Role change: Offense is key for Arizona in 1998

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat Offensive coordinator Dino Babers stands and gives instructions while freshman running back Leo Mills (26) stands by at Camp Cochise. Mills did not join the travel team to Hawaii because coach Dick Tomey wants the running back to adjust to his classes and college life before going on road trips.

Babers, a former player for head coach Dick Tomey at the University of Hawaii and last year's running backs coach, is in his fourth year at UA and will take over the duties of offensive coordinator.

"It is probably a lot easier for me to coach under coach Tomey because a lot of my philosophy comes from him," Babers said.

This year's Arizona offense is filled with positive attitudes and potential stars starting with the quarterback tandem of sophomore Ortege Jenkins and junior Keith Smith.

While Jenkins will start tomorrow against Hawaii, the plan is for the two to share the duties until one of them shines in Tomey's eyes and becomes the full-time starter.

The Arizona offense has a balanced attack with returning experience in the pass and run game, but a lot will depend on the younger and mostly inexperienced offensive line with three new starters.

Quarterbacks

The Wildcats begin the season with a dilemma, returning two quarterbacks who could both start and give Arizona a chance to win, but knowing that only one can play at a time.

Jenkins, who replaced Smith in the second half of the UCLA game last year, is coming off a season in which he set a Pacific 10 Conference freshman record with 19 touchdown passes and was named the team's offensive MVP at the postseason banquet.

He began the season as a wide receiver and third string quarterback behind Smith and Brady Batten but developed into the Wildcats' main offensive weapon by midseason.

Jenkins got his first start against San Diego State and was 17 of 25 for three touchdowns in the 31-28 Wildcat victory.

He finished the season going 115 of 235 for 1,669 yards with a 48.9 percent completion rating.

Smith is also a proven quarterback at the Division I level. In his freshman season in 1996, Smith set a school record with a 60.6 percent completion rate.

In limited time last year Smith was 62 of 120 for 744 yards and seven touchdowns, including a thrilling double overtime 41-38 win over California in which he was 17 of 27 for 171 yards and three touchdowns in relief of Jenkins.

"We just need to go out there and play our game," Smith said. "I think the way we are right now, we have the experience at the wideout position that O.J. and I can just let the ball rip."

So while Smith and Jenkins will be splitting time for the first few games with Jenkins the starter for tomorrow night's game.

"O.J. is going to start the game but Keith will play the same amount of time in the first half," Tomey said.

To complement their combination at quarterback the Wildcats have a race for the third string spot between redshirt freshmen Peter Hansen and Nick Fleury and true freshman Jason Johnson.

Wide Receivers

This position at UA has traditionally been one where Tomey has lacked that breakaway, speed-burning player. This year he just happens to have two.

Dennis Northcutt and Jeremy McDaniel are both in preseason competition to be named the top receiver in the Pac-10 and both are a scare for defensive backs around the nation.

Northcutt is coming off his breakout season as a Wildcat, leading the team in receiving with 58 receptions for 767 yards and nine touchdowns. His 767 yards was the 11th most by an Arizona receiver in team history.

The former running back also carried the ball six times for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Northcutt is also a threat on kickoff returns for the Wildcats after he returned 10 for 230 yards last year.

Northcutt's statistics do not end there, as he led the team in scoring with 60 points on 10 touchdowns, and he was second on the team in all purpose yards per game with 100.2.

McDaniel, a senior, is returning from an injury redshirt season resulting from a deep thigh bruise he suffered in fall practice in 1997.

In 1996, the dangerous receiver led the team with 31 receptions for 607 yards including a quadruple overtime game where he set school single game marks with 14 catches for 283 yards. The 283 yards is also a Pac-10 record for most receiving yards in a conference game.

"We are very confident in our receiving corps," McDaniel said. "I personally am very anxious after a year and a half off to get back in there."

The third receiver that Babers will have in his repertoire is junior Brad Brennan, who last year came out of nowhere to catch 32 passes for 548 yards and six touchdowns.

Against Ohio State he had a team-high six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown in the Wildcat loss.

Brennan was a true freshman walk-on in 1996 and spent the season as the fourth receiver.

This year's fourth receiver is sophomore Brandon Nash, who saw playing time in nine games last year mostly on special teams, recording two tackles.

The Wildcat receiving corps has also gotten about as tough a test in the preseason as a coach could hope for working against heralded senior Chris McAlister, who has received the most preseason hype of any Wildcat since Darryll Lewis.

"It helps a lot to have one of the best DBs in the nation going against you everyday," McDaniel said. "It is only going to make us better."

The Arizona coaching staff decided that one position is not enough for McAlister. He will run five to six plays per game as an extra receiver this year.

Running Backs

This is another position where the Wildcats are loaded with experience, returning senior Kelvin Eafon, junior Trung Canidate, sophomore Leon Callen, who was an injury redshirt last year, plus hyped freshman Leo Mills, a PARADE All-American.

"Football is first and foremost the running," Canidate said. "So we are going to run enough to win."

"I am confident in the running back abilities," Eafon said. "If the offensive line comes out to play, the running game will be just fine."

Eafon, technically a fullback, is coming off of his best season in a Wildcat uniform, rushing the ball 123 times for 436 yards and four touchdowns, including being named Player of the Game in the Insight.com Bowl with 19 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Canidate, who will miss the opener against Hawaii but expects to be back for Stanford next week, said he hopes to return to his old form after hurting the ankle that forced him out of three games last season.

In eight games last year he led the Wildcats in rushing yards per game, averaging 100.7. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry, scoring four touchdowns and tallying 804 yards on 138 carries.

Canidate was also named Offensive Player of the Game in the Insight.com Bowl with 24 carries for 97 yards and one touchdown.

Callen is coming off knee surgery which kept him out of action all of last year and will be looking to be a major part of the running game.

In 1996 he ran the ball 59 times for 275 yards and a touchdown while playing behind former Wildcat Gary Taylor.

Callen will be helping Eafon carry the load against the Rainbows tomorrow night and then will add to the depth at the position when Canidate comes back.

Mills is one of the most heralded freshman to come into Tucson and many will be looking to him to provide a spark for the future, but right now Tomey is concerned with getting Mills acquainted academically before worrying about football. Mills will not be in action against Hawaii and there is no timetable to when he will be in uniform.

Also adding some experience to the Arizona backfield will be senior Paul Shields, a former tight end.

Offensive Line

This is perhaps the only question mark for Babers. He has to replace three starters from a year ago, who all departed via graduation.

Senior Edwin Mulitalo and junior Manuia Savea are the Wildcats' left and right starting tackles, respectively.

Mulitalo is one of two returning starters on the line having started all 12 games last year and Savea, a junior college transfer, will look to replace the recently departed Jose Portilla, who is now in the NFL.

At the guard positions, Arizona returns the other starter from the 1997 team in Yusuf Scott, who also started all 12 games as the right guard.

"I understand that we had three starters depart but I am very confident in the group we have now to protect Keith and O.J.," Scott said.

The left guard position looks to be a race between redshirt freshman Steven Grace and true freshman Makoa Freitas.

Rounding out the offensive line is sophomore center Bruce Wiggins, who last year saw action in seven games as a backup.

"I am just as confident with the line as I am throwing to the wideouts," Smith said. "I think once they get into the game they will find that it is a lot calmer than the practice field."

Dan Rosen can be reached via e-mail at Dan.Rosen@wildcat.arizona.edu.