Stick with O.J. at QB

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Summer Wildcat Chris Jackson

As each summer rolls to a close, football fans start salivating with expectations of a new season.

Words like "bowl games" and "national championships" fly around.

Unfortunately, the words "quarterback controversy" also pop up, especially when there are two qualified starters on the roster.

The Wildcats, ranked in the top 25 by most preseason publications, will be an exciting team to watch with offensive firepower previously unseen at Arizona.

There is the running back combination of Trung Canidate, Leon Callen and newcomer Leo Mills, who, at 6-foot and 205 pounds, can run a 4.3 second 40-yard dash.

The wide receiver corps will include returning starters Jeremy McDaniel, Dennis Northcutt and Brad Brennan.

The offensive line looks solid as well with returning starters Edwin Mulitalo (6-4, 346 pounds) and Yusuf Scott (6-3, 320) being joined by Chris Redding (6-4, 320) and Rockne Freitas (6-4, 280).

The only question remaining, though it shouldn't be a question at all, is who will deliver the ball.

Ortege Jenkins, who in only seven starts set a Pacific 10 Conference record for touchdown passes by a freshman, will battle it out with Keith Smith, the 1996 quarterback on Sporting News' freshman All-America team.

The junior versus the sophomore. Last year's opening day starter versus the guy who took the program to a postseason bowl game.

With no offense to Smith - a talented player with a lot of heart - his butt should be on the bench.

Jenkins is the real deal. He proved that last year by throwing 19 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He came up big in big games, and showed an athleticism that Smith lacks.

Jenkins moves with speed and skill. There is spare change that moves more in the pocket than Smith.

Smith is also a tad short, almost too short to see over the offensive line. Often it seems as though he can't even spot a wide open receiver down field.

In terms of drive and determination, Jenkins just seems to have more energy, more of an ability to deal with the pain of being sacked by a 250-pound linebacker with a pathological hatred for people who play his position.

But the ultimate reason why there shouldn't be a quarterback controversy is the second word there. Controversy is not something that this young Wildcat team needs. It needs stability, and no greater stability can come from having the same guy throwing and handing off the ball on every play.

The revolving door running back situation seen last year and the year before didn't work for Arizona. Neither will a similar situation at quarterback.

It's time for Coach Tomey to stop being a nice guy and just think about the program, which will be better for every snap Jenkins takes. Sure, it'll be tough for Smith to sit on the bench, and yes, he may transfer. But it is better for Arizona to have only one starting quarterback when the season starts.

It's fine to have them play off each other at Camp Cochise, because it will drive each of them to get better. Deep down, though, the coaching staff has to know that Jenkins possesses some of the best skills to come through this program in a long time, and when the season starts so should he.

Chris Jackson is a junior majoring in journalism.