Robinson promotes one coach, moves one & hires two others
Fifth-year coach Mike Bradeson was promoted to defensive coordinator for UNLV by head coach John Robinson on Dec. 29 after the departure of Jeff McInerney, who left for Tulsa.
The senior member of the Rebels staff in terms of years at the school, Bradeson will continue to oversee the defensive secondary in addition to his coordinating duties. Bradeson, who joined the Rebels in 1996, was the only member of the previous staff to be retained by Robinson last year. He spent his first season in Las Vegas overseeing the team's linebackers and also spent three years as the Rebels' recruiting coordinator.
"Mike Bradeson is as ready to move into a role such as this as any young coach I have ever been around," Robinson said. "What he did with our secondary (in 1999) was as good a coaching job as any I have seen in my career. I am confident he will do just as well as coordinator."
In 1999, the Rebels led the Mountain West Conference by allowing only 171 passing yards per game and ranked 23rd in the nation in pass efficiency defense. Also last fall, sophomore cornerback Kevin Thomas shattered the school record for pass breakups with 24.
Joining Bradeson in coaching the defensive backs will be second-year man Steve Leach, whom changed sides of the ball after spending 1999 coaching wide receivers.
With McInerney's departure, the defensive line needed a new coach, which led to the hiring of Craig Wederquist on January 10. A veteran of teams from the Big West and Mountain West conferences, Wederquist spent the last three years as the head coach of Tarleton State University located in Stephenville, Texas. Wederquist joined the NCAA Division II school in 1996 as defensive coordinator and was tabbed head coach in January 1997.
"Craig Wederquist is a great addition to the staff," Robinson said. "He is a highly qualified coach who has extensive experience on the Division I level. I expect outstanding results from his position this fall."
Before moving to TSU, Wederquist for two years served as defensive coordinator at the University of Pacific before the Tigers dropped football after the 1995 season. His extensive resume also includes stops at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (1993), Colorado State (1992), Utah State (1988-91), Central Missouri State (1986-87), Drake (1985) and Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa (1984).
Also learning from a new coach will be the Rebel linebackers after Joe Barry resigned to take a job with the San Francisco 49ers on March 3. Taking over will be Steve Johns, who spent last year as a graduate assistant coach for the UNLV defense.
"We hate to lose Joe because he is one of the great young coaches in the profession," Robinson said. "Fortunately, so is Steve Johns. He will take over Joe's duties and I am confident the linebackers in this program will not miss a beat."
Johns joined the Rebels after two years at the University of LaVerne (Calif.), the last of which he spent as co-defensive coordinator as well as overseeing the Leopards' special teams.
In 1996, Johns was the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at the University of San Diego. After one year attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, Johns was a three-year starter at Occidental College in Los Angeles as an offensive lineman. A 1991 graduate of the school, he also earned his master's degree from Occidental while serving as an assistant coach there for three seasons. A native of the Northwest, his father, Edward Johns, served as an assistant on the same coaching staff as John Robinson at the University of Oregon.
