UNLV interim football coach Del Alexander was asked about Dan Mullen being hired as the Rebels’ next full-time coach during his first news conference.

The program’s longtime wide receivers coach, who will lead the program during Wednesday’s LA Bowl, took the question in stride even though Mullen’s hire hadn’t been made official yet.

“If that’s the case, and that announcement is taking place, I’ll pass my short-term crown on to the next guy,” Alexander said Thursday with a smile. “But it’s fun, and it’s really not about me. It’s about the debt that we owe to these players.”

Alexander kept his word when Mullen was introduced at the Fertitta Football Complex’s practice field the next day.

He was there amid the pomp and circumstance surrounding UNLV’s next coach. Alexander even stuck around and made conversation from a distance as Mullen spoke to reporters.

Mullen said he’ll take a backseat to Alexander during and leading up to the LA Bowl, which will pit the Rebels against Cal at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

That means Alexander will get to lead UNLV and experience a full-circle moment of sorts.

He played at West Los Angeles College in 1992 before spending the rest of his college days at USC. He started his coaching career as an assistant video coordinator with the Trojans in 1995 before becoming the Rebels’ wide receivers coach in 1998.

His career wound up taking him to the NFL and other colleges as well. But he always came back to UNLV.

“My first year here we went 0-11,” said Alexander, who has spent six seasons with the Rebels over three stints. “So I’ve been on the bottom, and now we’re not necessarily on the top, but we’re pretty good.”

No pressure

Mullen arrives with huge expectations to maintain the progress UNLV made under coach Barry Odom, who left to coach Purdue on Dec. 8.

But Alexander, 53, isn’t facing any pressure after being named the Rebels’ interim coach for the bowl game by athletic director Erick Harper.

“(Harper) just said, ‘You’re the right guy for the job. I think that you can put together a plan. I think that your demeanor and experience is going to help you in this situation,’” Alexander said.

Alexander is doing his best to prepare UNLV’s players. He’s prioritized short and focused practices since his takeover, hoping to keep the team fresh.

“It’s really just about reviewing and making sure everybody’s on the same page so that we can attack,” Alexander said.

Director of football player development Hunkie Cooper is serving as the Rebels’ interim wide receivers coach due to the extra responsibility Alexander has taken on. Alexander hasn’t intervened once.

“They enjoy it,” Alexander said of the wide receivers’ time with Cooper. “(Interim head coach) is a big enough hat to wear, even though it’s a short time.”

Not easy

Alexander said his time as interim coach has been “like riding downhill on the bike with no handlebars and no brakes.”

He said one of his largest challenges has been keeping the team together. He appears to have been successful so far, as the Rebels’ latest depth chart looks the same as their one from the Mountain West title game against Boise State.

Running back Greg Burrell and defensive back Tony Grimes — two players currently in the transfer portal — have still committed to playing in the LA Bowl for UNLV. Alexander said it wasn’t a guarantee that the entire team would agree to participate.

“Not initially,” Alexander said. “And I struggle with it daily in the few days that I’ve been at the top. But when I stood in front of the team the first time, everybody sat up, and they were all eyes and ears. … I knew that they were together, that they were unified, and that’s where they’ve been.”

Alexander faced hurdles keeping the team together because the transfer portal was an appealing option for players once Odom left. Some of those concerns have subsided with Mullen now in place. But there are still players like senior wide receiver Ricky White III, the Mountain West special teams player of the year, that have NFL futures to consider.

White, however, was seen with the Rebels as they enjoyed a day at Universal Studios on Sunday. Those kind of bowl-game experiences are one of the rewards Alexander hopes players can enjoy because of their dedication.

What’s next

Alexander said he views UNLV “like home,” but his future with the program is unclear. New coaches often bring in their own staff.

“We’re not in control of our future. We can hope,” Alexander said. “But I just want to do this and then figure it out. I want to do what I’m asking the players to do: To stay on task with a ton of distractions.”

Mullen has said he hopes to retain as much of Odom’s staff as he can. Regardless, Alexander said he hopes his legacy with the Rebels is, “I really care and develop relationships with my players.”

It shows.

Alexander relished the opportunity to reveal to the team that quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams was named a captain for the LA Bowl. Alexander also fought tears when talking about senior kick returner Jacob De Jesus playing through grief this season after losing his father.

“I’ll never forget it,” Alexander said of De Jesus’ strength. “That’s what this team is. It’s full of those kinds of guys.”

Contact Callie Fin at [email protected]. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.