Healthy Rudolph back on track to prove himself in 2000 season

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Aug. 18, 2000 | 10:01 a.m.

To say that UNLV tailback Jeremi Rudolph is looking forward to the 2000 football season would be quite an understatement.

"I'm ready," the 5-9, 175-pound senior from Apopka, Fla., said. "When I start to talk about it, my blood starts boiling. I'm really pumped."

And for good reason.

For one thing, Rudolph has already garnered preseason all-conference attention from several publications. For another, he finally has two healthy legs to run on again.

You might recall that the former runner-up to Daunte Culpepper for Florida's Mr. Football Award was well on his way to a 1,000-yard rushing season last year when he severely pulled a groin muscle after his footing gave way on the sandy Sam Boyd Stadium turf in the first quarter of the Rebels' 29-0 loss to BYU.

Rudolph had 524 yards rushing at the time of the injury and was coming off back-to-back 100-yard games, including a 32-carry, 149-yard effort in UNLV's 35-32 victory at Wyoming. That game earned him the Mountain West Conference's Offensive Player of the Week award.

But Rudolph could manage just 169 yards the rest of the season. He finished with 693 yards rushing and averaged an excellent 4.5 yards per carry.

Still, it was a frustrating campaign for the one-time Florida State recruit.

"It cut him in half," UNLV coach John Robinson said of Rudolph's injury. "He was always in pain and never able to cut. When he had to make a cut and it hurt, it was really tough on him because he just couldn't do it. But he still hung in there and continued to play."

Rudolph said it was about a month after the season before his leg finally began to feel better.

"And during spring drills, it kept nagging me," he said. "I was working through it, but I could feel that it was still there. But now when I'm running, I don't feel any popping down there and I can move like I want to move. I think it's 100 percent again."

During the first day of two-a-days on Thursday at Rebel Park, Rudolph looked like his old quick, explosive self.

"He's very quick, very fast and explosive," Robinson said. "We're going to use him on punt returns, kickoff returns and try to get the ball to him in a variety of ways, like an Eric Metcalf. And of course he'll still get his share of carries. We hope to better maximize his abilities this year."

Robinson says he believes Rudolph has an NFL future ahead of him.

"I think he's got a real chance to play in the NFL as a specialty back who can come in on third down, return kicks and also be a runner," Robinson said. "I don't think he can physically stand 25 carries a game in the NFL, but he sure as heck can play."

For Rudolph, playing in the NFL is still a distant dream.

"I'm not even thinking about that," he said. "Hey, we went 3-8 last year. We don't have time to think about stuff like that if we want to have a good season."

The 6-0, 200-pound Johnson, who prepped at Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz., has been one of the early stars of fall camp for the Rebels.

"He looks very good," Robinson said. "We're a three-back offense in terms that we have three tailbacks (Rudolph, Kevin Brown and Johnson). And Jabari is a very smart player, too."

Johnson spent two years at Washington before transferring to UNLV prior to last season. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

"Just rub a little dirt on it and get back out there," Robinson said to Black with a smile.

UNLV trainer Kyle Wilson said a hard cast would be put on Black's hand for at least two weeks but that he should be able to practice as soon as today.

"It was a clean break," Wilson said. "No pins or anything were needed. He hit it on a face mask."

"He's a big, physical kid who is learning," Robinson said. "We're moving him outside. He played kind of inside in high school. But he's a big guy (6-3, 235) and a tough guy, so he's getting some action."

Seward said he has enjoyed learning a new position which usually features him lining up over the opposing team's tight end.

"The tempo is a lot faster at this level," Seward said. "It takes a little getting used to, but I think I'm hanging in there."