Seeking happy returns
by John Moredich on Sep. 12, 2007, under SportsRoss predicts he’ll get a TD on a kickoff runback soon
Devin Ross is averaging 28.6 yards per kick return this year.
Devin Ross smiled when he was asked what kept him from reaching the end zone on a kickoff in the season opener.
“I ran into one of my own teammates,” the Arizona Wildcat sophomore said.
Who?
“Mike Thomas.”
Ross avoided 10 BYU Cougars as he sprinted near to near midfield. All he had to do was avoid the BYU kicker and, well . . . Thomas.
By running into Thomas he was slowed just enough to be stopped.
BYU went on to win the game 20-7.
“My teammates gave me some grief,” admits Ross, who is averaging 28.6 yards per kick return this year.
Ross nearly broke free on a runback against NAU in Saturday’s 45-24 Arizona win, but he was dragged down after a 52-yard return.
The Wildcats appear to be on the verge of breaking one for a touchdown, which would end a long drought for the program.
UA has found the end zone on punt returns, but hasn’t returned a kickoff for a score since Chris McAlister took one back on a 100-yard return on the opening play of the 1998 season against Hawaii.
That was 106 games ago. It is the 12th longest streak for any team in the country.
That is a stat the UA special teams are well aware of.
“I read that on the Internet,” Ross said. “I want to be the first one to take that back . . . sooner or later. I am trying my best to get past the last set of guys and break one and score a touchdown.”
Ross said before the season he wanted to return a kick for a score every game.
The sophomore was serious. He is behind that pace, but Ross, Mike Thomas and Mike Turner want to get it done more than ever.
Especially after Antoine Cason scored on a 70-yard punt return against NAU.
“You hope to get a guy in the seam and in the open field. We have been pretty lucky to get a guy in the open field,” UA special teams coach Joe Robinson said. “If we do that, then somebody will hit one.”
If Arizona is to break a big one, it is going to be up to other players, the ones who do the brunt of the work.
You know, the ones blocking.
“Coach (Mike) Stoops talks about it every year. The kickoff return is only as good as the front line. It really is,” Robinson said.
“If those guys are not doing it, then it doesn’t matter who is back there. We are proud of them. They work their tails off and they don’t get much credit. It is a thankless position, but without them, we have no hope.”
Others on the UA kick return squad hoping to spring Ross for a long one are Corey Hall, Brandon Lopez, Dane Krogstad, Xavier Kelley, Adrian McCovy, Earl Mitchell, Matt Richards and Ronnie Palmer.
The kickoff coverage teams have also done a solid job for UA this season.
Kicker Jason Bondzio has helped, booting the ball eight yards into the end zone on almost every kick.
The coverage team will have its work cut out for it in coming weeks, especially with California’s DeSean Jackson looming on Sept. 22.
Jackson has scored six touchdowns on returns in his career, including a 95-yard punt return against UA in the opening minutes of the Wildcats’ 24-20 upset win over Cal last year.
“We hit a line drive to DeSean Jackson and that was over before it even started,” Robinson said. “Not that I want to bring his name up.”
That is a worry for another day.
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KICKOFF KINKS
Arizona has gone nine years and 106 games without returning a kickoff for a touchdown. Other teams with a long drought:
Rk. Team Streak
1. Missouri 270
2. Air Force 255
3. Rice 250
4. UAB 140
5. Iowa State 133
6. Cincinnati 130
7. Memphis 118
8. Navy 110
9. New Mexico 109
10. BYU 107
Georgia Tech 107
12. Arizona 106
