Wednesday, April 18, 2001

Former Hawaii
wide receiver
Dwight Carter
is going Euro

He hopes the time in
Rhein leads to the NFL

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

Dwight Carter's dream of playing in the National Football League is still alive.

Cut last year on the final day of cuts by the San Francisco 49ers, the former University of Hawaii wideout recently signed with the Rhein Fire of NFL-Europe. Kickoff for the six teams taking part in the international league is set for this Saturday.

"A lot of our players who didn't survive the cut last summer are playing for the Rhein Fire," a 49ers spokesman said yesterday. "It's possible some of them will be back with us when we open summer camp in July.' "

Carter wasn't drafted a year ago, but did sign a free-agency deal with San Francisco. He played well enough for head coach Steve Mariucci to last until the final cut. He made several big plays for the 49ers during preseason, which is one reason San Francisco sent him to Europe.

"They have a lot of great receivers here," Carter said at last summer's 49ers camp. "I'm just trying to land my skinny butt a spot on this roster. I'll do anything they ask of me."

The Los Angeles resident is playing for arguably the best team in NFL Europe. The Fire are the defending World Bowl 2000 champions and will open against the Amsterdam Admirals this Saturday.

Carter came into his own during the 1999 season. Recruited by former UH head coach Fred vonAppen in 1998 out of junior college, the wide receiver flourished in June Jones' run-and-shoot offense.

The first team all-Western Athletic Conference receiver caught 77 passes for 1,253 yards and nine touchdowns. Carter broke the school record for most receiving yards in a game with 220 (nine receptions) against Eastern Illinois. He finished the regular season leading the WAC with 104.4 receiving yards per game (seventh nationally) and in receptions per game, averaging 6.42 (18th nationally).

Carter added his second 200-yard game with 10 catches for 208 yards and two TDs against Navy. In that game, Carter became only the second player in UH football history to catch for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

He is third in UH career receiving with 1,820 yards in 24 games.