Feb. 2, 2007

Courtesy Bernie Miklasz, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 

MIAMI, Fla. - It happens every now and then. Colts players will be talking about their college football days, telling stories about their memorable games for Notre Dame, Michigan, LSU, Miami or maybe Georgia.

And Colts rookie running back De De Dorsey will speak up, and perhaps mention dear old Lindenwood's heart-wrenching 20-19 loss to Hastings in the NAIA national playoffs, and ...

"I get some funny looks," Dorsey said. "I say I played at Lindenwood and they don't know where it is, or what it is. It's pretty funny."

As St. Louisans know, Lindenwood University is in St. Charles. The Lions play NAIA football. Lindenwood is known for training sports broadcasters, including Cardinals announcer Dan McLaughlin. But if you did a Google search for "Lindenwood" and "Super Bowl running backs," you'd get blanked.

Until now.

"L.U. to the Super Bowl," Dorsey said Wednesday at the Colts' beachfront resort. "It's been an amazing journey."

It began in Dorsey's hometown of Broken Arrow, Okla., and a serious ankle injury that scared off the major-college recruiters. Dorsey started at Ottawa (Kan.) University, then transferred to Lindenwood and emerged as a two-time, first team All-American, once as a defensive back, then as a running back. And he blocked 16 kicks -- seven field-goal tries, nine punts -- during his college career. And he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.

Of course, that crack Rams personnel department missed him. After all, Rams Park is at least five miles from Lindenwood, so how could they possibly know?
Dorsey, who is represented by former Mizzou quarterback Corby Jones, signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals after the 2006 draft. He averaged 7.5 yards per rush during exhibition games. Dorsey also took a short pass and whoooshed 59 yards with it, prompting Bengals wide receiver Chad Curtis to ask, "When did we get Marshall Faulk?"

And then the Bengals got cute. They tried to sneak Dorsey the sleeper onto the practice squad, but Indianapolis swooped in and signed him. And now Dorsey apparently is a keeper. He has played in 13 games this season and has earned respect with his relentless play on special teams. He'll serve on the kickoff return unit for Super Bowl XLI. Dorsey will have to wait his turn at halfback, which is occupied by Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. But he's 22. He's a rookie. He's from Lindenwood. And he'll play in the Super Bowl. Top that.

"Don't worry about having a big-name school on your résumé," Dorsey said. "That's the lesson. It's all about creating a buzz about yourself. If you can create a buzz that's loud enough to be heard, then you will be found."