RB Dorsey back in school

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

2002 Preseason All-Mountain West

Offense: WR Ryan McGuffey, Wyoming; WR Reno Mahe, BYU; OL Jordan Gross, Utah; OL Ben Archibald, BYU; OL Adam Goldberg, Wyoming; OL Dustin Rykert, BYU; OL Claude Terrell, New Mexico; TE Spencer Nead, BYU; QB Bradlee Van Pelt, Colorado State; RB Joe Haro, UNLV, RB Cecil Sapp, Colorado State.

Defense: DL Jason Kaufusi, Utah; DL Garrett Smith, Utah; DL Ahmad Briggs, UNLV; DL Peter Hogan, Colorado State; LB Sheldon Deckert, Utah; LB Eric Pauley, Colorado State; LB Drew Wood, Colorado State; DB Antoine Sanders, Utah; DB Jernaro Gilford, BYU; DB Arnold Parker, Utah, DB Dexter Wynn, Colorado State.

Special Teams: Punter Joey Huber, Colorado State; PK Jarvis Wallum, Wyoming; PR Dexter Wynn, Colorado State; KR Dominique Dorsey, UNLV; KR Dexter Wynn, Colorado State.

CORONADO ISLAND, Calif. -- UNLV football coach John Robinson expects star kick returner Dominique Dorsey to play this season despite withdrawing from school last spring to deal with personal problems.

"I think we're going to be OK," Robinson said at Mountain West Conference Media Day. "We're taking it kind of slow in bringing him back. He went through some difficult personal problems and unsettling experiences. We just need to get him smoothed back."

Robinson wouldn't disclose the nature of Dorsey's problems, but said the explosive 5-foot-6 running back had suffered bouts of depression while trying to deal with family problems in his hometown of Tulare, Calif.

The NCAA has granted Dorsey a medical waiver for passing 24 units in a one-year period.

"He just has to do OK in summer school," Robinson said. "He seems to be doing OK there and we expect him to be eligible."

Dorsey was named the Mountain West Conference's Freshman of the Year after averaging 34.6 yards on 10 kickoff returns and gaining 379 yards on 57 carries (6.6 avg.) and scoring four touchdowns. He set a MWC freshman record with 180 yards on 18 carries in UNLV's 27-12 victory at Nevada-Reno.

More than 34,000 seats have been sold for the contest against the Badgers, including 3,671 single-game tickets.

A record crowd of about 43,000 is expect for the contest. In 1996, the teams set the Sam Boyd Stadium attendance record for a team sporting event when 40,091 jammed Sam Boyd to witness a 52-17 Badger victory.

The big difference this time around, however, is that Wisconsin fans will not be required to buy season tickets to get into the stadium as was the case in 1996.

"He didn't make it," Robinson said. "He's a good player, too. He would have been a big help."

Robinson said wide receiver Erik Elkington (knee) and backup center Ernie Calanche also will not return to the team.

The only games not scheduled to be televised at this time are the Rebels' Sept. 7 home game against Kansas, the Oct. 5 Fremont Cannon battle with Nevada-Reno, the Oct. 12 homecoming game against New Mexico, an Oct. 26 contest at San Diego State and the Nov. 9 game at defending conference champion Utah. However, ABC, ESPN and ESPN-Plus are expected to pick up another handful of games during the season with SportsWest likely to add what is left.

UNLV's tentative TV schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Wisconsin (ESPN2); Sept. 14 at Oregon State (TBS national); Sept. 21 at Toledo (ESPN-Plus); Oct. 19 at BYU (ESPN-Plus or SportsWest); Nov. 2 vs. Wyoming (ESPN-Plus or SportsWest); Nov. 16 vs. Air Force (ESPN-Plus or SportsWest) and Nov. 30 at Colorado State (SportsWest).