Wildcats prepare to make Miner adjustments

Wildcats prepare to make Miner adjustments

By Craig Sanders
Arizona Daily Wildcat
August 27, 1996

Robert Henry Becker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Arizona tailback Gary Taylor (4) and the rest of the UA football team will finally get to hit somebody other than a teammate when the team begins its season on Saturday at Arizona Stadium.

Arizona football players are tired of hitting themselves.
After Camp Cochise and a week of two-a-days, Arizona settled down into game preparations for the University of Texas-El Paso this week, and both players and coaches are excited about playing an opponent instead of each other.
"I'm just ready to get going," UA tailback Gary Taylor said. "I'm glad this part of the season is over with."
Arizona head coach Dick Tomey said the team is tired and banged up, but should be ready for its opener Saturday. With new players fighting for playing time at almost every position, Tomey said the game will primarily be used to evaluate personnel and to work on execution in new offensive coordinator Homer Smith's scheme.
Tomey also indicated that starters' jobs are not necessarily secure.
"Starters in the beginning of the year will be based on very little information," Tomey said.
He said some players will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis, while other, more experienced players, may be able to afford a bad game.

Tomey said freshman tailbacks Leon Callen and Dennis Northcutt will not be redshirted this season, but don't expect them to be in the starting lineup anytime soon. Tomey said both players may get a few carries, but probably will be used on special teams if necessary.
"Leon and Dennis are not every-down backs by any stretch of the imagination," Tomey said, adding, "We're going to try and play them both."
As for who will start, both Taylor and junior Kevin Schmidtke were rated as the No. 1 tailback on the Wildcat depth chart this week. Last season the competition began even as well, but Taylor ended up starting every game and getting the majority of carries. Taylor rushed 177 times for 714 yards while Schmidtke carried the ball 77 times for 203 yards last season.

The competition for spots in the secondary this season should be interesting.
Cornerback Chris McAlister may have earned a starting spot after only a week of practice. McAlister, a junior college transfer from Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., scored five touchdowns (2 on interceptions and three on punt returns) last season for the school.
At free safety, junior David Fipp has earned the starting job over sophomore Rafell Jones. Fipp was a special teams standout for Arizona last season. Both players should see plenty of time, however, and may flip-flop as the starter throughout the season.
"We'll let these guys play, and they'll decide who will play," Tomey said.
Defensive back Chuck Rich will be redshirted this season. Tomey said Rich and linebacker DaShon Polk both requested a redshirt year. Tomey said it has not been decided if Polk will be redshirted yet.

Former UA basketball player Kelvin Eafon is listed as McAlister's backup at cornerback as well as third-string fullback. Tomey said Eafon has not really earned a solid spot yet, but will be used as needed.
"Eafon is not in the immediate playing picture on offense or defense," Tomey said.
"We are just trying to find a place to give him some work. You can't expect too much from him."

Walk-on receiver Brad Brennan has reached fourth or fifth on the Wildcat depth chart. He has moved steadily up the chart, receiving a good deal of work as starters Richard Dice and Rodney Williams nursed minor injuries. Brennan caught three passes for 22 yards in the Aug. 19 intrasquad scrimmage.
Dice and Williams should be set to start against Texas-El Paso. Senior Ron Holmes and junior Jeremy McDaniel are listed as their backups.

Junior Armon Williams says he is prepared for his role as starting outside linebacker after missing the final six games of last season with mononucleosis.
"I think I'm ready for the responsibility," Williams said. "I just want to go out and play tough defense."
Williams, who is best known for his special teams play, will take over the flex linebacker spot. Williams, the Pacific 10 Conference's special teams player of the year last season, should still see some action on special teams. One of his biggest moment's last season came when he blocked a punt against Georgia Tech to set up the Wildcats' come-from-behind win.

Apparently Arizona's preseason has made an impression on someone. The Wildcats are ranked No. 35 in the latest Associated Press poll. They received six more votes and raised four spots from the previous week without doing a thing.