The Arizona football team has just nine days until its season opener on Sept. 3 in Toledo, Ohio. With so little time left, every practice has become essential for the team’s development. With Tucson weather cancelling two practices in the past four days, the only members of the team who stand to benefit from the vacation are the five injured players — all projected to start when the 2010 season kicks off.

Juron Criner

Injury: Concussion — The junior receiver sat out of Saturday’s curtailed scrimmage with lingering effects from a hit he suffered from cornerback Robert Golden on the fourth day of training camp.

 ””Juron (Criner) got hit in the mouth … and split his lip and had to get stitches on both sides of his lip,”” said head coach Mike Stoops. “”(He) had a headache, so we subbed him out.””

Taimi Tutogi

Injury: Ankle sprain — Arizona’s halfback had to be carted off the field on Aug. 9 during practice at the Rincon Vista Sports Complex, and has had to sport a boot on his foot ever since. The sophomore H-back had emerged as an adaptable member of the offense — spending time at tailback and as a blocker — and turned heads at the spring game for the Wildcats.

“”It will be a day-to-day, week-to-week situation,”” said Stoops. “”He’s a big part of our offense, so we definitely need him for the things we like to do.””

Tutogi’s return will be highly anticipated, as the depth chart currently has no fullbacks behind him.

Vaugn Dosty

Arizona’s 6-foot-5, 370-pound guard had been plagued by a back injury since the first play of the 2010 Holiday Bowl. In March, Dosty underwent a microdiscectomy surgery — the same operation that ended former tight end Rob Gronkowski’s 2009 season — and spent training camp trying to get back in shape.  Dosty started nine games during the 2009 season and is expected to return as soon as next week.

Recovering Offensive Line — Conan Amituanai and Phil Garcia

After starting six games in the 2009 season, Senior Conan Amituanai is projected to start at left guard, but he’ll have to get healthy before he can make an impact on the offensive line. A sprained knee sustained on the first day of training camp held the 6-foot-4, 335-pound lineman out until day 11. Arizona’s offensive line, which is expected to be one of the best in the Pacific 10 Conference, took another hit when Phil Garcia sat out with a sore knee, and Mickey Baucus missed time with a sprained ankle.