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The Daily Wildcat

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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

What lies ahead?

Hundreds+of+the+nations+best+unsigned+high+school+players+took+part+in+the+Adidas+Super+64+and+Nike+Fab+48+tournaments+July+22-26%2C+2010%2C+in+Las+Vegas%2C+Nev.+Images+from+Sunday%2C+July+25%2C+2010.%0A%28Photograph+by+Mike+Christy%29
Mike Christy
Hundreds of the nation’s best unsigned high school players took part in the Adidas Super 64 and Nike Fab 48 tournaments July 22-26, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nev. Images from Sunday, July 25, 2010. (Photograph by Mike Christy)

The scrimmage and “”Meet the Team”” autograph session was supposed to be a shining opportunity for the Arizona football team to conclude fall camp under the lights at Arizona Stadium. Instead, some 3,500 fans were treated to a quick vision of the 2010 Wildcats as the scrimmage was canceled due to lightning just 25 plays in. “”I’m disappointed we didn’t finish the scrimmage,”” said junior quarterback Nick Foles. “”It’s always fun to come out here and play. It’s just fun being out here scrimmaging one another.”” The team played just under 10 minutes into the first quarter, exiting the field with 5:22 left on the clock. In the limited action that the Wildcats saw, the offense looked sharp as it has throughout Arizona’s training camp. The offense gained a total of 160 yards, with 80 yards coming through the air and 80 yards on the ground. The offense began the scrimmage with a 70-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 4-yard touchdown when Foles hit receiver David Roberts in the corner of the endzone. Arizona’s trio of running backs found success both in the air and on the ground. Sophomore running back Greg Nwoko led the offense with 58 yards, thriving on yards after the catch. However, after a 29-yard run, safety Anthony Wilcox forced a fumble and Nwoko was responsible for the offense’s lone turnover. “”I thought we moved the ball pretty well. We had that one fumble, which was sort of a bummer on the draw play,”” Foles said. “”We were keeping a good rhythm, keeping a good tempo. That’s really important. We want to keep a good tempo this year because we know it’s the key to our offense.”” While the offense was fluid in moving the ball, the defense seemed to struggle to keep pace. “”Defensively we’re still not playing like we need to. We’re just not sure of ourselves,”” said head coach Mike Stoops. “”You have to get scrimmage situations to get some of that work and we didn’t get as much as we wanted to tonight.”” On the opening scoring drive, Keola Antolin racked up 11 yards to start and Nic Grigsby converted a third and short to keep the drive going. The defense forced a third and out with Matt Scott at quarterback, but when Foles returned with the first team, the offense started back toward the end zone before the scrimmage was cancelled. Although the scrimmage wasn’t full force, it was still an opportunity for the younger players on the team to get a feel for the atmosphere. Freshmen cornerbacks Shaquille Richardson and Jonathan McKnight, receiver Tyler Slavin and safety Marquis Flowers all saw time. “”It’s not really a setback,”” Foles said about the shortened practice. “”They got a little feel. It’s good for our younger guys and freshmen to have the fans here, play in the stadium. You always wanted to finish the scrimmage, get those 70 to 80 plays in, but we couldn’t do it today because of the weather.”” Stoops said the team would try to reschedule for another team scrimmage early in the week to get more of a game action feel. “”You want to get a little bit of atmosphere for the players to play in stadium, play in the lights,”” Stoops said. “”We have to move on to Toledo, but we still got to get better within our own team. That’s what was disappointing tonight, that we weren’t able to get that work.””

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