UNLV Will Ask Titans’ Murphy to Apply for Job

Nevada Las Vegas will ask Cal State Fullerton’s Gene Murphy to apply for its vacant football coaching job, UNLV Athletic Director Brad Rothermel said Wednesday.

Murphy says he is “interested,” but has not decided whether to become a candidate.

“I’ve got to talk to (Rothermel) and to people I have a lot of trust in and faith in at Cal State Fullerton,” Murphy said. “The thing I’d like to do is put this thing to rest as soon as possible.”

The UNLV job opened Tuesday when Wayne Nunnely announced his resignation with one game remaining. UNLV is 4-6 this season, and Nunnely is 19-24 in four seasons.

Rothermel said UNLV will invite at least 10 coaches to apply and that he hopes to name a coach by late December.

Rothermel told Houston’s KRIV-TV that he also will call John Jenkins, offensive coordinator of Houston’s high-scoring team, Associated Press reported.

Jenkins said Wednesday he is “extremely interested” and will apply.

Artie Gigantino, the Rams’ special teams coach, also said he will apply.

Murphy, 50, has coached Fullerton for the past 10 seasons, during which his teams are 56-58-1. The Titans finished their season Saturday with a 6-4-1 record, their best since going 11-1 in 1984.

Fullerton has beaten UNLV in each of the past three seasons and will finish ahead of the Rebels in the Big West Conference this season, but Murphy said UNLV has appeal in part because the program has a larger budget and better facilities than Fullerton.

“You’ve never heard me say I’m unhappy at Cal State Fullerton, but there are obstacles here, like at every school,” Murphy said.

Murphy said he might reach a decision this weekend. “Maybe it’s something that would not be good for me,” he said. “I won’t know until I talk to people.”