Rebels’ future looking solid

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 30, 2001 | 10:38 a.m.

A year ago, Larry Croom and Deon Burnett were starting running backs for Pac-10 Conference football teams.

Croom, who starred at prep powerhouse Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School, was the starting tailback for the Arizona Wildcats. Meanwhile, Burnett was coming off a school freshman record-setting 974-yard, 12-touchdown performance at Washington State.

But when UNLV opens its 2001 football season against Arkansas tonight at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Croom, Burnett and fellow transfers Tyrone Tucker (LB, Iowa State) and Connie Brown (S, Alabama) will be back home in Las Vegas watching the game on ESPN.

All four talented players must sit out this season per NCAA transfer rules. And for two-year Pac-10 starters Croom and Burnett, watching from the sidelines won't be an easy experience.

"I've been used to traveling. I don't know what to do with my free time," Burnett said. "But I'll be all right. I'll lift weights and stuff like that instead."

"It's going to be tough watching," Croom said. "But it's something I'll just have to fight through."

Tucker, a 6-2, 240-pound linebacker, started for Iowa State against UNLV in last year's season opener in Ames. He had seven tackles in that contest.

"I was in the training room looking at the (travel) list kind of looking for my name," said Tucker, who will have just one year of eligibility remaining. "I'll definitely have that itch to be out there (tonight). But I just have to wait my turn. Pretty soon it will be January and we'll be getting ready for next year."

Until then, the four transfers are practicing on the scout team and trying to do their best to help prepare the Rebels' No. 1 defense for the upcoming opponent.

"Practice is like a game for me now," said Croom, who like Burnett, will have two years of eligibility remaining. "I just go out and give them my best look and hopefully that will be better than what they see in the game. They'll be kind of double-prepared for the game."

"It's going to be hard sitting out this year," Burnett said. "But I've just got to be patient and wait my turn. Larry and I both have to do that. We both understand our situation which makes it easier. We just have to wait for our turn."

The MVP of the Hogs' 27-6 victory over Texas in the 2000 Cotton Bowl, considered a potential Heisman Trophy candidate and a preseason first team all-SEC choice, missed UNLV's 31-14 win over the Razorbacks in last December's Las Vegas Bowl because of a separated right shoulder. But despite apparently bogus Internet postings from Fayetteville that claimed Cobbs is still injured, the 6-1, 221-pounder said he ready to go tonight.

"I've had no problem taking hits this fall, it's been good for me," Cobbs said. "Practice has definitely gotten me ready to play and now I have the feel for the game like you should when you go into the season."

New Arkansas quarterback coach David Lee has a strong option background, including spending the last seven years as an offensive coordinator at Rice, which runs the wishbone.