By firing football coach Brian Polian, Wolf Pack athletic director Doug Knuth is making a bet – on himself.
Knuth has done many things well during his four-year tenure, but tops on that list is hiring coaches.
In basketball, Knuth lured Eric Musselman to Nevada over the coach’s alma mater, San Diego, landing him at a bargain-basement price. Musselman revitalized the Wolf Pack program in just one season.
In baseball, Knuth hired Jay Johnson, who led Nevada to its first Mountain West title before the Wolf Pack lost him to Arizona, where he led the Wildcats to a national runner-up finish in 2016.