Ex-Arizona back opts to play for the Rebels

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Aug. 6, 2001 | 10:31 a.m.

Tailback U II?

UNLV's new football recruits spent Sunday night checking in to take their physicals and get their football practice uniforms for today's start of fall camp.

But along with highly touted freshman running back prospects Dyante Perkins and Dominique Dorsey and wide receiver Earvin Johnson was a transfer from the University of Arizona.

Running back Larry Croom, who started four games for the Wildcats last season and was one of the West's most heavily recruited running backs his senior year at perennial prep powerhouse Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School, has decided to enroll at UNLV.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder picked the Rebels over Nebraska and Texas A&M. He must sit out the 2001 campaign but will still have two years of eligibility remaining.

"I started to weigh my options during the summer and decided this would be the best place for me," Croom said. "The situation (at Arizona) was not a bad situation. I think I would have had a successful career there if I had stayed. But there was a new coach (John Mackovic) and a new offense that I didn't think went with my style as much."

Mackovic apparently will use more one-back sets than the coach who preceded him in Tucson, Dick Tomey, and will throw the ball a lot more.

"It might change, but from what I saw in the spring, it looked like they were going to be putting the ball in the air a lot," Croom said.

Croom had 64 carries for 257 yards (4.0 avg.) and one touchdown in four starts for the 5-6 Wildcats last season. He also caught eight passes for 78 yards and another TD but lost his starting job to freshman All-America Clarence Farmer midway through the season.

Croom, who has been timed at 10.6 in 100 meters and was a member of Poly's state champion 4 x 100 relay squad, had never visited UNLV's campus before showing up on Sunday. He came away more impressed than he thought he would.

"This campus is very nice," he said. "Everything is new and modern. I've been very impressed with the facilities. Even though I never came here before I knew this would be a good place for me because of Coach (John) Robinson. I used to go to SC camps all the time, so I kind of grew up with Coach Robinson. I already know a lot of the coaches here."

Croom also is familiar with UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas, who played at nearby Dominguez High in Compton.

"He definitely helped me decide and played a big part in my coming here," Croom said.

Croom won't begin taking part in UNLV practices until the first day of school on Aug. 28. But he stopped by UNLV on Sunday night so that he could get his equipment and locker along with the rest of the newcomers.

"It's going to be real hard to sit out this season," he said. "I've never sat out for a year before. I'm going to try my best to make a positive out of this."

When he does become eligible, Croom will join a running back corps that will include Perkins, Dorsey, Washington State transfer Deon Burnett and highly touted prep star John Ford of Foothill High in Henderson, who gave the Rebels a non-binding verbal commitment earlier this summer.

* REBEL NOTES: The newcomers had their first practice this morning and will be out on the Rebel Park practice field again tonight around 7. The veterans report on Wednesday night and begin two-a-day workouts on Thursday morning. ... One freshman who was not on hand Sunday was wide receiver Marcus Maxwell of Pinole Valley, Calif. Maxwell failed to meet NCAA minimum freshman eligibility standards.