SAUL LOEB/Arizona Daily Wildcat Wildcat freshman running back Mike Bell splits a pair of Oregon defenders Saturday night in Arizona Stadium. Bell, starting in place of injured All-Pac-10 rusher Clarence Farmer, rushed for 54 yards on 21 carries and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass.

The preseason Arizona football publicity poster read like a list of five potential All-Americans ÷ Clarence Farmer, Lance Briggs, Jason Johnson, Bobby Wade and Michael Jolivette. Each were considered top players in the Pacific 10 Conference at their positions coming into the season.

However, when the Wildcats took the field Saturday night against Oregon, only two ÷ Johnson and Wade ÷ were able to play.

"Injuries happen, but the thing about this year's injuries is that they have all been freak things," Johnson said.

"It makes it hard. It makes it real hard," Wade said. "We're not just missing play leaders, but we are missing emotional leaders. It's hard to deal with."

For the first two quarters Saturday night, the Wildcats did deal with it. They fought hard, they scrapped and clawed and nearly went into the locker room tied with the No. 8 team in the country.

Players like cornerback Gary Love and linebacker Spencer Larsen, two players who weren't expected to start anytime this season, both kept Jason Fife and the Oregon offense out of the end zone.

Love, a player who experimented with the switch from wide receiver to cornerback in spring practice, made the most of his first career start against an Oregon team with three receivers ÷ Samie Parker, Keenan Howry and Jason Willis ÷ who were poster boys themselves in the off-season, when the Duck athletic department put their likenesses on a banner that hung on a skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles. So Love had a major challenge Saturday.

"Anything is possible," said Love of this season's injuries. "I know when a starter goes down, someone else has to step up. I had to step up and assume a big responsibility, and that's what I did. I have a lot to improve on, and hopefully against Washington I don't make the same mistakes."

Playing opposite Love for most of the game was true freshman cornerback Jason Martin, who saw his first extended action of the 2002 season.

In the second half, though, some of the inexperience showed as the Wildcats were unable to move the ball on offense or control the Ducks' aerial and rushing attack.

Some of the problem was that UA was unable to establish any type of ground game. Arizona was held to only 27 yards rushing, by far the worst the worst this season. The Wildcats had to use freshman tailback Mike Bell, who made his first start in replace of Farmer. Farmer, who watched the game from the hospital after having surgery Saturday morning, will be out for the remainder of the season. Bell was held to only 54 yards on 21 carries.

"I wish I could have run the ball better," Bell said. "There were holes in there and Jason (Johnson) set it up perfectly in the passing game. I just wish I would have done better."

The important factor here is that Bell is willing to accept that he did not have a good game, even though it was highly unexpected for the freshman to run particularly well against the Oregon defense while he was making his first start. Bell did step up in place of Farmer and ran hard.

The team has established a new motto in wake of all the injuries: "Someone will step up."

"Its like the movie ÎGlory.' When somebody drops the flag, you've got to pick it up and bring it to the mountain and let them know that you are pressing on," Wade said.

If Saturday was any indication, the Wildcats will climb some mountains the remainder of this season.