KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Summer Wildcat Andrae Thurman carries the ball in last season's loss to Arizona State. Thurman completed 61 receptions last season, and is expected to be a key offensive threat in the 2003 season.

With five new coaches, a new defense, a new quarterback, a new No. 1 receiver and a new starting linebacker core, everything seems to be new for the Arizona football team.

Except, of course, for Head Coach John Mackovic.

Mackovic returns for his third season at the helm of the Wildcats after outlasting a 41-player mutiny late last season. The UA may need all of the former Atlantic Coast Conference, Southwest and Big XII Coach of the Year's talents to get the team's first winning record since going 12-1 in 1998.

These changes aside, the group will also have to struggle with one of the nation's toughest schedules. Arizona's 12-game schedule features 10 teams who were in bowl games last year, plus California, which went 7-5 but was ineligible for a bowl.

Arizona is considered by the preview magazines to be destined for the bottom of the conference, after the events of last season and record of 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the Pac-10 in 2002. During the off-season five coaches left or were fired, but the UA took the opportunity to build a coaching staff now considered to be the strength of the team.

On offense, the Wildcats will have to find replacements for senior quarterback Jason Johnson, who broke many school passing records in his two years and signed with the Buffalo Bills, and All-Pac-10 go-to receiver Bobby Wade, who had 91 catches a year ago and was drafted by the Chicago Bears.

At both spots, Arizona has plenty of options with sophomore Nic Costa, pound-for-pound one of the strongest and fastest players on the team, and red-shirt freshman quarterback Ryan O'Hara battling for the signal caller job. The incoming group also has the athletic Kris Heavner and highly touted Richard Kovalcheck, the gem of the 2003 recruiting class, as well as a deep receiving core.

"We wanted to get our quarterbacks trained. They had good days and bad days," said Mackovic after Spring Ball. "It's hard to say where we are. The quarterbacks have developed a feel for many of the things we do, and in strategy situations, they're coming along. I'm comfortable, but not satisfied."

Senior Andrae Thurman, and his 61 catches from a year ago, looks to be the top receiver, while senior Lance Relford, junior Ricky Williams, sophomore Biren Ealy, red-shirt freshman Mike Jefferson, the 2002-03 Arizona high school player of the year Marcus Thomas, and freshman Syndric Steptoe are expected to battle for playing time.

The receivers' tutor originally was supposed to be former Brigham Young University offensive coordinator Mike Borich, but he resigned this summer after only months on the job. Mose Rison, cousin of NFL stand-out wide-out Andre Rison was hired. Rison was fired unexpectedly by the New York Jets this off-season, a move the New York Daily News called a "stunner."

"Obviously, I'm excited about being here," said Rison when he was hired. "I remember a lot of good things about Arizona football from my time at Stanford. It's a great opportunity to be part of a great coaching staff. I tried a few times to be on various coach Mackovic staffs, but it didn't work out at the time. This is an exciting prospect," he said.

The offense will also get a boast from the return of 2001 Pac-10 rushing champ Clarence Farmer. Farmer, a senior this season, went down with a knee injury in the Wildcats' fourth game in 2002, leading to the team's losses in the next six games. Later, he was suspended from the team in the off-season while in rehab.

2003 Football Schedule 08/30 UTEP 7 p.m. 09/06 LSU 7 p.m. 09/13 Oregon 7 p.m. 09/20 @ Purdue time TBA 09/27 TCU 7 p.m. 10/04 @ Washington State time TBA 10/11 UCLA 4 p.m. 10/25 @ California time TBA 11/01 @ Oregon State time TBA 11/08 Washington 4 p.m. 11/15 USC 4 p.m. Fri 11/28 @ ASU 1 p.m.

"Farmer will give us an older guy with more experience," said running backs coach Jay Boulware, who attributed some of the 2002 team's low rushing output to inexperience.

Without Farmer and due to injuries to the offense line, the UA fell to the very bottom of the Division 1-A rushing standings with 43.83 yards a game.

"We just need to be more consistent in our assignments. We started three true freshmen on the offensive line," Boulware said.

On that line, senior and NFL prospect Brandon Phillips leads a mostly young group. Sophomores John Parada, who is 326 pounds, Tanner Bell at 324 pounds, freshmen Keith Jackson at 312 pounds and Ismael Garcia at 335 pounds are expected to make impacts for Mackovic's squad.

The injuries were so bad that all of the top three running backs, Farmer, red-shirt sophomores Mike Bell and Gainus Scott, were all hurt last season

"It happens every so often at programs. It just happens," Boulware said of the rash of injuries. "There is no way to predict it and no way to stop it."

The UA appears to be deep at the running back position, which is all the more important with a virgin quarterback. Costa, the only quarterback to play in a college game, was 7 for 19 last year with one touchdown, a 92-yard pass from his own end zone. Bell, the top high school player for Arizona his senior year, led the way for the Wildcats with 341 yards on 106 carries, followed closely by Beau Carr, sophomore running back.

"They compliment each other. We need a vertical passing game for our running game and a running game for our vertical passing game," Boulware said.

Arizona will look to George Hankwitz, who was at Texas A & M for the last six years, and the new 3-4 defense that replaced the Wildcats' vaunted 11-year-old double-eagle flex defense that produced the UA's "Desert Swarm" defenses of the Î90s. In his six seasons with the Aggies, Hankwitz's "Wrecking Crew" defense was in the top 10 in total defense, passing or scoring defense in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

"We have to play better defense to have a better team. No question," said Mackovic in the athletic department's 2003 Outlook.

On defense, the Wildcats will have to replace six starters, including senior middle linebacker Lance Briggs who was drafted by the Chicago Bears, senior rover linebacker Ray Wells who signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers and freshman whip linebacker Spencer Larsen, who left the UA to go on a Mormon mission.

Senior Joe Siofele has moved from his original position as defensive end to linebacker, increasing the depth of the position. Red-shirt freshman John McKinney, who was named the team's best scout team defender last year, former walk-on sophomore Copeland Bryan, sophomore Marcus Smith, highly-touted 2002 newcomers freshman Paul Phillip and junior Andre Torrey keep the linebackers corps deep.

The secondary is expected to get a boost with the return of former All-Pac-10 performer senior corner Michael Jolivette, who missed most of 2002 with a knee injury. Darrell Brooks, who shined as a freshman, moves from cornerback to safety because of the depth in the defensive backfield.

Because of injury, defensive ends Carlos Williams and Brad Brittain and nose guard Vince Feula were forced into action, starting 13 games. Highly regarded freshmen Cedric Cofer and Lionel Dotson, part of a class that was ranked in the top 30s by many, are expected to get playing time right away.