DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemons tries to avoid being tackled by Arizona's Darrel Brooks during the Ducks blowout victory of the Wildcats Saturday at Arizona Stadium.

Beleaguered Wildcats have Îsomething to prove' on road trip

With all the Wildcats have been through in three long weeks, a road trip could be a positive thing.

Arizona takes its first road trip of the 2003 season when it takes on No. 25 Purdue in a non-conference game in West Lafayette, Ind. tomorrow at 10 a.m.

A capacity crowd is expected at Ross-Ade Stadium for the first meeting between the two schools. Over the last week, head coach John Mackovic has been under some heat and a change of scenery could do him and his team some good.

"A little different scenery might help the program," said freshman tight end Matt Padron. "They've got great fans and the excitement should be up."

"When you go on the road, you know everyone will be against you," freshman quarterback Ryan O'Hara said. "You feel like you have something to prove."

Arizona will play a Big Ten Conference team for the fifth time in sixth seasons. The Wildcats are currently on a three-game skid against the Big Ten ÷ their last win came at home against Iowa in 1998.

CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA cornerback Michael Jolivette attempts to tackle Oregon wideout Demetrius Williams during the Ducks victory over the Wildcats last weekend. Jolivette and Arizona next take the field tomorrow against Purdue.

"Anytime you play a Big Ten team there is always a lot of extra excitement," Padron said.

Arizona enters tomorrow's game coming off two of the worst losses in school history, but remains optimistic about the remainder of the year, including the game against the nationally ranked Boilermakers.

"Everyone is pretty confident about this week," Padron said. "We feel like we can win and we feel like we match up well with them."

"We are a lot closer than what people think," O'Hara said. "We have nine more games, so we've got a long way to go and we can turn this around."

All week in practice, Mackovic has stressed the importance of the basics ÷ something the third-year coach said the team was lacking in his team's last game.

"We can block and tackle better than we have, and it is time for us to do it," Mackovic said. "There should be no excuses that we don't block or tackle better."

Another big factor in how the Wildcats fare tomorrow will be how they start. In the last two weeks, Arizona has fallen behind by a combined total of 58-0 in the first half.

"If we can put up points early, we can be in a close game or pull away," O'Hara. "We need to hang close early with Purdue and that is the way we can win this game."

The Purdue defense will have a big say in how the Wildcat offense comes out of the gate.

The Boilermakers are holding teams to just 1.7 yards per carry, suggesting that an already struggling Wildcat rushing game could be in trouble.

"(The run defense) is the most underrated part of their entire team," Mackovic said. "They are tough."

A big reason for Purdue's toughness on defense is preseason All-American safety Stuart Schweigert. Schweigert was named Big Ten defensive player of the week for his performance last week at Wake Forest.

Schweigert had an interception and 5 tackles, including the game-preserving tackle on fourth-and-one on Purdue's 16-yard line in the Boilermakers' 16-10 upset of the Demon Deacons.