Nusser considers his height an advantage, not a detriment

Posted: Tuesday, August 29, 2000

Dusty Nusser has heard his share of short jokes. But he never lets that get in the way of him being a dominating offensive lineman for the Portales Rams. Standing 5-foot-7, and he admits that's stretching it, he stands tall on the field.

Nusser, who weighs 215 pounds, will be starting his third season on the offensive line for the Rams. He takes the good-hearted short jokes by his teammates lightly.

After back-to-back 3-7 seasons, the Portales Rams feel it's their turn to make a run at the state playoffs.

Coach Glenn Johnson has been at the helm for two seasons, and the Rams have gained some cohesiveness. Before him, Portales had three coaches in three years.

The Rams have many more players out for football, which is a plus. It will help that so many of their players won't have to go both ways.

Offensively, the Rams wishbone offense should roll with four of the five offensive linemen returning, led by guard Dusty Nusser and mammoth tackle Josh Castillo (6-5, 300).

Cody Johnson, starting his third year at quarterback, is an old hand at running the option offense. Tyrone Sharp gives the Rams some outside speed.

Defensively, linebacker Jeff Howard and defensive back Ty Griffin will lead a Portales defensive squad that wasn't too shabby last year.

The Rams lost two close district games that kept them out of the playoffs, 20-6 to Ruidoso and 32-30 to Lovington.

Head coach: Glenn Johnson, third season at Portales, 6-14; and 39-31 overall record.

Nickname: Rams.

1999 Record: 3-7, 0-3 in District 4-3A.

Postseason: none.

Returning experience: 15 lettermen, including nine offensive and six defensive starters.

Players to watch: Jeff Howard LB, Ty Griffin DB, Cody Johnson QB, Josh Castillo, OT.

Promising newcomers: David Harwell RB, Arnes Robbins DE.

Basic offense: Wishbone.

Basic defense: 5-2.

Playoff history: 1961 (state finalist), 1971 (state finalist), 1977 (state champion), 1978 (state champion), 1979 (state champion), 1981 (state champion), 1983 (state finalist), 1988 (state champion), 1995 (semifinalist).

"My teammates give me a hard time, but that's all right," said Nusser. "I tell them being short is better than anything else."

Well in his case, it means "pads under pads." Being built so low to the ground, Nusser has the ability to get underneath his opponents, giving him the leverage advantage. An advantage he makes the most of with his strong legs and upper body.

"It's like when we played Lovington," he said."They had this guy 6-foot-7. I think he's going to UNM (University of New Mexico) or Eastern (Eastern New Mexico University); I whipped him all night. He stood up, heck I was already at his hip. I was under his pads and just pushing him with my legs."

Nusser has grown two inches since his sophomore season. Then he weighed 205, last year he played at 220.

"I've been lifting every day, lost a little weight and I gained some muscle," he said.

In fact, Nusser's diligence in the weight room has helped him become one of the strongest members on the team. From his freshman year, he's improved his squad from 225 to 425 pounds and his bench press from 165 to 300 pounds.

He's says he's versed in playing all positions in the offensive line, having played center his sophomore year.

"Center doesn't take quite as much thinking because usually we play teams that have a nose guard, so you just block the man over you," he said. "But I feel I can play any position on the offensive line they need me to. I can look at the plays and just get a feel for that position."

Nusser said he'd much rather block the bigger players.

"The key to winning the battle against the bigger guys is getting under him and just staying on him. With the faster guys you've got to work your feet real good. Like when we played Ruidoso. They didn't have a guy over 6-foot on their line. They whipped us because they were quicker than we were. They slanted a lot, and if you guessed wrong, they were in the backfield causing problems."

With several returners on the line like Nusser, guard Bryan Luce, tackle Josh Castillo and center Steve Austin, Nusser figures the Rams' wishbone offense will roll.

"The guys we've got coming back got a lot of experience last year," he said. ''We've got more people out. Last year a lot of people went both ways, and we were just exhausted by the fourth quarter. I think we'll do all right this year."

Which will be a tall order for the short man leading the offensive line.