CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Interim UA head football coach Mike Hankwitz addresses members of the media after holding his first practice as head coach.

With all the commotion that has surrounded Arizona football this week, the team finally got back to focusing on playing football.

The Wildcats practiced for the first time following the firing of head coach John Mackovic last night.

Arizona cancelled its normally scheduled walk-through practice on Sunday evening because of the events of the day, and since the team does not normally hold practices on Mondays, this was the team's first meeting on the field since the coaching change.

"(Practice) is one place you can do things, forget about stuff going on and focus on the task at hand," interim head coach Mike Hankwitz said.

Hankwitz said he and the players were relieved to get back onto the field and get away from all the off-the-field issues that have surfaced over the last few days.

Hankwitz led the team through an up-tempo, 2 1/2-hour practice last night that, according to players and coaches, was full of emotion.

"Coach Hank brought in his high energy and intensity," sophomore safety Darrel Brooks said. "The whole team got a taste of his emotion and I think the offense responded well."

"We had a good attitude," Hankwitz said. "They focused on what we have to do."

Hankwitz had been the team's defensive coordinator before receiving the interim tag, but now will deal with the team as a whole, including offense and special teams.

Although he thought practice went well, Hankwitz said there are still feelings left over from Mackovic.

"There's uncertainty in (the players') minds," he said. "I didn't expect them to come out here (overly excited)."

"We are sympathetic to Coach Mackovic, but we can't focus on the negatives," Brooks said. "We have to focus on our upcoming games."

The Wildcats will play their fourth top-20 opponent in as many weeks when they travel to Pullman, Wash. to face No. 14 Washington State on Saturday.