Dec. 13, 2004
LAS VEGAS - New UNLV football head coach Mike Sanford has added three more coaches to his staff, the school announced Monday.
Noah Brindise will be offensive coordinator and oversee the quarterbacks, Keith Uperesa will tutor the offensive line and longtime assistant Mike Bradeson has been retained to coach the Rebel defensive backs.
Brindise comes to Las Vegas after serving last season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina University. He joined the Pirates after two years with the NFL's Washington Redskins as quarterbacks coach under Steve Spurrier. Brindise played quarterback for Spurrier at the University of Florida from 1995-97.
Brindise began his coaching career in 1998 as offensive coordinator at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., and then spent three years as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater. There he coached on three Gator bowl teams, including the 2000 SEC Championship squad. The Fort Myers, Fla., native graduated from Florida in 1997.
"Noah Brindise is an extremely bright, up-and-coming offensive mind who comes to us highly recommended," Sanford, who already announced that he will call UNLV's plays himself, said. "He had opportunities to go to South Carolina with Coach Spurrier and to Illinois with Coach (Ron) Zook, so we feel like we have gotten a very special coach. With his background, which includes NFL experience, Noah brings a lot to the table for such a young coach."
Uperesa comes to UNLV from the University of Utah where he spent 2004 coaching tight ends and assisted with the offensive line for the MWC Champion Utes. In 2003 he coached at El Camino Junior College after two seasons overseeing the offensive line at USC. Before joining the Trojans, he was offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Idaho State in 1999-2000. Previously, Uperesa spent 12 years at Snow Junior College in Ephraim, Utah, including four as head coach of the Badgers from 1995-98.
An All-WAC offensive tackle at BYU, Uperesa went on to an NFL career with the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders. Earning his bachelor's degree in 1984 and master's in 1986 from BYU, he also began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1985.
"Keith Uperesa is an excellent offensive line coach and the fact that we are familiar with each other and he is familiar with the system that we are putting in place here is a real plus," Sanford said. "With Gary Bernardi handling tight ends and tackles, Keith will coach our centers and guards and will help us make a smooth transition with our running and passing game. We also want to make an impact in recruiting Polynesian players and Keith will be a big part of that effort."
Bradeson, who spent the last five seasons as the Rebels' defensive coordinator, returns to coach the secondary, the same area he coached at the school from 1997-99. Overall, 2005 will be Bradeson's 10th with the Rebels. He came to Las Vegas after four years coaching DBs at California, which followed stints at UNR and his alma mater, Boise State. At UNLV, Bradeson has overseen the development of two-time All-American safety Jamaal Brimmer as well as current NFL DBs Kevin Thomas (Bills) and Sam Brandon (Broncos).
"I have known Mike Bradeson a long time and have coached against him for a long time," Sanford said. "He is a talented and very hard working coach. I think he is one of the best secondary coaches in the country and we are excited that he has decided to stay on our staff."
