Arizona knows what it can do heading into the start of Pac-12 play this week, and that's run the ball with Ka'Deem Carey and others. The junior led the FBS in rushing last season with 1,929 yards and scored 23 touchdowns as the focal point of head coach Rich Rodriguez's spread-option offense. Carey is averaging 149.5 rushing yards per game this season, which would be the second-best mark in the FBS if he had enough carries to qualify.
Daniel Jenkins filled in for Carey as he served a one-game suspension against Northern Arizona and rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. Quarterback B.J. Denker is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has a team-best five rushing touchdowns.
The running game is set.
Ask 5
In advance of the LSU-Georgia game, Daniel Jeremiah asked NFL executives which QB -- Zach Mettenberger or Aaron Murray -- has more pro potential. **More ...**
The passing attack? Well, that's another matter entirely because the Wildcats haven't had to throw the ball. Denker has 326 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in three games, which is a good half for some of college football's top offenses. With only 55 attempts, the fifth-fewest in the FBS, there simply isn't enough evidence -- and certainly not against the caliber of competition Arizona will see for the rest of the season -- to make any real assessments about the passing game.
"We know we've got to be able to throw the ball," Rodriguez said during the weekly Pac-12 teleconference. "Everybody is going put everybody down in the box to stop the run game and so we've really worked hard on that. We've worked harder on that than anything else we've done offensively."
Based on what he has seen in practice, however, Rodriguez is pleased with the progress from his wide receivers.
"Judging on practice, we really struggled at the beginning of August," Rodriguez said. "But I think it's gotten a whole lot better the last three weeks, particularly in practice, in getting a lot more confidence."
Arizona lacks an obvious focal point in its receiving corps with Austin Hill, who was second in the FBS in receiving yards last season, sidelined for the year because of a knee injury he suffered in April.
Instead, five different receivers have caught at least two passes. True freshmen Samajie Grant and Nate Phillips have 10 of the team's 31 receptions, while promising redshirt sophomore David Phillips (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) could soon return from off-season foot surgery. Another answer could be redshirt freshman Trey Griffey, son of baseball star Ken Griffey Jr., who has been limited by a concussion.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
