By
Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Farmer makes for a crowded backfield
Following the UA football team's 17-3 victory against San Diego State, the Wildcats more resembled a M.A.S.H unit than a football team.
Left guard Steven Grace and right tackle Marques McFadden each missed Saturday's game due to shoulder and ankle injuries, while wide receiver Bobby Wade was held out due to injuries suffered Sept. 9 against Ohio State.
According to UA head coach Dick Tomey, the injury to Grace may or may not heal in time.
"Steven Grace is trying to get better," Tomey said. "It's just a matter of how much better it can get in the next week or two. He's trying hard to get it well, but only he knows how it feels."
Senior wide receiver Brad Brennan - who missed most of 1999 with back injuries - will also try to return in time to play Stanford on Sept. 30.
Reserve defensive lineman Austin Uku was also unable to play Saturday with a shoulder problem.
According to Tomey, Uku could use 2000 as a redshirt year.
"Uku has a redshirt year," Tomey said. "The thing bothered him last year. If he can't (play), we might have that thing operated on."
However, an injury suffered during Saturday's game could be more damaging than any suffered so far.
During the course of Saturday's game, senior center Bruce Wiggins - the leader of the offensive line - was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury.
"He felt like it wasn't drastic, but we'll have to wait and see," UA head coach Dick Tomey said.
A second-team All-Pacific 10 Conference center in 1999, Wiggins started all 12 games last season.
Following Saturday night's game, it became apparent that sophomores Leo Mills and Larry Croom have company in the competition for the starting running back position.
Clarence Farmer, a freshman from Houston, ran for 95 yards on 13 rushes in the victory against SDSU.
"Farmer's just a big tailback with a lot of running ability," Tomey said. "Instead of having two guys at that position, we now have three."
Linebacker Lance Briggs said that the freshman's fundamentals have made him a contender to start against Stanford.
"I thought Clarence showed up... and showed that he wanted to play," Briggs said. "He runs hard and he doesn't fumble the ball."
Farmer, who impressed UA coaches with impressive performances in preseason scrimmages, broke down following the game, overcome by emotion.
Despite being 0-3, San Diego State impressed UA coaches and players with an emotional performance Saturday.
"I have all the respect for San Diego State," Tomey said. "They played so hard and Larry Ned runs so hard. I have all the respect in the world for the way they play."
SDSU, playing without five starters - including its starting quarterback, senior Jack Hawley - managed 196 yards of total offense in the loss.
"We left it all on the field," Ned said. "This was a tough game and a dogfight."
Sophomore quarterback Lon Sheriff, filling in for Hawley, was visibly drained following the game. The Aztecs have fallen to Illinois, Arizona State and UA so far this season and will face Oregon State in Corvalis, Ore., on Saturday.
"I'm positive that we're going to be able to do this sometime this season," Sheriff said. "At some point, we're going to be a decent offense (and) score points - do what we've got to do."
