Quick hits are back! Hereβs all the news and notes from the Arizona Wildcatsβ media availability Sunday afternoon. The team will hold its first official practice of training camp Monday.
* Newly hired Chuck Cecil won't be an on-field coach for Arizona, but UA coach Rich Rodriguez expects the program to benefit from Cecil's "expertise" in a personnel role. Rodriguez said Cecil will do βsome administrative stuffβ as Arizonaβs director of player development/defensive analyst, but mainly he will help the coaches and players do their jobs better.
*Β Rodriguez said Brandon Dawkins is the "front-runner" at quarterback "but heβs still going to have to compete." Arizona will rep 4-5 QBs to start camp, and Rodriguez will throw "all the offense at all of them and see what they absorb."
*Β Rodriguez studied Arizonaβs training methods from the past two years to see what the program could do differently to avoid injuries. There will be more emphasis on nutrition and hydration.
*Β To try to stay healthy this year, tailback Nick Wilson has hit the weight room harder, done extra conditioning and is practicing yoga. Wilson said he's beaten many of his personal bests, and yoga has made him more flexible.
*Β Rodriguez said he would appeal to the playersβ competitive nature in his first speech to the team. "Weβve all got a lot to prove," he said. Added receiver Shun Brown: "A lot of people (are) sleeping on us right now. But during the season weβre going to wake them up."
*Β Safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles had great stats last year. His self-review? "I saw a lot of missed plays and a lot of missed tackles."
*Β Cornerback Jace Whittaker had high praise for fellow CB Lorenzo Burns, saying he put in tons of extra work in the offseason. "He's hungry," Whittaker said.
*Β Arizona's newcomers worked out with coaches for about an hour and 20 minutes. The 40-plus players had their first names taped to their helmets.
*Β Rodriguez said he's been trying to hire an ex-NFL assistant with coordinator experience for an analyst role but hasnβt been able to because the coach helped train a current walk-on. New NCAA rules prohibit the hiring of βindividuals associated with a prospect."
*Β Rodriguez described the NCAAβs process to change rules as "insane" and "a whole lot worse than whatβs going on in Washington, D.C."
*Β Specifically regarding the restriction on hiring, Rodriguez said: "Any rule that limits the ability to hire people is a bad rule. β¦ I donβt want to repeal anything. Letβs create jobs. Letβs put people to work. βMake Coaching Great Again.β Thatβs my hat."
*Β Nothing has changed regarding injured DE-LB DeAndre' Miller (foot). The hope remains that heβll be back for Week 1.
*Β Rodriguez left the door slightly open for receiver Devaughn Cooper to return to the program. Cooper left the team earlier this month. Rodriguez believes Arizona has enough receivers regardless.
