Rudolph likely to return for Saturday’s game at Air Force

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

Star tailback Jeremi Rudolph is expected to finally be back in the lineup for UNLV on Saturday afternoon at Air Force.

How long and how well the 5-10, 185-pound junior speedster plays, however, remains to be seen.

Rudolph, who suffered a groin injury on the slippery turf at Sam Boyd Stadium in the Rebels' Oct. 23 homecoming loss to BYU, practiced on Sunday night after taking the bye week off to recuperate.

"Now it depends on how he feels coming back (for practice tonight)," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "Will he be stiff or sore? We'll just have to wait and see. But he's getting there. I think he'll be back to some degree."

Rudolph's return would give the Rebels' struggling offense, which has scored just six points in its last 11 quarters, a much-needed boost.

Rudolph is averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry this season, gaining 524 yards on just 116 carries. He is averaging 74.9 yards per game on a team that averages just 113.5 yards a game on the ground.

* ROBINSON TO CALL PLAYS: UNLV's offense, which figures to be much more wide-open in 2000 with the additions of talented transfers Jason Thomas, Kevin Brown and Raymont Skaggs, will have a new man calling the plays the rest of the season.

Robinson said Monday that he will assume the bulk of play-calling responsibility. Previously, quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Gene Dahlquist had handled most of those duties.

The Rebels spent much of the bye week going over their offensive playbook to fit true freshman quarterback Matt Ray, a much better sprint-out thrower than the man he's replacing in the starting lineup this week, junior Jason Vaughan, who is purely a dropback thrower.

Robinson said late Monday that he was still waiting to hear the results of an MRI on Vaughan, who has been plagued by dizzy spells since suffering a concussion at BYU.

"I think Jason might be available (to play) as an emergency (at Air Force)," Robinson said. "I want to take him on the trip, but hopefully he won't have to play."

* WEATHER UPDATE: It can get mighty chilly and snowy in Colorado Springs in mid-November. But if early forecasts are right, it looks like the Rebels will get a break this weekend.

The early five-day forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the 60s on Saturday.