UNLV fills its needs with key recruits

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001 | 10:30 a.m.

It seemed just like any normal day around the UNLV football offices on Wednesday.

Coaches were watching film of future opponents. Head coach John Robinson was doodling plays on a yellow notepad.

But the one big difference was the fax machine located in secretary Carmen Smith-Lopez's office.

Every few minutes a coach would stop by to see if any more letters of intent had been faxed to the school on the first day of the national signing period.

But the one fax that most UNLV coaches were holding their breath for, the one containing a signed letter of intent from 6-6, 330-pound defensive tackle Junior Siavii from Butte Community College in Oroville, Calif., never arrived.

And shortly after lunchtime, word made its way to the UNLV coaching staff that Siavii, whom Robinson termed "one of my most important recruits in several years," had signed with Oregon instead of the Rebels.

Siavii, who had committed to the Rebels on a December recruiting trip and told UNLV coaches earlier in the morning he would not sign with the Ducks, apparently changed his mind after a meeting with Butte head coach Craig Rigsbee.

The loss of the muscular Siavii, considered a potential first-round NFL draft pick when his college days are over, put a damper on what otherwise was a strong recruiting class for Robinson and company.

"Junior is the big catch that got away," Robinson said. "We gave it our best shot."

The Rebels also lost out on talented running back Herman Ho-Ching to in-state rival Nevada-Reno, where he will most likely inherit the starting job in the fall. Ho-Ching, who began his career at Oregon before transferring to Long Beach City College, would have battled for a starting job for the Rebels in the fall.

However, there had been strong indications in recent weeks that Ho-Ching, who also had told UNLV coaches last December he wanted to come, was headed to Reno to join relative Mike Tuiasosopo, a Wolf Pack defensive line coach who also happens to be first cousins with Ho-Ching's mother, Maria.

"It was a family deal," Robinson said. "Every time we'd call over there they'd slam the phone on us."

Still, there was plenty to be happy about for Rebel football fans.

Robinson said he was very happy with his third UNLV recruiting class, especially since it seemed to address key needs at running back and wide receiver.

"I think it filled our needs," Robinson said. "The team has so much more talent and depth now than when I first got here that recruiting probably won't make as big an impact next season as it did in my first year."

One spot where the Rebels needed immediate help was at running back after the graduation of tailbacks Jeremi Rudolph and Kevin Brown and versatile fullback James Wofford. And they got it in the form of Washington State transfer Deon Burnett, who will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2001 campaign, and freshmen Dyante Perkins of Bishop Gorman and 5-7 Dominique Dorsey, a first team all-state pick at Tulare (Calif.) Union High School.

Of Perkins, who will play tailback for the Rebels, Robinson said, "He kind of reminds me of Marcus Allen in terms of his athletic ability and the fact Marcus also played quarterback in high school. ... He's an exceptional athlete. I expect him to compete to play in the fall."

Dorsey, a first-team all-California pick, might remind Rebel fans of Rudolph only with better speed.

The Rebels also landed speedster Brian Adams of Moapa Valley High School, who will come in as an athlete, as well as Rancho defensive end Leon Moore and Perkins' Bishop Gorman teammate, WR/DB Jason Rogers, who may not enroll until January.

UNLV's defensive signees included linebacker Tyrone Tucker, a transfer from Iowa State who starred against the Rebels in the Cyclones' 37-22 victory in Ames last September. He'll have one year of eligibility left after sitting out the 2001 campaign.

Robinson was estatic with his wide receiver recruits that included Super 11 honorable mention pick Earvin Johnson of Los Angeles Cathedral High School, lanky Marcus Maxwell of Pinole Valley, Calif., High School, Carson (Calif.) High School's Justin Cooper and 6-2, 210-pound Mike Freund of Black Hills High School in Tumwater, Wash.

"Johnson has a chance to come in and be a backup right away," Robinson said. "I'm really high on Freund. I think he can be a Nate Turner type of inside receiver for us."

One top prospect who didn't sign with the Rebels or anybody else on Wednesday was Super 11 linebacker Marvin Simmons of Long Beach (Ca.) Poly High School.

The 6-0, 220-pound Simmons, who visited UNLV in January shortly after giving a verbal commitment to USC, said he was going to wait a while longer before signing a letter of intent with a school.

"I'm going to wait," Simmons said. "I'm going to wait until I'm absolutely sure. It could be sooner rather than later. But there's no rush."

Robinson has promised Simmons a scholarship regardless of whether he meets minimum NCAA freshman eligibility requirements. USC does not accept partial or non-qualifiers. Simmons, who took the SAT for the first time on Jan. 27 after several failed attempts at passing the ACT, made it clear the Trojans are still his No. 1 choice.

"USC is a priority, UNLV is an option," Simmons said. "I'm eager to get my SAT results. It felt better than the ACT because it didn't cover as many subjects and I was a lot more rested for it. When I took the ACT, it was usually the day after a game when I was tired and sore."