Tarkanian Changes His Mind : Basketball: UNLV coach rescinds resignation, but university president says he will not allow it.

The uneasy truce between Jerry Tarkanian and the University of Nevada Las Vegas administration came to an emotional and unexpected finish Sunday when the Runnin’ Rebel coach, fighting back tears, said he was rescinding the resignation he submitted nine months ago.

Tarkanian, whose 19-year UNLV career was to end March 3 with a game against Utah State, made the surprise announcement while addressing a packed audience at Zion Methodist Church, located about 15 miles northwest of Las Vegas. As his assistant coaches and members of the 12th-ranked Rebel team looked on, Tarkanian told the cheering crowd that he had reconsidered his decision to resign and wanted to return next season.

For UNLV President Robert Maxson, it was a worst-case scenario, another bonfire to be reckoned with at a school that has had its share of burning. For Tarkanian, the issue went beyond UNLV’s image. Instead, he said Sunday’s announcement was directly related to recent allegations of UNLV point-shaving during the 1990-91 season.

“I’m not really certain I want to coach, but that’s not the reason I did this,” said Tarkanian, when reached several hours after the announcement.

“I did this only to get the truth out. I haven’t done it so that I can remain here as coach. It doesn’t mean I’m not interested in (the San Diego State coaching position).”

Tarkanian has maintained that recent published reports of a federal investigation aimed at the UNLV program were leaked to the press by university officials. Daniel Klaich, a member of the University of Nevada System Board of Regents, denied those charges and called Tarkanian’s accusations “absurd” and “incredible beyond belief.”

Despite the denials, Tarkanian insisted that his reputation had been tarnished, and in turn, his resignation agreement with the university breached.

“Our program was torn out from within,” he said. “I want everybody in all of Nevada, maybe the whole country, to know what they did to our program.

“(The point-shaving allegations) blew my mind more than anything,” he said. “That was 1,000% fraud. (The university) knew it was fraud. That all came from our university. That was probably the thing that triggered this.”

Tarkanian was forgiving the final two years of his contract when he tendered his resignation last June, shortly before the Rebels were to begin an NCAA probation that would bar the team from postseason play and television appearances in 1991-92. Said Tarkanian at the June news conference: “I love this university and do not want to cause it any harm. In addition, although I have been toughened over the years by the pressures of these battles, the pain I now see in my children’s eyes makes me realize none of this is fun for anyone.”

That is especially true of Maxson, who has been a constant target of Tarkanian’s many criticisms. Last week, when Tarkanian hinted that he might fight the resignation, Maxson said it was a moot point--the Rebel coach was gone at season’s end.

Even though Tarkanian has made his intentions official, Maxson said nothing really has changed. Tarkanian, Maxson intimated, will finish his UNLV career next Monday, whether he likes it or not.

“Jerry Tarkanian submitted a legally binding resignation,” said Maxson in a prepared statement. “The university accepted the resignation and the matter is closed. There is no need for any additional discussion.”

Asked about the decision itself, Maxson said, “I was surprised.”

Maxson’s position also is supported by several of the regents, including Klaich and Jim Eardley.

“I don’t know of anything that would change the situation from then to now,” Klaich said. “I find it interesting that Jerry was represented by counsel at the time (of his resignation)--as a matter of fact, by three different lawyers. There now appears to be some allegation that he wasn’t fully advised or wasn’t aware of what he was doing. Certainly (Tarkanian) is not a man unfamiliar with the legal process.”

Eardley, when told of Tarkanian’s announcement, simply said, “Oh, boy.” Emphasizing that it was a UNLV problem rather than a Board of Regents problem, Eardley did say “that I’d have to back the president on his decision.”

If Maxson ignores Tarkanian’s request--as it appears he has every intention of doing--the UNLV coach could take legal action. When reached Sunday evening, Tarkanian said, “I’ll wait and see what happens.”

But George E. Graziadei, a Las Vegas attorney and friend of Tarkanian, said the Rebel coach is convinced there was a conspiracy to hasten his departure. If Maxson doesn’t tear up the resignation papers, “I feel sure (Tarkanian) will file an action. If they did this by design, that’s fraud.”

And this from Fred Glusman, a Las Vegas restaurant owner and one of Tarkanian’s closest friends: “Jerry will naturally sue, take them to court and find out where the bodies are buried.”

This isn’t the way it was supposed to end for Tarkanian. What was supposed to be a farewell tour to remember has become a season to forget. Tarkanian readily admitted that his assistant coaches, not him, have directed the Rebels to a surprising 24-2 record.

“My heart hasn’t been into it,” he said.

But during Saturday evening’s victory against New Mexico State at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center, Tarkanian was greeted with “Keep Tark, Keep Tark” chants from a near sellout audience. There were also several fans who wore “Fire Maxson” T-shirts.

Still, Tarkanian said he awoke Sunday morning not sure what to do about his coaching status. It wasn’t until he read newspaper excerpts of a new book called, “Shark Attack,” that Tarkanian decided to rescind the resignation. The book alleges, in part, that Tarkanian might have been the victim of a conspiracy of sorts.

“When I saw that, that’s when I said, ‘Yep, I’ve got to fight this thing,’ ” Tarkanian said.

Graziadei said that the UNLV coach, regardless of the outcome of this latest controversy, is considering running for a position on the Nevada Board of Regents.

Tarkanian has mentioned the idea on several occasions, but no one was quite sure how serious he might be.

As for his chances of winning such a regent race, Graziadei said Tarkanian “would have been elected had he run.”