Arizona’s Dice Rolls With the Pain

Looking like a prizefighter who has absorbed too many blows, Richard Dice winces and wills himself out of the Arizona football locker room to meet with reporters on Saturday.

His blond crew-cut is a mess. The lampblack that reduces glare is smeared across his cheeks. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver from Alemany High has acquired severe bruises on his hip, calf, knee and lower back in a 34-24 victory in Tucson over UCLA--the team that ruined the Wildcats’ Rose Bowl plans in 1993.

“My hands,” he says, “are the part of my body that don’t hurt.”

X-rays on Monday would determine the severity of Dice’s injuries. For Dice, 36 hours isn’t too long of a wait; he has just caught six passes for 138 yards to help Arizona bury the Bruins.

If Dice, whose X-rays proved negative, gets any award from the Wildcats (6-1, 4-0 in Pacific 10 Conference play), it should be a medal for bravery. The oft-injured sophomore, who is playing despite cracked vertebrae in his lower spine, is somehow able to block out the pain and make big plays with the speed and agility that make him one of the top young receivers in the country.

Dice overwhelmed UCLA defensive backs Andy Colbert and Teddy Lawrence, both 5-9, on a second-quarter scoring drive. On his eight-yard touchdown reception from Dan White, Dice leaped in the end zone to catch the pass while Lawrence seemed to disappear in his shadow. Dice couldn’t get up on his own after the catch because of severe back pain.

But that’s nothing new. Arizona has all but put Dice’s name on one of its training-room tables.

“I’ve been in the X-ray room every Monday since the season started,” he said. “They know me by my first name. Just to get ready for each game, I’ve got to go to the training room each day. I’ve never been this banged-up.”

Dice injured both elbows in the opener at Georgia Tech. Since then he has fought through a bruised tailbone and a hip-pointer. The injury to the vertebrae is not considered serious. “They say that’s not unusual for a football player,” he said. “But I just gotta be out there--I can’t let my teammates down.”

He hasn’t. He is usually listed as “questionable” on pregame injury reports. He always plays.

Three times this season Dice has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in a game. Each of his receptions last week produced a score or a first down. His 35 catches for 644 yards (an average of 18.4 yards) are the most at Arizona since Derek Hill had 45 for 798 in 1987.

His seven touchdown receptions are the most by a Wildcat receiver since Theopolis Bell had 11 in 1974. Dice currently ranks 23rd in the nation in catches per game (five) and 14th in yards per game (92).

But for Dice, it’s no pain, no gain.

“I’m taking a lot of Advils, getting a lot of ice,” he said. “As long as I’m there by Saturday, it doesn’t really matter.”

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Colorado dreaming: Senior tight end Christian Fauria (Crespi) of Colorado was featured on an ESPN show two weeks ago in a spoof of the cable network’s “SportsCenter Highlight” ads that feature the “fantasies” of professional athletes.

In his joke segment, Fauria, who throws left-handed, is called on to throw the winning touchdown pass in the national-championship game. He completes a bomb to Derek West, a 6-8, 285-pound tackle.

If that is Fauria’s No. 1 dream, No. 2 must be beating third-ranked Nebraska this weekend and catching three passes in the game. With a victory, second-ranked Colorado (7-0) would have the inside track for an Orange Bowl bid and a shot at the national championship.

With three receptions, Fauria would replace Jon Embree (80 receptions) as the No. 1 pass-catching tight end in Colorado history. Fauria currently has 78 for 946 yards in his third season as a starter. He leads the team this season with 25.

“Just playing Nebraska is a highlight in itself,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough game. I don’t care if I have one (reception), as long we win. I’ll be the happiest guy in the world.

“If I catch three balls, that would be the cherry on top.”

Playing off the ESPN fantasy ads, the Colorado media guide features several would-be SportsCenter Highlights of several Colorado players.

NCAA rules prohibit college athletes from appearing in the ads. But ESPN’s Chris Fowler, host of the station’s College Football Game Day, tabbed potential All-American Fauria to play out his fantasy for his show after seeing the media-guide version.

“They came during two-a-days and taped it,” Fauria said. “I thought it was hilarious. It was fun to do and see it on TV. And within a serious season, it’s nice to find something to laugh about.”

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Around the country: Senior running back Ontiwaun Carter (Kennedy) of Arizona needs 175 more yards to overtake Art Luppino (1953-56) as the school’s all-time rusher. He had 164 yards and two touchdowns in 30 carries against UCLA last week.

Junior defensive tackle Chuck Osborne (Canyon) of Arizona has 23 tackles, nine behind the line of scrimmage, and leads the team with seven sacks. Twenty-three tackles might seem a bit few for seven games, but former teammate Rob Waldrop, the 1993 Outland Trophy winner, had 34 tackles, nine behind the line, and seven sacks at the same point last season. . . . Senior right tackle Joe Smigiel (Newbury Park) of Arizona suffered a sprained right ankle in the fourth quarter against UCLA and is listed as questionable for the Oregon game this week.

Junior running back Pathon Rucker (Glendale/Glendale College) of Emporia State, an NCAA Division II school, has been sidelined because of a strained shoulder and hamstring and has played only one down in seven games. Rucker, the projected starter, is now playing behind senior Quincy Tillmon.

In women’s volleyball, UCLA junior outside hitter Jennifer Johnson, a Sherman Oaks resident, had a career-high 27 kills in a victory over USC last week. Johnson, daughter of Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson, has reached double figures in kills and digs 11 times each. The Bruins are ranked third in the nation.