Robinson pleased with workouts

Steve Guiremand

Monday, March 29, 2004 | 9:33 a.m.

This probably has been the quietest UNLV spring football practice since John Robinson took over as head coach for Jeff Horton in December of 1998.

Because spring break was going to fall in early April this year, Robinson moved the start of spring drills up to March 1 while most Rebels fans were still focused on basketball and the search for Charlie Spoonhour's successor. And the team's annual spring game, which in the past featured a big barbecue and Robinson doing his best Jay Leno impersonation with a wireless microphone during the scrimmage, went off with little fanfare on Saturday afternoon and was limited to just 36 plays.

The Rebels conclude spring drills with practices on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, only one of which will be in full gear. And although most of spring football has slid under the radar this year, Robinson believes this may have been his best.

"It was probably the most competitive spring we've had in terms of the physical nature of it," Robinson said. "We went after each other pretty good."

Indeed, All-American safety Jamaal Brimmer had to leave Saturday's scrimmage following a shot to the chest. Inside linebackers Adam Seward (broken foot) and Zach Bell (knee sprain) watched from the sideline as did three wide receivers who are battling for a starting spot -- Tremayne Kirkland, Donell Wheaton and Shelvion Williams -- all of whom had minor injuries. Ditto senior tailback Dyante Perkins, one of the stars of the camp after moving from fullback.

A favorite feature of practices were full-contact goal-line series featuring the first-team offense against the first-team defense with no passing allowed. Although the defense usually held on downs, the offense, thanks to the hard inside running of Perkins and powerful Ohio State transfer JaJa Riley, managed to punch a few scores in.

But perhaps what jumped out the most this spring was the team's depth. It has taken the better part of six recruiting classes but the Rebels appear to finally have quality depth at most positions, a must heading into a very demanding schedule that starts with back-to-back road games at perennial SEC heavyweight Tennessee and Big Ten power Wisconsin.

"I think we have more competent players than we've had by quite a ways," Robinson said. "I think there isn't a major deficiency anywhere now. Our success will still depend on our continued development, but I think we feel like there's more solid players on this team."

There are still areas of concern that will carry over to the start of fall practice in early August, however.

The biggest will be at quarterback and the physical condition of returning senior starter Kurt Nantkes.

Nantkes, who has thrown for 2,517 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career, missed all of spring practice while rehabilitating from a dislocated pubic bone injury suffered during a sack on Nov. 1 at New Mexico. Sophomore backup Shane Steichen, who started two games last season as true freshman, got the majority of the snaps with the first team in the spring and seemed to make the most of the opportunity.

"Quarterback is certainly one area that carries over into the fall," Robinson said. "Steichen has had a very good spring. I think getting Kurt back up to speed will be very important."

Nantkes is hoping to begin throwing exercises again as soon as this week. He missed Saturday's scrimmage so that he could fly to Vancouver to meet with sports therapists who specialize in treating his type of injury.

"A lot of Kurt's problems are just Kurt getting well," Robinson said. "He needs to get healthy and get his stuff back."

Three other positions that will be a big focus in the fall will be wide receiver, where such talented underclassmen as Kirkland, Wheaton and Terry Furlow are battling to compliment senior All-American candidate Earvin Johnson, the defensive line, where junior college transfers Isaac Watts, Mario Hill and Isaiah Tafua are competing with returnees Leon Moore, Brian Nicholson, Howie Fuimaono and Pete Dunbar for playing time, and the secondary, where highly-touted junior college transfers Charles Ealy and Chanti Bloomer are among a handful of candidates who will be vying for a starting cornerback spot.

"The development of a second wide receiver will be key," Robinson said. "We have the potential there but no one that has proven anything yet. I think we have more competitive people at corner but again we have to get somebody to step up and prove it. And I think the same goes for the defensive line, where we have four or five junior college players that have shown potential but need to show up in the fall and show that they are truly ready to step in and play down after down."

Robinson cited junior college transfers Chris Bowser, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound sophomore offensive tackle from Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., who is challenging for s starting spot, and Chad Henley, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound fullback from Moorpark (Calif.) JC, has having "excellent springs."

Who were the surprises of spring camp?

"Bobby Kelly has impressed me," Robinson said of the hard-hitting 6-foot-2, 215-pound outside linebacker from Grossmont College in El Cajon, Calif., who intercepted a Steichen pass in Saturday's scrimmage. "He's had a good spring. (Sophomore nose tackle) Howie Fuimaono has really matured from last fall to this year. And (senior defensive end) Pete Dunbar. I don't know if you'd use the word 'surprised' about him because we were hopeful he'd be a good player. But he didn't play last year with an injury (torn abdominal muscle). He's come on and he's really going to be a solid player for us."