UA secondary coming into focus

Aaron Wickenden Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior Kelvin Hunter (5) tries to take down one of his teammates at the scrimmage Friday. As the No. 2 cornerback at the UA, teammates are counting on Hunter to balance All Pac-10 cornerback Chris McAlister in the Wildcat backfield.

The two-time All-Pacific 10 Conference player certainly deserves it, but there are other players in the Arizona backfield who deserve some notoriety of their own.

In addition to the All-America candidate McAlister, the starting line-up will have junior Rafell Jones as the free safety, senior LaChaux Rich as the strong safety and junior Kelvin Hunter will fill the other corner spot.

Though the group certainly has talent, Jones said none of the players are letting any lofty notions go to their heads.

"Like coach said, we're not prepared to play Hawaii yet," Jones said. "We've got the talent but we're not ready."

Hunter said he expects the group to improve as time goes on.

"It's real early. We're just trying to break some bad habits right now," he said.

Hunter said that some of the things they're working on include "eye progression, keying on the tight end and stopping the run."

With McAlister matched up against the No. 1 receiver, Hunter is left to cover the opposition's second-best receiver, but that doesn't necessarily mean his job is any easier.

"I don't feel any pressure at all," he said. "I knew my job coming into camp this year. My job is to step up and stop their number two guy, no matter who that is."

Hunter was the fifth defensive back last year, with one interception and 17 tackles. He had to sit out spring practice last year after breaking his ankle in the Insight.com Bowl while intercepting New Mexico quarterback Graham Leigh.

Now fully recovered, Hunter entered the fall all but assured of a starting job after the graduation of Kelly Malveaux. Jones entered into a battle with redshirt freshman A.J. Brown for his spot.

That battle is now over, due in part to Brown's recurring injuries and Jones' stand-out play.

"It's really Rafell Jones now," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "A.J. will play but he's lost the opportunity to alternate."

Northcutt said he sees Jones "coming up big for us this year."

"He's showed a lot of leadership so far, and that's really important in becoming a starter," Northcutt added.

Jones is one of the few two-sports stars at UA, having played center field for the Wildcat baseball team last spring, hitting .328 with three home runs. He said, though, that the fall is football season, and he is centered solely on that game.

"I'll worry about baseball in the spring," he said.

Jones comes in after redshirting last year because of the depth the team had at his position. Jones was a special teams player the two previous years.

This year, though, he has the luxury of knowing he's the starter.

"As a four-man corps we're all on the same page," Jones said. "If everyone plays as well as they can we'll hold up."

The upcoming season opener against the Rainbows Sept. 3 may look like an easy game for the Wildcats. Hawaii's passing and receiving corps are relatively inexperienced, but Hunter said that no one is thinking about that.

"We're taking it like a bowl game," he said. "It's do or die out there. We're going to come out full of fire."

Tomey has finally settled on a starting quarterback, he said at Thursday's practice.

Well, sort of.

Sophomore Ortege Jenkins will start the game at Hawaii Sept. 3, but junior Keith Smith will see equal playing time in the first half.

Tomey said that he will likely alternate them either "by quarter or by number of series."

No matter how the two fare in the Hawaii game, Tomey will not name a full-time starter based on the results.

However, how the two play in the first half will likely determine who will start in the second half of the game.

"In the second half you're trying to win so you're going to have the guy who's playing better out there," Tomey said.

The other QB will act as a "relief pitcher or closer" for Tomey to bring in should it become necessary. Tomey expects to stick with this system for at least the first three games of the season.

Freshman running back Leo Mills is on the sidelines right now, but it has nothing to do with reported academic problems, Tomey said.

Mills is currently battling a summer cold and trying to adjust to college academics.

Tomey wants him to focus on his classes until he feels settled in, meaning that Mills will have to cancel any luau plans.

"I don't expect him to play Thursday," Tomey said. "My biggest concern is his academics. I wouldn't take any freshman on this trip."

As for when Mills may see action Tomey said "I think he is going to be ready next week" when the Wildcats travel to play Stanford.

Chris Jackson can be reached via e-mail at Chris.Jackson@wildcat.arizona.edu.