In today’s edition of The Gazette I wrote about some comments (soon-to-be-former) UNLV coach Mike Sanford had about Air Force.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Sanford said the following on a post-game radio show:

“They are a team that does a lot of things – I won’t get into it right now – but a lot of things that are dangerous and unsafe. And they are not within the rules of football, and what ends up happening is you get so many guys hurt that it’s hard to replace them and get the right guys in the game to defend it. That’s what I saw happening.”

Sanford wouldn’t elaborate, but he almost certainly was referring to Air Force’s use of cut blocks, which often are controversial (his remarks came a week after Notre Dame associate head coach Corwin Brown vented about Navy’s use of the technique) but are legal. Cut blocks (blocks below the waist) become illegal “chop blocks” if the player who is getting cut already is engaged up high with another player.

Air Force makes no secret it utilizes cut blocks, but it emphasizes it does not teach or use chop blocks.

Anyhow, I was more interested in Sanford’s post-game remarks about Chris Thomas’ interception just before halftime. (Thomas’ pick stopped a UNLV drive deep into Air Force territory when the Rebels were trailing 17-3. Air Force then drove for a touchdown with less than a minute left in the half to go up 24-3.)

Sanford referred to the play several times, saying the game “would’ve been different” if UNLV had scored.

He’s exactly right. It would have been different. Air Force probably would have won by three touchdowns instead of four.

But if that comment wasn’t delusional enough for you, Sanford met with the media in Las Vegas on Monday and essentially took no responsibility for UNLV’s 15-43 record in his nearly five-season tenure. “This is not a coach issue,” he said.

He did, however, note that UNLV has the worst locker room in the country.

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Ed Graney’s take on that can be found here.