were a lot of friends who came out to practice to say hi today.”

While four of Hauck’s five seasons at the helm ended with only two wins, in 2013 he led the Rebels to their most successful season in 13 years. UNLV finished with a 7-6 record to earn a berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, only the fourth bowl game in school history.

But UNLV struggled to a two-win season the following year to end Hauck’s tenure. He was hired at San Diego State shortly after.

Over the last two years San Diego State has won 21 games — six more than Hauck’s five years at UNLV combined — and back-to-back Mountain West championships.

“It’s been a fun group of players to coach. They’re hardworking and they like to play,” Hauck said. “And any chance you get to hoist that trophy like we did in Laramie (Wyoming) a week ago is special. To do it two consecutive seasons was a lot of fun.”

Under Hauck, the Aztecs’ special teams units have thrived. San Diego State finished second in the NCAA averaging 28.33 yards per kickoff return, and the Aztecs were tied for first in the country with three kickoff returns for touchdowns.

On the other side, San Diego State has yet to allow a kickoff return for a score in the two years since Hauck was hired.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” Hauck said. “There are good guys on the staff and good guys on the team. Plus it’s a good place to live.”

And when the Aztecs earned their first Las Vegas Bowl invitation in 18 years, Hauck was more than happy to show his new team around his old stomping ground.

“Rarely was it this pleasant out here,” Hauck said as the Aztecs practiced in crisp 58-degree weather. “It was usually hot as hell.”

Hauck has enjoyed his return to a city where he has many memories, both good and bad.

“The people at the Las Vegas Bowl do a great job and there are so many fun things to do here,” Hauck said. “The players have a great time, and it’s kind of fun for me to come back and be kind of a tourist for a couple days. You don’t do that necessarily when you live here.”