Football scrimmage now open to public


By Kyle Kensing
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, April 8, 2005

Fans get their second opportunity of the spring to catch the 2005 Arizona football team in action tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. at Arizona Stadium.

Last Saturday, Arizona opened practice at Jimenez Practice Facility with workout drills before moving to Arizona Stadium for a controlled scrimmage.

Arizona head coach Mike Stoops said after last weekend's outing that tomorrow's scrimmage would be more competitive.

Tomorrow's practice is the eighth in the Wildcats' spring schedule of 15 allowed by NCAA regulations.

Wildcats who made major plays Saturday included junior wide receiver B.J. Vickers, a junior college transfer from Santa Monica Community College in California.

He caught five passes for 60 yards.

"B.J. is a guy we feel can come in and have a great opportunity," Stoops said Saturday.

Sophomore cornerback Antoine Cason called the 6-foot-2 wideout both quick and physical.

"(Vickers) uses his body well to get open," Cason said.

Cason said he enjoys the spring sessions because it gives the team an opportunity to bond as a unit on the field through intrasquad competition.

"When you get a big hit, everybody gets riled (up)," he said. "The offense is on edge, the defense is on edge, and it makes it more competitive.

"But we're not trying to hurt anyone," he said.

Cason knows plenty about making hits.

As a freshman in 2004, he was second on the team in tackles with 70.

Senior safety Lamon Means, last year's third-leading tackler, joins Cason on the field tomorrow. Means forced a fumble with one tackle Saturday.

Redshirt freshman Michael Klyce looks to have an impact again tomorrow, coming off a performance with two forced turnovers.

The defense will be without 2004's top-tackler, senior safety Darrell Brooks. Brooks, who has a shoulder injury, is out as a precautionary measure.

On offense, junior quarterback Adam Austin will handle all the duties behind center.

Austin is Arizona's lone quarterback with last season's starter, junior Richard Kovalcheck, sidelined by recent back surgery.

Austin, a former walk-on, has stepped into the role well, finishing Saturday's scrimmage with 229 yards passing, completing 16-of-22 passes.

Austin will share time in the backfield with three running backs, all of whom, Stoops said, can and will have significant impacts in 2005.

Senior Mike Bell heads that trio. Bell has led Arizona in rushing in each of the last two seasons.

Senior Gilbert Harris and sophomore Chris Henry Saturday carried for 21 and nine yards, respectively.