Dorsey will miss UNLV’s spring drills

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, March 12, 2002 | 10:06 a.m.

UNLV's football team will be without one of its key offensive weapons when spring practice begins next month.

Sophomore Dominique Dorsey, the Mountain West Conference's Freshman of the Year in 2001, will sit out spring drills and possibly could miss the entire 2002 campaign according to Rebel head coach/athletic director John Robinson.

"We sent him home (to Tulare, Calif.) to resolve some family and personal problems," Robinson said. "He's probably going to have to take some incompletes in some of his classes which is going to drop him below 12 units."

Under NCAA guidelines, a student must be enrolled in a minimum 12 academic units to be able to participate in athletics. Because of the Buckley Amendment which protects a student's right of privacy, Robinson could not disclose the nature of the personal issues Dorsey is dealing with.

"We're hoping that when he gets everything squared away he can come back and fill out the incompletes," Robinson said. "With summer school he still has a chance to become eligible in the fall. Otherwise, we'll redshirt him."

The explosive 5-foot-6, 160-pound Dorsey led the Mountain West in kickoff returns last season with a 34.6 average. He also was third on the Rebels in rushing despite being hampered by injuries much of the season, gaining 381 yards on 57 carries (6.6 avg.) and scoring four touchdowns in nine games.

Spring practice begins April 2 at Rebel Park.