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| | Monday, September 6 | |||||
| 1998 Record: 12-1 (7-1) | 1998 statistics | 1999 schedule Head coach: Dick Tomey Returning starters: 17 (offense 8, defense 8) Outlook The Wildcats are poised finally to make it to Pasadena on New Year's Day. The only thing that might keep them from their first Rose Bowl could be their own success. If Arizona beats Penn State in the Pigskin Classic, the Wildcats will jump to the front of the national title race. Arizona's schedule sets up nicely -- after the season-opening road trip to Happy Valley, the Wildcats' toughest road game is at UCLA. USC, Washington and Oregon all come to Tucson. Few teams in the country return more proven talent than Arizona -- 17 starters are back, plus backup quarterback Ortege Jenkins, from a team which went 12-1 last season. That was the best record in Arizona history and just the fourth time a Pac-10 team had won 12 games in a season. Arizona's No. 4 ranking in the final Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls also was a school best. Only two Pac-10 teams in the previous 19 years had finished seasons ranked higher (Washington in 1985 and 1992). Offense This is where Arizona has the most questions entering the season, if you can call them that. Coach Dick Tomey has two of the best quarterbacks in the conference in Jenkins and Keith Smith. The duo combined for 2,743 yards and 19 TDs last season and will continue to split time. Smith, a senior, set a Pac-10 efficiency record at 174.17 last year, largely because of his school-record .685 percentage. Jenkins, a junior, set a Pac-10 freshman record with 19 TD passes two years ago. If that's not enough, running back Trung Canidate also returns. Canidate, a senior, led the Pac-10 in rushing last season with 1,225 yards and the nation with his 7.3 yard-per-carry average. Canidate's knack for springing the big play -- he averages 51.7 yards per touchdown run over his career -- opens up the offense for everyone else. Arizona needs to replace short-yardage specialist Kelvin Eafon and his 17 touchdowns last season. The aptly named William Blocker looks like the top choice to replace Eafon, but he'll be pressed by a number of recruits. Jim Wendler may possibly be available if an appeal for a medical hardship year is approved. Dennis Northcutt and Brad Brennan return as the team's wideouts. Northcutt caught 63 passes for 922 yards last season. Brennan isn't looked to as often as Northcutt, but when he does catch the ball, it's usually for big yardage. Nearly the entire offensive line also returns, led by junior center Bruce Wiggins, senior tackle Manu Savea and sophomore guards Steven Grace and Makoa Freitas. Grace started all year as a redshirt freshman and shared a spot with Freitas in '98. This unit would have been even better if Yusuf Scott had stayed in school rather than declaring for the NFL draft (he was picked in the fifth round by the Arizona Cardinals). It's a good sign if: Jenkins and Smith continue to thrive while splitting duty at quarterback. It's a bad sign if: The need for Canidate to pick up the short-yardage slack puts too much wear and tear on the 5-11, 199-pound back. Defense Nine starters return, but one of the two spots the team needs to fill is that of first-round pick Chris McAlister. Last season, the Wildcats were 12th in the country in rushing defense (102.8 yards per game) 19th in scoring defense (18.0 points) and 33rd in overall defense. Those numbers should improve because with all the experience returning, and there's plenty of skill, too. The linebacking corps is probably the best overall unit -- Marcus Bell (139 tackles), Scooter Sprotte (58) and DaShon Polk (56) cover the field as well as anyone in the country. Bell's tackle count was high because Arizona's defense funnels everything toward the inside linebacker, but that doesn't take away from the impact Polk and Sprotte are capable of having. Twenty-three percent of Polk's tackles were for loss and Sprotte had three interceptions and forced four fumbles. Even with those three coming back, Tomey made a point to single out redshirt junior Antonio Pierce's outstanding spring. The defensive line returns Joe Tafoya, Keoni Fraser and Mike Robertson and also has plenty of depth. Replacing McAlister is a concern, but judging by Kelvin Hunter's performance last year at the other corner, the 'Cats are in good hands. Hunter knocked down 22 passes as teams threw away from McAlister. The other corner might be Greg Payne, who started at strong safety last season. Rafell Jones is the other returning safety, and Arizona also has Leland Gayles to fit into the picture. Gayles was a starting cornerback early last season before a serious neck injury sidelined him. It's a good sign if: The numbers are as good defensively as they were last year. Likely, they will be better. It's a bad sign if: McAlister was the key to Arizona's pass defense and his replacements can't fill in. Special Teams Placekicker Mark McDonald was only 8-of-17 on field goals last season but finished on a high note, hitting all three attempts against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl, including a career-best 48-yarder. The team needs to replace punter Ryan Springston. Redshirt freshman Chris Palic is the leader for the job. At Arizona, special teams doesn't stop with the kickers. The Wildcats blocked six kicks in the regular season and then two more against Nebraska. The team will miss McAlister's return skills, but Northcutt averaged 11.5 yards per punt return and 19.9 per kickoff. -- Greg Collins |
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