Jan. 13, 2003
LAS VEGAS - Longtime college head coach Bruce Snyder is the newest member of UNLV's football staff, the school announced Monday.
The 1996 national coach of the year, who led teams to six bowl games and compiled a record of 126-106-5 at three schools, will serve as an offensive assistant under head coach John Robinson. Second-year assistant David Robinson will move to the defensive side to coach outside linebackers.
"I have known Bruce Snyder for a majority of my life and I have great admiration for his coaching abilities," John Robinson said. "He has had a highly successful career as a head coach and I think he will bring an organized style to our offense that is extremely efficient. He will also add a toughness that will benefit our team greatly."
Robinson said the reorganized offensive staff will share responsibilities but Snyder's duties will include overseeing the tight ends and H-backs.
Snyder spent 14 years coaching in the Pacific-10 Conference. He headed the University of California program from 1987-1991 before being lured to the desert to lead Arizona State from 1992-2000. The native of Santa Monica, Calif., was the consensus national coach of the year after leading the Sun Devils to an 11-1 record and Rose Bowl appearance in a 1996 season that ended just a few plays short of a national championship. During his tenure, ASU also made trips to the Sun Bowl after the 1997 season and two consecutive trips to the Aloha Bowl in 1999-2000.
Snyder had also turned Cal's program around, earning Pac-10 coach of the year in 1990 with a Copper Bowl appearance as well as a 10-2 record one season later that included a trip to the Citrus Bowl. He previously was head coach at Utah State from 1976-82 and won PCAA Coach of the Year in 1978. Born March 14, 1940, he is a 1963 graduate of the University of Oregon. Snyder spent the last two seasons adding his analysis to college football radio broadcasts, including all 12 Rebel games in 2002. He and Robinson have a long relationship, which includes working on the same coaching staff at Oregon as well as at USC and the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.
SNYDER COACHING TIMELINEYEAR TEAM POSITION HC REC. BOWLS (SEASON)1963-64 Sheldon HS Assistant Coach1965-71 Oregon Running Backs, Quarterbacks1972 New Mexico St. Offensive Coordinator1973 Utah State Offensive Coordinator1974-75 USC Offensive Coordinator1976-82 Utah State Head Coach 39-37-11983-86 LA Rams (NFL) Assistant Coach1987-91 California Head Coach 29-24-4 Copper Bowl ('90), Citrus Bowl ('91)1992-2000 Arizona State Head Coach 58-45-0 Rose ('96), Sun ('97), Aloha ('99 & '00) CAREER TOTAL 126-106-5 (.542)
