Is Someone Trying to Burn Down UNLV Athletics From the Inside?
First, it was Keith Whitfield. Quietly pushed out. No public blow-up, but behind the scenes? It was clear things were unraveling.
Now, it’s Erick Harper feeling the heat — and not just from fans.
He’s getting hit from every direction:
• Budget leaks exposing financial issues north of $30 million
• NIL dysfunction, with key coaching candidates walking away
• Media pressure, both local and national, zeroing in on athletic department mismanagement
• And a coaching search that turned into a full-on circus
This isn’t a coincidence.
This feels coordinated.
You don’t get this kind of sustained pressure — leaks, exits, national headlines — unless someone wants change, and they’re forcing it.
So the question is:
Who did Harper piss off?
• A booster with deep pockets tired of being ignored?
• A regent who wants a shake-up?
• A donor who sees their money going to football while basketball falls apart?
Because this isn’t just an oops moment.
This is a hit job.
And it’s working.
The Result?
UNLV didn’t just miss on Bryan Hodgson.
They had him in the building.
Then watched him walk to USF because of NIL instability and administrative chaos.
And now Josh Pastner steps in — two years out of the game, a “safe” hire after a process that made UNLV look completely unprepared for modern college basketball.
Bottom Line:
UNLV is being exposed nationally.
Not because of one bad decision — but because the foundation is broken.
Until leadership is aligned, NIL is structured, and the noise behind the scenes is dealt with, this program will keep spinning in the same cycle.
The coaching carousel wasn’t the story.
The collapse behind the curtain is.