UNLV graduate assistant facing drug charges

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Aug. 30, 2002 | 10:02 a.m.

Just hours before kicking off its 2002 football season, UNLV discovered it will have one less coach standing on the sidelines.

Duval Love, 39, who joined the staff during the summer as a graduate assistant, resigned after he was arrested on federal drug conspiracy charges Thursday morning in Tampa, Fla.

"We were startled by (the arrest)," UNLV coach John Robinson said after Rebels practice Thursday afternoon at Rebel Park."Duval has resigned his position and is going to concentrate his efforts on getting this matter taken care of."

A former offensive lineman, Love spent seven years (1985-91) of his 12-year NFL career playing for Robinson with the Los Angeles Rams.

Love was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute 11 pounds of cocaine, one count of conspiracy to distribute MDMA, or Ecstasy, and two counts of aiding another person in attempts to distribute cocaine and Ecstasy.

Robinson told reporters that Love only recently became aware of the investigation.

Love, who lives in the exclusive Coto de Caza development of million dollar homes in south Orange County, Calif., turned himself in to marshals in Tampa on Thursday. He pleaded innocent and was released on a $100,000 bond.

The cocaine-related charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. The Ecstasy charges carry a maximum of 20 years.

The crimes occurred last year according to a grand jury indictment. No further details were released by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

In addition to his stint with the Rams, Love, a 10th-round draft pick out of UCLA, played with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992-94 and the Arizona Cardinals in 1995-96. He was named to the NFL All-Pro team in 1995.

Love had spent several days at UNLV during practice as a volunteer assistant working with offensive linemen. He also spent time this summer at the at the Seattle Seahawks training camp as part of the NFL's minority internship program.

"He's been a good guy who was trying to start a new career," Robinson said. "It's unfortunate this has happened to him."