D-termined RBs

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 9, 2001 | 10:43 a.m.

A look at UNLV freshman RB Dominique Dorsey:

A look at UNLV freshman RB Dyante Perkins:

Positively D-lightful.

That's the reaction of UNLV head football coach John Robinson so far to his pair of talented freshman running backs, Dyante Perkins of Bishop Gorman and Dominique Dorsey of Tulare (Calif.) Union High School. Or "Big D" and "Little D" for short.

"We really like them both," Robinson said after watching the duo go through several practices for first-year players this week. "Dorsey has great quickness and Dyante has some real stuff. It's a new position for him (Perkins played quarterback at Gorman) but he is already handling it and doing it. They're both just natural football players."

And both are being counted on to provide some immediate help to a UNLV backfield that lost 1,000-yard rusher Jeremi Rudolph, burly backup Kevin Brown and versatile James Wofford to graduation.

Both had distinguished prep careers but have different styles as runners.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pound Dorsey, who was a first-team all-state pick after setting California's all-time prep records for career rushing (7,761 yards) and touchdowns (118), is a classic scatback in the Eric Metcalf mold.

"He's quicker and faster than Jeremi," Robinson said when comparing Dorsey to Rudolph. "But he is not as powerful. Yet."

The 6-1, 220-pound Perkins, the Sun's first-team all-state quarterback in 2000, has power to go along with good moves and speed. He rushed for 1,528 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior for the Gaels while passing for another 669 yards and eight touchdowns.

Robinson had success moving another athletic prep quarterback to tailback at USC.

"You can make the comparison to Marcus Allen, but (Perkins) hasn't done anything at this level yet," Robinson said.

Both figure to challenge for playing time behind senior Jabari Johnson, a transfer from the University of Washington who carried just 17 times for 58 yards in mop-up duty last season, and junior Joe Haro, who was playing in the secondary a year ago.

"I'm just going out there and trying to be an eye-catcher," Dorsey said. "Right now I'm just trying to show the coaches my ability to play, that I can play Division I football as well as anyone else on the team.

"A lot of schools who recruited me wanted me to play defensive back because of my size," Dorsey said. "But I didn't want to make that transition. I felt that I could play running back still."

So Dorsey said goodbye to schools such as Arizona State, Pitt and Fresno State and headed to UNLV, where Rudolph, who is only an inch taller, was "the man" at tailback a year ago.

"That was definitely one of the reasons I decided to come here," Dorsey said. "They had small backs here already who were able to get playing time."

Perkins turned down a chance to play outside linebacker at Oregon State, a team rated No. 1 by Sports Illustrated this week, so that he could give running back a shot.

"Things are going good so far," he said. "I'm really excited about what's going on with the team. I can't wait to start practicing with the vets (today) and start proving myself."

Although they are both competing for playing time at the same position, Dorsey and Perkins have already become good friends.

"We get along well," Perkins said. "We're roommates at the hotel. We've been talking about our old high school days and getting ready for college."

"We're good friends," Dorsey agreed. "The first day we met each other we sort of clicked. I'm pretty sure we're going to have a fun time in college together here."