Arizona football: One aspect of Wildcats' BYU mystery is solved

Arizona got a head start on game preparations for Week 1 opponent BYU on Tuesday — or at least tried to.

The truth is, Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff don’t know what to expect from the Cougars, who have a new head coach, (Kalani Sitake), two new coordinators and even a new special teams coach.

“It’s been really difficult — probably the most challenging (game) that I’ve had in a long, long time,” Rodriguez said. “They’re new in all three phases. You’re not exactly sure — or have any idea — what they’re going to do. There’s no spring game footage, nothing like that, that we can look at. We are really in the dark.”

BYU also entered training camp with an unresolved quarterback battle, a la Arizona. But Sitake shed some light on that situation Tuesday, naming fifth-year senior Taysom Hill as the starter.

Hill had been competing with sophomore Tanner Mangum for the QB job. Hill amassed 4,282 all-purpose yards and accounted for 29 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2013 but had trouble staying healthy the past two seasons.

Hill, who turned 26 Tuesday, suffered a season-ending foot injury in last year’s opener against Nebraska. Mangum came off the bench to throw the game-winning touchdown pass on a last-second Hail Mary. He started the rest of the way and finished the season with 3,377 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

Sitake told reporters that Hill simply “won the spot” by outperforming Mangum.

Hill is “100 percent healthy, and he is a fifth-year senior,” offensive coordinator Ty Detmer said, via The Salt Lake Tribune. “He’s got the experience, and the leadership of the group, and so we feel really comfortable with him in there.”

Arizona and BYU meet in Glendale on Sept. 3. Rodriguez has not announced who will start at quarterback for the Wildcats.

Position coach Rod Smith is preparing incumbent Anu Solomon and challenger Brandon Dawkins for every conceivable scenario. The offensive staff has watched BYU film to get a read on the Cougars’ personnel. As for their scheme, the staff has studied Oregon State and Utah, where Sitake served as defensive coordinator.

“There’ll be something that’s unknown, that’s unexpected,” Smith said. “It seems like there always is. Hopefully we have enough guys that have played enough football that they’ll be able to make adjustments without a lot of rough transitions. There’s no guarantees of that, obviously.

“You try to prepare your kids as best you can, put them in every situation — hopefully every look that they’re going to foreseeably see, and kind of take it from there. We think we’ll get our guys ready.”

Rodriguez said in-game adjustments will be critical with so many unknown factors, including how BYU will attack Arizona’s new-look defense.

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“We’ve got to be able to adjust early,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t want to wait a half or three quarters. We’ve got to have a plan for that.”

OL coach on Hemmila

Jim Michalczik has been coaching for more than 20 years, but none of his experience prepared him for what happened at Arizona earlier this month.

Senior center Zach Hemmila passed away just a few days into training camp. His death devastated his teammates, in particular the offensive linemen Michalczik oversees. How did he know what to say to them?

“Just be real,” Michalczik told the Star in one of his first interviews since Hemmila’s death. “I don’t know if it’s so much me talking to them as us talking together.”

Michalczik said things have been “tough” in the offensive line meeting room, where Hemmila’s seat remains open. Michalczik still places daily notes in Hemmila’s spot as if he were still there. From a spiritual standpoint, he is.

“He’s still with us,” Michalczik said. “I think that was important for them to know.”

Michalczik said the grieving process was hard and remains so. Losing Hemmila, he said, was no different than losing a family member or close friend.

“It’s always difficult,” Michalczik said. “You’ve got to put a little bit of your trust in God that he’s in a better place.”

Hemmila passed away in his sleep on Aug. 7 or 8. The Chandler High School product was 22 years old. Cause of death is being determined by the Pima County medical examiner, whose report should become available in another two to four weeks.

Extra points

• Michalczik said redshirt freshman Nathan Eldridge and redshirt sophomore Levi Walton are the top two candidates to start at center. Redshirt sophomore Christian Boettcher also is working at that spot. Promising freshman Michael Eletise is focusing on guard after getting time at center and tackle during training camp.
• Defensive lineman Luca Bruno (foot) remained in a walking boot. Offensive lineman Alex Kosinski (undisclosed) also remained out.
• The Wildcats have begun their experimental in-season morning practice regimen. The toughest part, Rodriguez said, is “making sure they get to bed early.” He believes that’ll become less of an issue as the season progresses.
• Two Arizona players made the preseason Senior Bowl watch list: receiver Trey Griffey and linebacker Paul Magloire (who’s listed as a safety).