Tony Knap, the winningest coach in  UNLV football history, died Sunday at the age of 96 in Washington. Knap, nicknamed the Silver Fox, came
to UNLV from Boise State in 1976 and won more games than anyone in school  history at 47-20-2 over six seasons. He led the Rebels to an NCAA Division II
playoff appearance his first year, a move to the Division I level in 1978 and a  stunning road upset of No. 8 BYU in 1981, which was his final season. He and his
wife, Mickey, then retired to the Northwest.

Knap’s overall
coaching record was 143-53-4 covering 18 seasons. He first went 25-14-1 at Utah
State from 1963-66. After a year as an assistant coach in the Canadian Football
League, he was hired at Boise State where he led the Broncos to three Big Sky
Championships and remains that school’s all-time winningest coach as well,
posting a 71-19-1 mark from 1968 to 1975 before coming to Las Vegas to succeed
Ron Meyer.

“Coach was at the same time tough
and demanding while letting you know of his love for you,” said ESPN on-air
personality Kenny Mayne, who played quarterback for Knap at UNLV. “It’s been 30
years and I can still hear his voice like he’s in the same room. To say he had
an impact on all of us is an understatement. I do wish I had lived up to the
potential he saw in me. He was a man you wanted to make proud.”

Knap, a native of Milwaukee, was
inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Southern Nevada
Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

“Tony Knap has been revered at this
school for decades and we are saddened by the news of his passing,” said UNLV
Athletics Director Jim Livengood. “I hear players that he coached here still
talk about what a great man, mentor and leader of men Coach Knap was. He brought
a lot to this football program, this institution and this
community.”

TONY KNAP UNLV
COACHING RECORD
YEAR
RECORD
1976                9-3

1977
9-2
1978
7-4
1979
9-1-2
1980
7-4
1981
6-6
TOTAL
47-20-2 (.696)