Local businessman Glenn Carano played seven seasons as a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, and was a star football player at UNLV. But he got his start in Reno at Wooster High School. This week he's being inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, along with Mike Tyson, Kurt Busch, Ric Griffith and Joe Kelly.
Carano, who is now General Manager at the Silver Legacy in downtown Reno, says it's an honor to be included in the Class of 2015. “It's a great honor to be inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame,” he said. "There are just so many people who played a part in my career in Las Vegas-- it's just a blast to see," he continued.
Carano made a name for himself early on -- as a high school athlete in Reno. Former Nevada football coach Chris Ault remembers Carano's high school career. "Glenn Carano was one of the best athletes to come out of northern Nevada. He was a great athlete at Wooster High School; was a high school All American," Ault explained.
Carano's success as a high school quarterback caught the attention of several college coaches. "He was being recruited by almost every Pac-10 team there was, and Notre Dame threw themselves in there. He had the best of the best," said Ault.
Ault says he was an assistant football coach at UNLV and knew Carano was visiting Notre Dame. "The great story is, as he was flying back from Notre Dame, I told my coach -- I was at UNLV at the time-- I need to get to the Reno airport when he gets off that plane from Notre Dame, I want to be there to shake his hand and say 'Now next week you're visiting UNLV.' And that's what I did-- and his eyes were as big as saucers," Ault said.
Carano says Chris Ault is the reason he decided to stay in Nevada to play football. "Coach Ault pulled out all the stops. Coach Ault got Governor (Mike) O'Callaghan at the time to come after me too," Carano said. And the rest is history. Carano led UNLV to an undefeated season and threw 37 career touchdown passes there.
In 1977, he was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys and made two trips to the Super Bowl. Carano says he's thankful for all the people who helped him along the way and is honored to be part of the hall of fame.
The Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Friday in Las Vegas.
