Rebels’ Nantkes still out with hurt abdomen

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, March 4, 2004 | 10:55 a.m.

It has been more than four months since UNLV starting quarterback Kurt Nantkes had to be helped off the field after a vicious hit by New Mexico defensive end Zach Rupp. But Nantkes, a 6-foot-4 senior-to-be, is still hurting.

Nantkes, who came back to play two more games, including a season-ending victory at Wyoming, had what at the time was believed to be a strained groin muscle. But he left Wednesday afternoon for Vancouver to meet with some of the same physiotherapy specialists who treated linebacker Ryan Claridge two years ago for a torn abdominal muscle.

UNLV is scheduled to begin spring practice on Sunday afternoon at Rebel Park but head coach John Robinson said Nantkes would see "very limited" if any action during the 15 days of drills.

"His groin has been slow to heal or he may have strained his abdomen," Robinson said. "It doesn't appear to be quite as bad as the injury that Ryan had. But trying to find out what's wrong with some of these injuries is kind of like trying to find out what's going on in Iraq. They don't always show up in tests. So Kurt is going to Vancouver to meet with specialists to see if they can figure what's wrong."

Claridge needed more than four months of intense rehab exercises before he finally overcame his injury. He ended up redshirting during the 2002 season but returned to start for the Rebels last year and is expected to contend for all-MWC honors this fall.

The doctor who treated Claridge, Alex McKechnie, is now employed by the Los Angeles Lakers.

"My guess is that if we had a game on June 1 that Kurt would be back and ready to play," Robinson said. "He probably won't do anything the first couple of weeks (of spring practice) and then after that he'll be very limited in what we allow him to do."