Notes and takeaways from the Arizona Wildcats’ media availability after their 16th practice of training camp Thursday morning:
* While acknowledging that Arizona hasn't played any games yet, UA coach Rich Rodriguez said the current freshman class has the potential to be "pretty special." Said Rodriguez: “It’s been everything I wanted, so far, and more.”
* Arizona’s scrimmage Saturday will be an important test for the team. The coaches will be on sidelines, not on the field helping the players. Younger players will get a lot of reps, Rodriguez said.
* Senior DE-LB DeAndre' Miller (foot) won't play in the scrimmage. Everyone else on the 105-man training-camp roster should play (although, if you aren’t on the 105, it probably means that you’re hurt). Receiver Devaughn Cooper and defensive tackle Sione Taufahema, who began practicing Monday, are expected to participate.
* Arizona will have a light practice Friday afternoon (1 hour, 20 minutes or so) and will spend a lot of that time going over situations. The Wildcats then will rehearse their pregame routine for a home game by spending the night at the Westin La Paloma.
* Arizona’s itinerary Saturday is packed. It includes the scrimmage in the morning, a team lunch with family members, media day (approximately 90 minutes from 1-2:30 p.m.), a team photo and dinner at Fort Huachuca (148 miles round trip). The Wildcats have to cram all that into one day to comply with new NCAA rules about time off. (The team has the day off Sunday.)
* Senior defensive tackle Luca Bruno said he is feeling great physically and credited being healthy in the offseason. He couldn't fully train last year because of a foot injury suffered in late 2015.
* Bruno said redshirt-freshman guard Michael Eletise is starting to learn how to transfer his raw strength from the weight room to the football field. Eletise might be the strongest player on the team.
* There are still seven or eight players vying for spots at “Mike” and “Will” linebacker. The names position coach Scott Boone mentioned: Colin Schooler, Brandon Rutt and Jacob Colacion at Mike; and Tony Fields II, Carrington Vaughn, Anthony Pandy and Gavin Robertson Jr. at Will. Colacion is getting looks at both spots.
* Rodriguez likes the idea of having assistant coaches with coordinator experience. All the new assistants – Theron Aych (receivers), Boone and Brian Knorr (defensive ends/special teams) – have it. Boone and Knorr have been college head coaches.
* Fun facts about Boone, Part 1: He played three sports (football, basketball and baseball) at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
* Fun facts about Boone, Part 2: He was an assistant football coach and the head baseball coach at Wabash for more than a decade.
