By
Maxx Wolfson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Croom, Mills battle for starting spot
For the first time since the 1995 season, Arizona will be without linebacker Marcus Bell and running back Trung Candidate.
Bell, drafted in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks, will join Candidate in playing on Sundays. The running back was taken with the 31st-overall pick by the St. Louis Rams.
The Wildcats, however, are hoping that converted linebacker Lance Briggs can step up and fill the shoes of the departed Bell.
Briggs, a sophomore from Sacramento, Calif., moved back to defense in spring ball after playing both tailback and fullback last season. While on offense, Briggs rushed for 6.8 yards per carry in 1999.
With the status of senior Adrian Koch questionable - he is listed as probable for the first game with a knee injury - depth could become an issue for the Wildcats at linebacker as the season progresses.
The only starter with experience will be senior Antonio Pierce, who finished second in tackles last season behind Bell.
Redshirt freshman Joe Siofele will be the starting whip linebacker. Siofele, from Waipahu, Hawai'i, signed with Arizona instead of Nebraska, making him one of the most highly recruited athletes to sign with a Dick Tomey-coached team.
Siofele, however, seems to be taking things one day at a time.
"We are going to be taking it day by day," Siofele said. "I haven't played in a year, so I am hungry to get out there and play."
After taking a year off, Siofele feels he is ready.
"I have been having a good sense of reading the offensive line and the ball," he said.
With Arizona returning most of its offensive line from last year, one of the big questions leading into the season has to do with which tailback will be handed the ball from quarterback Ortege Jenkins.
The tailback race was between three players - senior Leon Callen and sophomores Larry Croom and Leo Mills - until Callen was forced to leave the team due to academic problems.
The battle for the starting job now lies in the hands of two players with little experience - Croom and Mills.
The two backs have a total of 49 carries combined for their careers.
The Long Beach, Calif., native, Croom, averaged 4.1 yards per carry in 1999 but is hesitant to make any predictions for the new season.
"This season, I have not set any personal goals other than giving it 110 percent," Croom said. "I have learned a lot from Trung (Candidate)."
Croom feels that the inexperience of the running backs shouldn't be a problem, though.
"We have both traveled with the team and have gotten some game experience," Croom said. "The thing is, if you are good, you can compete with anyone."
Mills, a power runner from Humble, Texas, ran the ball well last season when given the opportunity. He averaged 6.1 yards-per-carry and had one touchdown.
Even with both Croom and Mills getting equal time in practice, Croom is confident that it will be his name announced as the starter come Sept. 2 against Utah.
"If the season started today, I would be the starter," he said.
With Briggs being converted into a linebacker this spring, junior Eli Wnek is left as the team's main option at fullback.
Wnek was a transition player last season when he switched from defensive end to offense and will be counted on to make a couple catches out of the backfield this season.
While the Wildcats will try to fill the holes left by Bell and Candidate, only time will tell how successful their replacements will be.
