Dorsey among those who had ‘special’ afternoon for UNLV

Monday, Nov. 3, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.

He couldn't have known it at the the time, but Dominique Dorsey was prophetic when he suggested last week that returning kickoffs was the least of UNLV's problems.

Indeed, with starting quarterback Kurt Nantkes' playing status in doubt because of a pulled groin muscle and the Rebels not having much behind him, getting the return game in gear isn't at the top of the priority list anymore.

Then again, maybe the return game already is in gear.

With Dorsey's whopping 34.6 average showing the way, the Rebels ranked sixth in the NCAA in kickoff returns two years ago. That seemed like such a long time ago, given UNLV began Saturday's game at New Mexico ranked 117th -- dead last -- with a paltry 11.7 average.

But the UNLV special teams were just that on Saturday.

Dillon Pieffer kicked three field goals, including a career-long 50-yarder, Gary Cook punted eight times for a 45-yard average, Tremayne Kirkland returned a punt 75 yards setting up a field goal and Dorsey brought back a kickoff 49 yards that paved the way for a touchdown in the Rebels' 37-35 upset victory in Albuquerque.

"All week, we had been saying we had to get back (in gear), to do something to help the team," said Kirkland. "It worked."

The performance of the special teams was crucial, especially with Nantkes holding an ice pack to his sore leg from the middle of the second quarter on. Combined with an opportunistic defense that forced six turnovers, the return game helped the Rebels (5-4, 1-3 Mountain West) offset New Mexico's sizeable 577-292 edge in offensive yards.

Dorsey's 49-yard return up the right sideline late in the second quarter also may have helped the Rebels in a subtle way not apparent in the box score. From that point on, New Mexico (5-4, 2-2) elected to kick away from Dorsey, usually with squibs or pooch kickoffs.

The last one, after the Lobos had pulled within 37-35, was a line drive that a UNLV upman fielded at his own 42. Although New Mexico held and got the ball back, it lost at least 20 yards in the change of possession following the nubbed kickoff.

With just three minutes remaining and no timeouts, New Mexico quarterback Casey Kelley was forced to the air from his own 20 in an effort to get the Lobos into position for the winning field goal. Rebels defensive lineman Dietrich Canterberry batted Kelley's third-down pass in the air, and linebacker Ryan Claridge intercepted it, preserving a UNLV victory that most considered unlikely.

Dorsey's 49-yarder notwithstanding, UNLV still ranks last in this week's NCAA kickoff return statistics. The Rebels improved their average to 13.18, a shade behind Penn State, which ranks 116th with a 14.14 average.

But UNLV continued to rise in punt returns. Thanks to Kirkland's long runback, the Rebels now stand 13th with a 13.95 norm.