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Height makes player obvious for move to receiver

There's a cult hero in the student section at Arizona Stadium who gets more cheers than any other player, and it's not a guy named Jenkins, Smith, Canidate or Northcutt.

Instead, it's Peter Hansen, one of the team's tallest players and now a member of the traveling team.

Hansen, a 6-foot-8 sophomore from Palo Alto, Calif., was the third-string quarterback last season. He became a key special teams player after blocking an extra point during last year's game at Washington and has attempted to block every one since.

Hansen has now finally received a scholarship and was moved to wide receiver during the offseason.

"I'm doing a lot of wide receiver right now and putting weight on, so I can move to tight end," he said. "Switching from quarterback, there's a lot more physical work and a lot less mental work. It's a lot of hard work, but it's worth it."

Wide receivers coach Rob Ianello says Hansen's height is an obvious reason why he switched positions.

"He's a guy you want to throw towards in the end zone, and with his height, there's a good chance he'd be able to go get it," he said.

Hansen was spotted by fans in the student section during the 1997 season, which he redshirted.

"I guess I stand out on the sidelines, so I'm an easy target," he said.

Fans cheered for him when he got playing time against Northeast Louisiana and other games where Arizona built a comfortable lead, when the quarterback duo of Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins would get a breather.

"You got a gun Hansen," one fan yelled while he warmed up on the sideline. Others chimed in with "We want Hansen."

Hansen, who occasionally turned around to acknowledge his fan club, says that the support is great.

"It's crazy," he said. "I don't know how it started, but I like all of the cheers. They're all funny."

Being an idol in the student section is fun, he says, but doesn't compare with blocking the extra point and playing a role in blocking another field goal in the win over the Huskies last October.

"During all of camp last season, I tried to block one," he said. "I started to wonder if it ever was going to happen. Then it finally did, and it was a great feeling."

Hansen also blocked a field goal in the first quarter of the Holiday Bowl against Nebraska.

The chances of seeing Hansen on the field this season will be about as likely as it was last season, but fans will be happy to know he'll have a better chance of doing more with the ball than just handing it off to the running back.

"He's developing and getting better," Ianello said. "He's a real hard worker and knows the offense well. He'll have a role. He's just a great guy to have."