By
Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Utah likely to rotate 2 quarterbacks
When Utah takes the field this weekend against Arizona, the Utes will find themselves in the same situation the Wildcats were in last season.
The 2000 Utes will likely use a two-quarterback system similar to the platoon situation the Wildcats used in 1999.
Seniors Darnell Arceneaux and T.D. Croshaw will each vie for the starting role. Arceneaux is an improvisational scrambler and the better athlete of the two, while Croshaw is more of the conventional drop back passer.
"They're two different kinds of kids," Utah head coach Ron McBride said. "Arceneaux makes things up as he goes - he's very creative."
Arceneaux, who started seven games last season, completed 83 passes in 165 attempts for 10 touchdowns.
According to McBride, the Hawaii-native is a presence in the huddle as well as on the field.
"He knows how to win," McBride said. "Darnell's a person you like in the huddle. He knows how to compete."
Despite McBride's high praise, the Utes will likely favor Croshaw, a drop-back passer, over the athletic Arceneaux.
"I think they know who they're going with," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "We expect that they're going with Croshaw."
Croshaw, the son of a football coach, considers himself to be a means to an end.
"The way I look at it, I'm a role player that gets the ball to a receiver," he said. "I think I bring a mental aspect to the game - I know where to go with the football."
McBride agreed.
"He's real smart," McBride said. "He knows mismatches and is more of a cerebral guy."
In his junior season, Croshaw was 3-1 in four starts and earned the nod in last season's Las Vegas Bowl, a 17-16 victory against Fresno State.
As the season opener nears, Croshaw is excited to get the games under way.
"Were always excited about first game," he said. "We're ready to strap on the pads. We've got a really good schedule this year and are excited to open with Arizona."
McBride will likely settle on one quarterback as the season progresses, but expect both players to see significant time against the Wildcats.
"I've never been a two-quarterback guy," McBride admitted at a Tuesday press conference. "It's really the first time this program has had two quarterbacks capable of starting."
Contrary to McBride, Tomey believes that the two-quarterback system will prove beneficial for the Utes, especially with the possibility of an injury early in the season.
"With two quarterbacks, an injury to one is not fatal," he said.
UA linebacker Lance Briggs believes the UA defense will be ready for either quarterback though.
"It's a good combination," he said. "But we've had a good look. We want to go out and make a statement defensively - play our kind of football."
Defensively, the Utes will be among the faster teams UA will play this season.
In 1999, Utah, which led the Mountain West Conference in defensive scoring and defensive pass efficiency, is led by senior defensive back Andre Dyson, whose speed and agility has made him an early All-America candidate.
Last spring, Dyson - whose brother, Kevin, plays for the Tennessee Titans - ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash last spring.
The senior's potential to impact a game was not lost on Tomey.
"Dyson's a team player," he said. "The NFL guys will tell you that he's as good as there is in college football."
All told, Saturday night's game between the Utes and Wildcats will answer questions for both teams. The Utes, ranked No. 31 in the Associated Press poll, find themselves among high expectations, not unlike the spotlight the Wildcats were under last season.
"(As a team) you're going to prove whether you're special or not," McBride said of the preseason expectations. "It's all a bunch of BS - you've got to play the game."
Croshaw believes the Utes have their hands full against the Wildcats.
"They had a disappointing season last year," he said. "They should have been better. They've got pretty good guys up front."
