‘Jersey Joe’ can pack a punch

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 | 10:32 a.m.

A former all-state performer in Clifton, N.J., UNLV starting tailback Joe Haro appears as "Jersey Joe" in the team's weekly media release.

A better nickname might be "The Iceman."

The hard-nosed 5-foot-10, 190-pound junior, who ranks fifth in the Mountain West Conference in rushing with a 96.3 yards per game average, probably leads the Rebels in bruises and ice bags this season.

"I would say that would be a pretty good guess," UNLV trainer Kyle Wilson said. "This week he sure does. He has had ice bags on both elbows and both knees. He's pretty beat up."

"Joe is what I call a collision runner," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "He goes right at the defender full speed and then takes him on in what is usually a pretty violent collision. It can take its toll on you physically."

Haro, who had a career-high 136 yards on 23 carries in last Saturday's 31-3 victory over San Diego State, sat out Tuesday night's practice at Rebel Park. That should enable his body to rest in preparation for what figures to be another hard-hitting game on Saturday afternoon, when UNLV hosts two-time defending MWC champ Colorado State at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Haro pretty much had to shoulder the tailback load against the Aztecs because backup Dominique Dorsey limped to the sidelines with a sprained left ankle early in the first quarter.

"Dominique came to the sidelines and told me, 'Coach, I think I'm injured,' " Robinson said. "And Joe Haro was standing next to him and said, 'Coach, I hate to tell you this, but so am I.' "

Haro bruised his knee early in the game but continued to play through the discomfort. Afterward in the Rebel locker room, he showed a reporter a bruise the size of a silver dollar on the outside of one of his knees.

"It's sore, but I'll be OK," he said. "It was fun being out there. The offensive line was opening such big holes for me. And (fullback) Steven Costa and (tight end) DeJhown Mandley did a great job blocking, too."

"Joe is a big-time guy, a very tough guy," Robinson said. "He's also the captain of our punt team. He has the responsibility all week to make sure we do the right things there. And if you don't do well in the punt game, you can probably lose the game faster there than any other place."

Haro was recruited to UNLV as a running back and played briefly in 1999, carrying eight times for 65 yards, including four times for 59 yards against BYU. But with good depth in Jeremi Rudolph and Kevin Brown at tailback last season, Haro was moved to cornerback. He played just two games there before fracturing his right fibula in a game against North Texas.

With Rudolph and Brown gone to graduation, Haro was moved back to running back last spring and battled senior Jabari Johnson for the No. 1 job. After coming off the bench to rush for 131 yards on 24 carries in the Rebels' season-opening loss at Arkansas, Haro took over the starting tailback job and has rushed for at least 70 yards in all but one game.

Robinson also made a point at his weekly luncheon on Monday to show film clips of Haro's ability to pick up blitzing linebackers in pass-blocking situations.

"I'm glad to be back running the ball again," Haro said. "When you have an offensive line like ours opening big holes for you, and a quarterback like JT (Jason Thomas) back there running the show and making things happen, it can be a lot of fun."

The 6-4, 275-pound senior sprained his right knee during UNLV's 27-12 victory at Nevada-Reno on Oct. 6 and is still experencing pain and swelling.

"He's progressing but we don't want to take a chance on him reaggravating it," UNLV trainer Kyle Wilson said. "He did some straight-ahead running at Tuesday night's practice but he still had some pain and swelling. So it would be best for him to sit out this week and try and get ready for the last four games."

Dorsey, who sprained an ankle in last Saturday's win over San Diego State, took part in a couple of series on Wednesday and is expected to play this weekend, according to Wilson.

"There was no swelling which is encouraging," Wilson said. "It's still a little sore but the strength is coming back."