Diet keeps Marshall out of spring practice

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, April 7, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Alvin Marshall was anxious for the start of spring practice last week. And for good reason.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior, once called a junior college version of Marshall Faulk at Compton (Calif.) College, seems tailor-made for a slotback position in new UNLV head coach Mike Sanford's spread option offense. He is the top returning receiver for the Rebels after making 31 catches a year ago and has 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash. But so far this spring, Marshall has spent more time in the hospital than he has on the practice field learning Sanford's new offense.

"The weekend before the start of spring ball I was in the hospital the whole time," Marshall said. "I was having chest pains. It felt like someone was grabbing my heart and squeezing it. It was just constant pain."

The good news is that Marshall wasn't suffering a heart attack. The bad news is after being released from the hospital a couple days later and taking part in UNLV's first spring workout on March 29, he was back in the doctor's office with more chest pains.

After a series of tests, Marshall says doctors believe he is suffering from acid reflux. However, he will not be allowed to practice at least until April 16 as he undergoes further testing to make absolutely sure there is nothing wrong with his heart.

"It's real frustrating just sitting around," Marshall said. "Right now I'm just waiting. I have two more weeks of testing, some more blood work and some more stress tests, and then we'll go from there. But right now I'm out of spring ball for two weeks at least."

Marshall, who is still dressing for practices but can only stand on the sidelines to observe, said blood work showed that his cholesterol was too high and that he has to change his eating habits.

"They took a stress test at the hospital and it came back fine," Marshall said. "All my blood work for iron and white blood cells came back fine. They said my lungs were clear so it wasn't my asthma. But the cardiologist said my cholesterol was too high and I had acid reflux from my stomach that was sitting in my chest and causing me chest pains. Now I'm on medication to try and get rid of it.

"Basically, I wasn't eating right. He said one reason I hadn't had a heart attack or a stroke yet is because I've been working out. Too much fried food is basically what it is. It's all the In-N-Out and McDonald's and Burger King, the cheese. Right now I'm on a strict diet. Just baked foods, fat free milk, trying to cut down on the cookies. I'm eating skinless chicken, stuff like that, to get my cholesterol down."

Marshall said he still has more tests to take and at least another four visits to the doctor before he can be cleared to resume playing again.

"By the 15th or 16th (of April) they should really know what the problem is and we'll take it from there," he said.

UNLV concludes spring practice on April 22, so it is possible Marshall could return for the final week of spring drills. Even if he does return for the final week of practice, he will have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to learning the new offense.

"I think it definitely hurts him not being out here," Sanford said. "There's a lot of things going on ... like the timing of our shovel (pass), a lot of our pass routes and developing a communication and trust with the quarterbacks ... we're way behind in that area. Right now he's kind of an unknown."

Sanford said Faga, an all-state performer from Indian Springs High north of Las Vegas, should be ready to return to action by fall camp.

Sanford said the move was made in consultation with the team's new six-player Leadership Committee over the weekend.

"His return depends on what he does or doesn't do in the future," Sanford said. "That's all I have to say about the matter."

Kranz was a first-team all-state 4A pick in 2003 after scoring 23 touchdowns and rushing for 1,105 yards as a senior wingback. Former Rebels offensive coordinator Bruce Snyder lobbied to get Kranz a grayshirt scholarship as part of UNLV's 2004 signing class.