June 27, 2000

LAS VEGAS - UNLV head football coach John Robinson, who led the Rebels to college football's fifth-best turnaround in his first season, has had his contract extended by one year, the school announced Tuesday.

Robinson, who will turn 65 on July 25, inked a deal that will keep him on the UNLV sidelines at least through the 2002 season.

The one-year extension of his original three-year contract includes a three-percent pay raise that sets Robinson's total compensation package at $365,000, which includes base salary and compensation for TV and radio shows and personal appearances.

"I think this extension shows how successful the relationship between UNLV and John Robinson has been for both sides," Director of Athletics Charles Cavagnaro said. "He can coach at UNLV as long as he wants to be here. From all accounts, he is having as much fun building this program as anyone and I think he really enjoys his role at this school and as part of the Las Vegas community."

Robinson's first team at UNLV went 3-8 in 1999 and broke the school's 26-game road losing streak and a 16-game overall skid.

Playing in the new Mountain West Conference, the team also won a league game on the road game for the first time since 1994 - a span of 16 games. The three-win overall improvement tied for the fifth-best total in NCAA Div. I-A.

The program also saw improvement at the gate as the home average of 22,992 was the third-highest in school history.

Robinson, who won a national championship while coaching Southern California in 1978 and led the Los Angeles Rams to two NFC Championship games, has a career collegiate record of 107-43-4 in 13 seasons. His winning percentage of .708 ranks him ninth among active coaches.

The Rebels open the 2000 season Sept. 9 at Iowa State.