The Arizona football coaching staff just added a familiar face - Charlie Camp.

The former standout member of the famed "Desert Swarm" defense of the early '90s was hired yesterday to fill an opening in the assistant's staff created after the departure of running backs coach Bobby Kennedy to Washington last week.

UA head coach John Mackovic has not decided which member of his current staff will take over as the running backs coach, but he said the decision will be made shortly.

"I'm very pleased that a former player with great intensity and achievement will now be a part of our coaching staff," Mackovic said. "Charlie has distinguished himself as a player and has continued in a career of coaching with the same recognition."

Camp, who has been with the San Diego State Aztecs coaching staff since 2000, left his post in San Diego after being retained by new SDSU head coach Tom Craft in December.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for me," Camp said. "It's difficult to leave Tom Craft's staff, but returning to my alma mater is the best. I'm excited to be a part of John Mackovic's staff."

The 28-year-old played at UA under current Wildcat defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff during his days at Arizona. As a four-year letterman, he finished with 219 tackles and led Arizona in tackles in 1995 with 90.

Camp, a native of New Orleans, started his coaching career in 1997 at Sahuarita High School, after graduating from UA. He then took a coaching position at Idaho, first as a graduate assistant and was later promoted to full-time duties working with the defensive ends and outside linebackers.

Camp left San Diego and joined Ted Tollner's staff in 2000 as the linebacker coach.

"He will be a huge loss for our program," SDSU sophomore safety DeAngelo Nedd said. "He was the player's coach."