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Woodbury running back Ernest Dorsett is the great-nephew of former Dallas Cowboys star Tony Dorsett.
By DEAN SPIROS, Star Tribune
Last update: September 23, 2008 - 11:32 AM
Ernest Dorsett
Marlin Levison, Star Tribune
Woodbury senior running back Ernest Dorsett is a prime example of how family matters. Make that Ernest Wesley Dorsett III, following in the footsteps of his dad and grandfather.
With his dad a career military man, Dorsett was born in Indiana before the family moved to Germany. He was in third grade in 2000 when the family relocated to Minnesota.
It was another two years before Ernest Jr. introduced his son to football and, eventually, to the family's well-known connection to the sport.
"I didn't find out until sixth grade that my great-uncle is Tony Dorsett," Dorsett said. "I wasn't really into football until then. I started wearing his number [33]."
Tony Dorsett won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Pittsburgh and went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys. Although not very big (5-10, 190 pounds), he possessed electrifying speed and a keen ability to run to daylight.
Along with a distinct facial resemblance to his great-uncle, Ernest Dorsett (5-10, 145) also has game-changing speed.
As a track athlete, he finished third in the state last season in the 400-meter run, finishing in 49.13 seconds. He also anchored the Royals' 4x400 relay team that won the state championship.
Dorsett is the Royals' second-leading rusher with 244 yards, with an average of 5.8 yards per carry.
"We're getting better at figuring out how to use him," Woodbury coach Beau LaBore said. "We want to use his speed as much as possible, get him the ball in the open field."
Dorsett said he ran a 4.54 40-yard dash when he was timed last year during the track season. He's sure he is faster now.
"I might be in the 4.4 range now," he said.
Dorsett's grandfather is the older brother of Tony Dorsett. Ernest Jr. has fond memories of attending Super Bowl XII in New Orleans in 1978 with his dad. His Uncle Tony scored Dallas' first touchdown in a 27-10 victory over Denver.
Thirty years later his football excitement centers on the ball-carrying exploits of No. 5 for the Woodbury Royals.
"The kid's got a lot of speed," Ernest Jr. said, "and he seems to have his head on right."
Dorsett said he met his great-uncle at a family reunion in Pennsylvania two years ago. He didn't hesitate to ask for a little football advice.
"He told me just to play hard," Dorsett said. "He said size isn't that big of a factor, and that I should just use my speed."
Dorsett's teammates know he has a former football star in the family, but the name Tony Dorsett does not connect with too many teenagers. LaBore remembers watching Tony Dorsett running the ball when he was a kid.
"[Football] is something that definitely is in the lineage," LaBore said. "It's been exciting to see some of those flashes of Tony Dorsett come out."
Dorsett changed his jersey number from 3 to 5 this season. When he heard the news, Ernest Jr. kiddingly asked, "Why not 33?"
While Dorsett has spent many a night watching tapes of his great-uncle, he is equally enamored with the talents of former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who wears No. 5.
Dorsett said he has drawn some interest from the North Dakota State football staff. He will consider his options, but said his first choice would be to attend the U, where he could run track and see what develops in football.
"Football is my favorite sport, but I see myself achieving more in track," Dorsett said.
LaBore does not rule out a football future for Dorsett.
"As a sophomore, he was a track athlete," LaBore said. "His junior year, he was a basketball player and track athlete. Now, he is a football player, basketball player and track athlete.
"It's taken him a little while to grow into this football thing, but it's starting to fit pretty nicely."
"The kid's got a lot of speed," Ernest Jr. said, "and he seems to have his head on right."
Dorsett said he met his great-uncle at a family reunion in Pennsylvania two years ago. He didn't hesitate to ask for a little football advice.
"He told me just to play hard," Dorsett said. "He said size isn't that big of a factor, and that I should just use my speed."
Dorsett's teammates know he has a former football star in the family, but the name Tony Dorsett does not connect with too many teenagers. LaBore remembers watching Tony Dorsett running the ball when he was a kid.
"[Football] is something that definitely is in the lineage," LaBore said. "It's been exciting to see some of those flashes of Tony Dorsett come out."
Dorsett changed his jersey number from 3 to 5 this season. When he heard the news, Ernest Jr. kiddingly asked, "Why not 33?"
While Dorsett has spent many a night watching tapes of his great-uncle, he is equally enamored with the talents of former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who wears No. 5.
Dorsett said he has drawn some interest from the North Dakota State football staff. He will consider his options, but said his first choice would be to attend the U, where he could run track and see what develops in football.
"Football is my favorite sport, but I see myself achieving more in track," Dorsett said.
LaBore does not rule out a football future for Dorsett.
"As a sophomore, he was a track athlete," LaBore said. "His junior year, he was a basketball player and track athlete. Now, he is a football player, basketball player and track athlete.
"It's taken him a little while to grow into this football thing, but it's starting to fit pretty nicely."
http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/29434504.html?page=2&c=y
By DEAN SPIROS, Star Tribune
Last update: September 23, 2008 - 11:32 AM
Ernest DorsettMarlin Levison, Star Tribune
Woodbury senior running back Ernest Dorsett is a prime example of how family matters. Make that Ernest Wesley Dorsett III, following in the footsteps of his dad and grandfather.
With his dad a career military man, Dorsett was born in Indiana before the family moved to Germany. He was in third grade in 2000 when the family relocated to Minnesota.
It was another two years before Ernest Jr. introduced his son to football and, eventually, to the family's well-known connection to the sport.
"I didn't find out until sixth grade that my great-uncle is Tony Dorsett," Dorsett said. "I wasn't really into football until then. I started wearing his number [33]."
Tony Dorsett won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Pittsburgh and went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys. Although not very big (5-10, 190 pounds), he possessed electrifying speed and a keen ability to run to daylight.
Along with a distinct facial resemblance to his great-uncle, Ernest Dorsett (5-10, 145) also has game-changing speed.
As a track athlete, he finished third in the state last season in the 400-meter run, finishing in 49.13 seconds. He also anchored the Royals' 4x400 relay team that won the state championship.
Dorsett is the Royals' second-leading rusher with 244 yards, with an average of 5.8 yards per carry.
"We're getting better at figuring out how to use him," Woodbury coach Beau LaBore said. "We want to use his speed as much as possible, get him the ball in the open field."
Dorsett said he ran a 4.54 40-yard dash when he was timed last year during the track season. He's sure he is faster now.
"I might be in the 4.4 range now," he said.
Dorsett's grandfather is the older brother of Tony Dorsett. Ernest Jr. has fond memories of attending Super Bowl XII in New Orleans in 1978 with his dad. His Uncle Tony scored Dallas' first touchdown in a 27-10 victory over Denver.
Thirty years later his football excitement centers on the ball-carrying exploits of No. 5 for the Woodbury Royals.
"The kid's got a lot of speed," Ernest Jr. said, "and he seems to have his head on right."
Dorsett said he met his great-uncle at a family reunion in Pennsylvania two years ago. He didn't hesitate to ask for a little football advice.
"He told me just to play hard," Dorsett said. "He said size isn't that big of a factor, and that I should just use my speed."
Dorsett's teammates know he has a former football star in the family, but the name Tony Dorsett does not connect with too many teenagers. LaBore remembers watching Tony Dorsett running the ball when he was a kid.
"[Football] is something that definitely is in the lineage," LaBore said. "It's been exciting to see some of those flashes of Tony Dorsett come out."
Dorsett changed his jersey number from 3 to 5 this season. When he heard the news, Ernest Jr. kiddingly asked, "Why not 33?"
While Dorsett has spent many a night watching tapes of his great-uncle, he is equally enamored with the talents of former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who wears No. 5.
Dorsett said he has drawn some interest from the North Dakota State football staff. He will consider his options, but said his first choice would be to attend the U, where he could run track and see what develops in football.
"Football is my favorite sport, but I see myself achieving more in track," Dorsett said.
LaBore does not rule out a football future for Dorsett.
"As a sophomore, he was a track athlete," LaBore said. "His junior year, he was a basketball player and track athlete. Now, he is a football player, basketball player and track athlete.
"It's taken him a little while to grow into this football thing, but it's starting to fit pretty nicely."
"The kid's got a lot of speed," Ernest Jr. said, "and he seems to have his head on right."
Dorsett said he met his great-uncle at a family reunion in Pennsylvania two years ago. He didn't hesitate to ask for a little football advice.
"He told me just to play hard," Dorsett said. "He said size isn't that big of a factor, and that I should just use my speed."
Dorsett's teammates know he has a former football star in the family, but the name Tony Dorsett does not connect with too many teenagers. LaBore remembers watching Tony Dorsett running the ball when he was a kid.
"[Football] is something that definitely is in the lineage," LaBore said. "It's been exciting to see some of those flashes of Tony Dorsett come out."
Dorsett changed his jersey number from 3 to 5 this season. When he heard the news, Ernest Jr. kiddingly asked, "Why not 33?"
While Dorsett has spent many a night watching tapes of his great-uncle, he is equally enamored with the talents of former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who wears No. 5.
Dorsett said he has drawn some interest from the North Dakota State football staff. He will consider his options, but said his first choice would be to attend the U, where he could run track and see what develops in football.
"Football is my favorite sport, but I see myself achieving more in track," Dorsett said.
LaBore does not rule out a football future for Dorsett.
"As a sophomore, he was a track athlete," LaBore said. "His junior year, he was a basketball player and track athlete. Now, he is a football player, basketball player and track athlete.
"It's taken him a little while to grow into this football thing, but it's starting to fit pretty nicely."
http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/29434504.html?page=2&c=y