WILL SEBERGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA head coach John Mackovic grimaces during his team's loss to Oregon. Mackovic and the team will face off against TCU tomorrow.

New QB option, RB try to spark struggling offense

As tomorrow rolls around and another ranked opponent lands on the hot pavement of Tucson International Airport, the Wildcats will search for win number two of an already long year.

Moreover, the football team is looking to gain some self-respect back from what has been a gut check the last three weeks.

"We need to play well," head coach John Mackovic said. "We need to get off to a good start (because) that is a high priority for us."

Arizona (1-3) will be facing 19th-ranked TCU (3-0) for the second time in history. The Wildcats hope to finish tomorrow's game with the same result as 1999, when Arizona won, 35-31, in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Horned Frog defense looks like it's picking up right where it left off last year, when it finished tops in the nation in fewest yards allowed.

TCU's defense will play eight men in the box to pound the run, but sophomore running back Beau Carr believes that strong runs can break down their suffocating attack.

CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Two UTEP defenders drag Arizona tight end Steve Fleming down during Arizona's only win of the season so far.

"They play real hard (and) float to the ball really well," said the newly named starter. "If we're going to get any good rushing attack, we're going to have to hit the hole as hard as we can and get as much yardage as we can."

With the Wildcats' total offense ranked 114 out of 119 Division IA teams, Mackovic knows that when his team has the ball, it has to do something positive with it ÷ and it must start with the running game.

"(Last week) wasn't all the running backs' fault," Mackovic said of the team's 66 yards on 31 carries against Purdue. "There is a time when the runner has to know when to hit the line because you can't outrun the defense. This week, we will make that point."

The Wildcat defense has been just as unsuccessful as the offense in the last three games, allowing 166 points against Louisiana State, Oregon and Purdue. Consequently, Arizona's "D" is ranked 116th among Division I schools.

"Against Purdue, our defense was put into a couple of tough spots after the first drive," Mackovic said. "We need the offense in a little better shape as far as being able to move the ball and get some drives going."

Without a set starter in their first four games, the Wildcat coaching staff added another variable to the equation last week, as true freshman Kris Heavner was the only UA quarterback to score. Heavner hit wide reciever Biren Ealy for a 36-yard strike in the third quarter.

The Johnson City, Texas native said he believes he'll get a lot of playing time this weekend after his performance against Purdue.

"Coach (Mackovic) told me I'll be playing a lot," Heavner said. "I'm excited about that."

The Wildcats look to make it a perfect 2-0 against TCU this weekend at Arizona Stadium ÷ the same place where the bleeding started three long weeks ago.