Monday, March 24, 2003 | 9:32 a.m.
Key dates
When UNLV begins spring football practice Tuesday afternoon at Rebel Park, there will be the usual number of new faces trying to work their way into the starting lineup.
There also will be one key figure missing from the workouts.
Jason Thomas, who has started at quarterback for the past three years and was one of the most acclaimed recruits in school history, has graduated and is pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL.
Enter junior Kurt Nantkes, Thomas' backup each of the past two years, who got a big jump on his the starting quarterback position by leading the Rebels to a season-ending 36-33 upset of No. 16-ranked Colorado State in Fort Collins.
"Yeah, it's going to be strange (not having Thomas around)," fifth-year UNLV coach John Robinson said. "It's a new era. And I feel good about Kurt."
Nantkes, 24, a former minor league pitcher in the Oakland A's farm system, has been waiting patiently for his turn to succeed Thomas.
Nantkes, of Aurora, Colo., turned down scholarship offers from Nebraska and Air Force to attend UNLV. He helped dim the disappointment of a 5-7 season last year when he replaced the injured Thomas in the starting lineup just before kickoff at CSU and completed 16 of 26 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winning 29-yard strike to tight end DeJhown Mandley with 46 seconds left.
"That win kind of gives everybody a settled feeling going into the spring," Robinson said. "The big question at quarterback is who will be his backup?"
Redshirt freshman Tyler Arciaga, who Rebels coaches said had the best arm in Southern California two years ago, will battle sophomore Scott Turner, son of former Washington Redskins coach Norv Turner, and Fresno State transfer Terry Furlow for the backup spot.
Furlow also is expected to get a look at wide receiver where Robinson believes he could become the deep threat the Rebels' passing attack desperately needs to go along with junior Earvin Johnson (51 catches, 793 yards, 4 TDs), senior Michael Johnson (42 catches, 502 yards, 2 TDs) and David Relf. Two other redshirt freshmen, Tremayne Kirkland and Shelvion Williams, also figure to battle for playing time.
Outside of Nantkes, the player most eyes will be focused on is running back Alvin Marshall, a transfer from Compton (Calif.) College tabbed "the Marshall Faulk of junior college football" last season.
Marshall, 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, signed with Nebraska out of high school. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 and joins an already loaded backfield that includes senior Larry Croom, who had 222 yards on 20 carries in the Colorado State upset, dynamic junior Dominique Dorsey and senior Deon Burnett, who started as a freshman at Washington State three years ago.
"I think Deon Burnett is ready for a big year," Robinson said. "We're going to try and do different things to get all four of those players involved in our offense."
Other key areas the Rebels will be focusing on in spring drills:
Robinson will concentrate more on defense this spring. He said the team will stress forcing turnovers in spring drills. He also wants to highlight his team's speed, strong linebacking corps and Mountain West defensive player of the year Jamaal Brimmer at strong safety with an attacking, blitzing defense.
"I think we're looking for a defensive change," he said. "It's going to be based more on quickness, speed and agility which wasn't the case last year."
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