Wildcats will try to sort out QB position during camp
Feb 27, 2013, 4:34 PM | Updated: 4:56 pm
It’s rare the Arizona Wildcats football team has had consistently good quarterback play, but the past five seasons saw them get just that.
Whether it was Willie Tuitama, Nick Foles or Matt Scott under center, the Cats generally had little trouble generating yards and points via the air.
However, none of those three will be on the roster next season, as they’ve graduated and gone to either wait tables or play in the NFL.
The departure of Scott, who threw for 3,620 yards and 27 touchdowns last season to go along with 506 rushing yards and six scores, leaves a considerable hole for second-year coach Rich Rodriguez to fill as spring practices get underway.
“It’s not so much about finding a starter, it’s about finding guys we can win with,” he told the media Tuesday. “We hope to find two or three at every position. I don’t know if we’re there yet, it may take us a couple years recruiting and development to get to that point.”
As of now, Rodriguez has a few options to choose from, though only one has ever taken a snap for the team. Senior B.J. Denker started one game for the Wildcats last season and appeared in four others, and in all completed 25 of 37 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and ran for 74 yards and a score.
After him, though, it’s an unproven mix of passers. Redshirt freshman Javelle Allen, USC transfer Jesse Scroggins, Louisiana Tech transfer Nick Isham and true freshman Anu Solomon all figure to have a chance, though Scroggins is recovering from foot surgery and Solomon is will not be able to join the team until he finishes up his senior year at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High School.
“At quarterback, we’re looking for two or three guys we can win with,” Rodriguez added. “And I don’t know if we have that. That’s a question. I don’t know if we’ll have that answer after spring.”
