UNLV Picks Notre Dame Assistant : Football: Jim Strong is selected to coach Nevada Las Vegas over five others, including CS Fullerton’s Gene Murphy.

Nevada Las Vegas will introduce Notre Dame assistant coach Jim Strong as its football coach at a news conference today.

Strong was selected over Cal State Fullerton’s Gene Murphy and four other finalists.

“We think he’ll do an outstanding job,” Athletic Director Brad Rothermel said Friday. “He comes from a phenomenal program. He’s an excellent recruiter, a tireless worker, and he has the ability to get the public excited.”

Strong, 35, has coached the backfield at Notre Dame the last two seasons. He also has been an assistant at Minnesota and Arkansas, working under Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz at both schools, and coached at Tulsa for several years.

Strong replaces Wayne Nunnely, who resigned under pressure last month with a 19-25 record in four seasons.

Strong was traveling Friday and could not be reached for comment. He reportedly agreed to a five-year contract at $95,000 a year.

The selection of Strong apparently marked an end to the most recent round of speculation that Murphy would leave Fullerton.

“I’m going to coach at Cal State Fullerton next year,” Murphy said Friday.

Murphy, 50, was in demand five years ago after the Titans finished 11-1. He was offered jobs at Utah and Oregon State but chose to pursue the job at Missouri. That went to Woody Widenhofer whose tenure lasted four seasons.

Murphy met with Utah Athletic Director Chris Hill last week to discuss that school’s vacant coaching job but was not formally interviewed.