Arizona Football

The opening of fall camps around college football is always filled with optimism for the new season, but for Arizona football, one thing is very clear — Rose Bowl or bust.

“A lot of guys are hungry for more and we’ve developed a good program and we know that we can win now at a high level,” said defensive end Ricky Elmore.

Donning their new white helmets with the block Arizona “A,” the Wildcats opened fall camp on Thursday morning at Rincon Vista Sports Complex with the straightforward message that head coach Mike Stoops had his players looking to Pasadena, Calif.

“We’ve had some success, but we have a chance do to something that’s never been done,” Stoops said. “I think our players understand just how wide open this thing is going to be and what a great year it’s going to be in the Pac-10 and what an opportunity we have.”

The Wildcat team’s mindset was firmly in place, even as they were working through conditioning drills. With the whole team reporting to camp, Arizona split time between offensive and defensive team drills, special teams positioning and ended the two-hour practice with 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 workouts.

Stoops said he was impressed with the way his team entered camp this season, especially noting the physical improvements of the offensive and defensive lines.

It was not that long ago that the Arizona State Sun Devils were one of the better football teams in the nation. In 2007, the team led by quarterback Rudy Carpenter (now with the Tampa bay Buccaneers) went on to post a 10-3 record and win a piece of the Pac-10 title. After losing a shoot out to the Texas Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl the team finished the season ranked 11th in the Coaches' Poll and 12th in the AP Poll.

After doing so well in head coach Dennis Erickson’s first year in charge, the expectations for the Sun Devils going forward were a little high. Instead of building on that success the team fell back a few steps. In 2008 they only managed to win five games; in 2009 even fewer, four.

What will be most troubling to the Sun Devils faithful will be the decline in Pac-10 play especially. After winning seven games in 2007 to win a piece of the title they have only managed to win six conference games the last two seasons and only two in 2009.

Such declining productivity is not something that would be expected from a Dennis Erickson-led team. In order to insure his job safety Erickson may need to at the least get the team eligible for post-season play in 2010.

It was not that long ago that the Arizona State Sun Devils were one of the better football teams in the nation. In 2007, the team led by quarterback Rudy Carpenter (now with the Tampa bay Buccaneers) went on to post a 10-3 record and win a piece of the Pac-10 title. After losing a shoot out to the Texas Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl the team finished the season ranked 11th in the Coaches' Poll and 12th in the AP Poll.

After doing so well in head coach Dennis Erickson’s first year in charge, the expectations for the Sun Devils going forward were a little high. Instead of building on that success the team fell back a few steps. In 2008 they only managed to win five games; in 2009 even fewer, four.

What will be most troubling to the Sun Devils faithful will be the decline in Pac-10 play especially. After winning seven games in 2007 to win a piece of the title they have only managed to win six conference games the last two seasons and only two in 2009.

Such declining productivity is not something that would be expected from a Dennis Erickson-led team. In order to insure his job safety Erickson may need to at the least get the team eligible for post-season play in 2010.

Preseason watch lists have been released and it’s time to take a closer look.

Here are a few Wildcats you may want to keep an eye on in 2010…

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Trevin Wade (Jr.)

The Nagurski Trophy is presented to the nation's top defensive player. Wade is one of 60 defenders to make the list. Candidates can be added during the season.

Wade’s nine career interceptions give him a chance to reach the UA all-time top 10 in his junior year in 2010.

The award is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the winner selected by a vote of the Football Writers Association of America. Its inaugural winner was Arizona defensive tackle Rob Waldrop in 1993.

Outland Trophy

Colin Baxter (Sr.)

Baxter has started 37 consecutive games. He was named a second-team All-Pac-10 player last season.

The award is presented to the nation's top interior lineman on offense or defense. No ends. The trophy is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn and Kansas at the turn of the century. It has been presented annually since 1946, and is the third oldest award in major college football. The Greater Omaha Sports Committee and the Football Writers Association of America present the honor.

Arizona defensive tackle Rob Waldrop won the Outland Trophy in 1993

Jim Thorpe Award

Trevin Wade (Jr.)

The 35-man watch list is determined by analysis of the pre-season All-American teams listed in at least six pre-season college football annual magazines. Four points are awarded for first team, three points for second team, two points for third and one point for honorable mentions. Players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses.

2010 Watch List

The Thorpe Award is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards.

The honor is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an awesome defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend," Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.

Former Wildcats, Darryll Lewis (1990) and Antoine Cason (2007), also cornerbacks, are past winners of the award.

Junior Steven Threet and sophomore Brock Osweiler appeared to be the only two in the mix for the starting quarterback position for the Arizona State football team.

Now junior Samson Szakacsy has also emerged into the hunt. After the first week of camp, the competition between the three is too close to call according to media reports.

Steven Threet told The Arizona Republic's Doug Haller he isn't trying to get caught up in the battle.

"I think I'm improving," Threet told Haller. "I'm correcting mistakes. It's a process. It doesn't come over night, and as much as I want it to, I don't expect it to."

We'll have all the latest Arizona Football news up here soon - for each and every team in Arizona!

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