Dorsey says problems are behind him

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Aug. 9, 2002 | 9:54 a.m.

Dominique Dorsey was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in 2001 and, when healthy, arguably was the league's most exciting player. But the diminutive tailback said he would much rather focus on the future than the past.

"I can't wait until the start of camp (Saturday morning) and stop dwelling on last season," Dorsey said, alluding to UNLV's disappointing 4-7 campaign. "I would rather look forward to this season and winning more ballgames."

For a while this past spring, there was some uncertainty whether the explosive 5-foot-6, 165-pound Dorsey would be playing for the Rebels this fall.

Dorsey dropped out of school for the spring semester and returned home to Tulare, Calif., for what was termed "personal reasons." Rumors circulated about the nature of those problems and even had Dorsey possibly transferring closer to home, to Fresno State.

Rebels coach John Robinson has maintained that Dorsey, who has been busy making up classes in summer school, will receive a medical waiver from the Mountain West that will allow him to play this fall. He said that Dorsey had battled depression caused in part by family turmoil.

But Dorsey seemed to refute his coach during an interview.

"There were a lot of rumors floating in the air about certain situations and personal problems as far as my (returning) home," Dorsey said. "Those rumors have gotten behind me. Now I'm just ready to get ready for next season."

Dorsey was asked to set the record straight on the rumors.

Were there any family problems in Tulare?

"No," he said. "Everything is OK and cool now."

And what about the bouts of depression?

"No, no, there was no depression at all," he said. "I'm just trying over and over to forget things people are saying. Mainly, it was my ankle (which Dorsey injured during the middle of the 2001 season). But I feel 100 percent now."

Dorsey also denied he had a substance abuse problem, one of the other rumors making the rounds.

So perhaps it was the ankle that caused Robinson to say that UNLV turned in statements from two doctors as part of the process to get Dorsey his medical waiver.

"The waiver hasn't been granted yet, but it has been applied for and I think it will be granted," Robinson said. "We feel he's making progress and the doctors he talks to feel he is ready to come back. We're kind of taking baby steps right now. It's the best thing for the kid. We want to do what is best for Dominique the person, not just the football player."

For his part, Dorsey said he is looking forward to two-a-day practices which begin for the full squad on Saturday morning at 7 at Rebel Park.

"I'm real anxious to get back into the program," he said. "I have to pass my last two summer school classes and get B-pluses. The grades haven't come up yet but all the work has been turned in. But I'll be out there practicing on Saturday. I'm ready to go."

If he's lucky, that's when the rumors about Dominique Dorsey will finally stop.