Hinton sets the table for Wildcat scores

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat UA running back Jay Hinton (25) makes his way down the field during Saturday's game against Oregon State. Hinton carried the ball 14 times for 110 yards in the Wildcats' 27-7 homecoming victory.

Although he did not have a single rushing attempt in the first quarter and only 38 yards at the halftime, Hinton finished the night with 110 yards on 14 carries. Entering the contest, the Glendale Community College transfer had a total of 64 yards on 28 carries on the season.

"Hinton really stepped up," UA head coach Dick Tomey said.

Hinton's play was critical to the Wildcats, who were again without running back Trung Canidate, who has been hampered with a bad ankle for the past four games.

"(Hinton) has grown a lot," Tomey said. "He is a great help."

In the second quarter, it was Hinton's 20-yard run to the Beaver five-yard line that set up quarterback Ortege Jenkins' five-yard option run for the team's second touchdown. The score pulled the Wildcats ahead 14-0. It looked like Hinton had a chance to score himself on the play, breaking a couple of tackles before losing his balance and getting dropped by OSU's cornerback Basher Elahee.

Then after cornerback Chris McAlister's interception in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats got a big boost when Hinton scampered 15 yards to the Beaver 20 and then three yards to the 17-yard line before Jenkins found a wide open Rodney Williams in the end zone.

Although he always been confident in his ability, Tomey said the move from junior college to Division I has been tough on Hinton.

"I think it's maturity," Tomey said. "I think this was a big adjustment for Jay, coming here. He has worked hard to make the adjustment and I think he has exceptional speed, obviously."

Although the six-foot, 200 pound Hinton does possess 4.27 speed, in Tomey's eyes, Hinton's ability to put everything together was the main factor in Saturday's 100-yard performance.

"It is just a matter of being a running back," Tomey said. "Speed is not necessarily what great running backs have. They have vision, they have instinct, they have the ability to start and stop and make people miss. He exhibited more of that."

With the season winding down, Hinton is pleased to get a chance to contribute.

"It is a little late," Hinton said. "The season is about over. But, it is better late then never."