Parker, Utah look to take out frustrations on Rebels

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

Arnold Parker admits he has had Saturday's game with UNLV circled for some time.

"It's always a game that I look forward to playing in," the former Nevada Player of the Year from Cimarron-Memorial High School said. "It's a game you really want to win so when you go home you have something to brag about."

Especially this year.

It hasn't exactly been a banner year for Parker and his University of Utah teammates. The Utes, expected to battle Colorado State for the Mountain West Conference championship, enter Saturday's game with UNLV (4-5, 2-2) with a six-game losing streak and a disappointing 2-6 record, including 0-4 in MWC play. And rumors abound that longtime head coach Ron McBride will be shown the exit at the end of the season.

"It's been a tough year, no doubt about it," Parker said. "It seems like in every game something comes up to hurt us. It might be a blown call by an official or a turnover or a big penalty. We've been right there in most of those games only to have one or two plays come back to haunt us."

For Parker, it has been an especially difficult year.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior is listed as an All-America candidate in the Utah media guide after moving to cornerback from strong safety last spring. But Parker has had a tough time at his new position, getting beaten for several key touchdowns this season.

One major reason Parker has struggled has been because of injuries.

"In the spring he was the best corner we had," McBride said. "Then he started getting hurt which slowed his progress."

Parker suffered a turf toe injury in spring practice and was told to rest during the summer.

"That made it difficult to stay in good condition," Parker said. "You couldn't work out the way you wanted to because you had to rest the foot."

Then on the first day of fall camp, Parker suffered an even more serious injury.

"I pulled an abdominal muscle," Parker said "That first day it was so painful I couldn't even walk. It went right through the stomach to the pelvic area."

The injury is similar to the one that sidelined Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal for several months a couple of seasons ago and the one that forced UNLV linebacker Ryan Claridge to redshirt this year.

"For three weeks I couldn't even practice," Parker said. "My first real test at corner came in our first game (against Utah State). I couldn't really practice during the week because I had to let it heal. And then I started getting beat (for touchdowns)."

Parker says the injury has improved lately but still bothers him.

"It's still getting better," he said. "But there is still a ways to go. I just have to play through it."

Even if it means getting beaten occasionally for a touchdown at his new position.

"Yeah, (playing cornerback) is a lot like playing quarterback because when you make a mistake, everybody notices," Parker said. "The hardest part moving there from safety is turning and finding the ball in the air and adjusting to it. At safety you usually see everything in front of you and you can just react to it. At corner, you're usually all by yourself, too."

A victory over UNLV, a team that recruited him hard his senior year, would help lessen the pain of a disappointing season.

"We're just trying to get a win," Parker said. "That's the main thing. We've beaten UNLV the two years I've played and that felt good. But I think they've got a better team this year. I've been watching film of them this week and it kind of shocked me just how good they are. We're definitely going to have our work cut out."