Dorsey to play, but Haro hurt

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 11:09 a.m.

There was some good news and some bad news on the injury front for UNLV's football team Thursday.

The good news: Freshman tailback Dominique Dorsey practiced Thursday, and said the sprained ankles that sidelined him last week at Wyoming "felt good" and that "I'll be ready to play" in Saturday's key Mountain West Conference game against Utah at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Dorsey's comeback couldn't have come at a better time for UNLV because starting tailback Joe Haro, the MWC's offensive player of the week after rushing for 226 yards and two touchdowns at Wyoming, skipped practice with back spasms.

Haro suffered the injury in practice on Wednesday and spent most of Thursday getting treatment from the UNLV training staff.

"I was running and something just gave out," Haro said. "I think I'll be all right. It's a lot better (Thursday). I have a lot more range of motion ... but I do feel it. It's going to be a little painful, but I'm not going to be worried about it."

UNLV head coach John Robinson was worried about it, however.

"It seems better, but it's there," Robinson said.

Meanwhile, starting offensive guard Greg Hulett said an MRI showed he tore his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in last week's Wyoming game and vowed to play in his final home game as a Rebel.

"Luckily, unlike Anton (Palepoi, who is out for the season), I only tore my MCL and not my (anterior cruciate ligament)," Hulett said. "Basically (the doctors) say I can play on a torn MCL. Guys do it all the time. It's sore, but I'll definitely go on Saturday. I plan on starting hopefully. But if I can't play 100 percent, I'm not going to be selfish about it. I'll come out. But I think I can do it."

Starting fullback Steven Costa (turf toe) will likely miss his second straight game. Senior George Gordon, who drew high marks for his play at Wyoming, will start in Costa's spot.