Smith leads UA to victory

At a time when the Arizona football team desperately needed someone to take control in the second half of last night's Culligan Holiday Bowl, the Wildcats' diminutive field general, junior quarterback Keith Smith stepped up.

And like the undersized Doug Flutie has done all season with the NFL's Buffalo Bills, Smith provided the spark when his team needed one.

"He's amazing," said junior wide receiver Brad Brennan, the recipient of Smith's only touchdown toss, a 15-yard pass that put the Wildcats (12-1) up 16-13. "He just allows things to happen and he makes them happen, too."

Smith finished the game 11 of 19 for 143 yards and the score to Brennan and was named the "Culligan Offensive Man of the Game." Perhaps most importantly, though, in a game where the Wildcats needed to play near perfect football to win, Smith threw no interceptions.

With the Wildcats trailing at the half 13-9 and momentum clearly in defending- national champion Nebraska's (9-4) favor, they knew where they stood.

"We'd never been behind at the half this season," Arizona head coach Dick Tomey said. "We had to come out and win the game in the second half against the defending national champs."

It looked as if the entire load would fall on Smith because the Wildcats had the sterling rushing total of minus 1 yard. The running game picked up in the second half thanks to 101 yards by junior Trung Canidate. And when the field opened up, so did Smith. He was 7 of 9 in the second half and engineered scoring drives of 66 and 68 yards.

"We needed a big play (to open the half)," Smith said. "We knew their crowd would be getting into it. Dennis (Northcutt) made a big play coming out of the endzone."

On their first possession of the second half, the Wildcats were backed up to their own 2-yard line. Smith dropped back and completed the aforementioned "big play" to Northcutt - a 19-yard pass. And while that drive ended in a punt, it was a sign of things to come.

"It was great to send the seniors out on a high note," Smith said. "But I also want to send love to my boy O.J. We've been through a lot."

Jenkins played the second quarter and finished just 1-for-4 for 15 yards. He strained his back during that quarter and could not play again, though he did come in for Smith when the junior was shaken up after being tackled in the third quarter.

Jenkins said it hurt to even bend over to take the snap, so Smith was back in two plays later.

The game as a whole could be just the tip of the iceberg for Smith and the rest of the Wildcats. They finished the season 12-1 and hold the distinction of being the most successful team in school history.

What to do for an encore?

It should be noted that in his senior season at Newbury Park High School in California, Smith went 14-0 and won a state championship.

Lest anyone get ahead of themselves, college football can prove to be a puzzling game. Still, are thoughts of 12-0 in 1999 starting to crop up in players' minds?

"Sounds great to me," Smith said.