Bug Wright catches the game-winning TD pass aganist Iowa.
Photo by Chris Morrison, US PRESSWIRE

The Arizona football team is deepest at receiver, even with senior Bug Wright no longer with the Wildcats.

“Just a violation of team policies and rules,” coach Mike Stoops said Wednesday morning. “It’s been a chronic problem that hasn’t rectified itself.”

Stoops said he didn’t know what Wright would do next. Wright, who has used his redshirt season, would have to transfer to a lower-division school to continue playing because he wouldn’t have to sit out a year.

Stoops announced the suspension of Wright on Nov. 23, clarifying that it wasn’t for legal or academic reasons. Wright was reinstated for the Alamo Bowl, where he promptly muffed the first punt of the game, giving the ball and early momentum to Oklahoma State, which converted the turnover into a 7-0 lead.

Wright made 25 catches for 294 yards and two touchdowns last season, including making the game-winning touchdown catch against Iowa.

As a 5-foot-9 inside receiver, Wright caught 51 passes in three seasons with the Wildcats. He had a punt return for a touchdown against Washington State in 2009.

Arizona has plenty of options for Wright’s “small” inside receiver spot, notably sophomore Richard Morrison, who had six catches for 66 yards in the Alamo Bowl. Morrison, who converted from quarterback before last season, had started to become a factor at midseason before a shoulder injury kept him out for about a month.

“Richard Morrison emerged in the bowl game,” Stoops said. “And Garic Wharton is a guy we have to get involved in this offense because he has tremendous speed. We feel like we’re good at that position.”

Wharton, who redshirted last season as a freshman, might be the fastest guy on the team. Stoops said Wharton is slated to be the team’s primary kick returner following the graduation of Travis Cobb. Wharton likely will get a tryout at punt returner, too.

“We have to get his hands on the ball five to eight times a game,” Stoops said.

As for replacing Wright at punt returner, Arizona could turn to receiver David Douglas, who filled in last season and is the team’s “hands” punt catcher. He’s not much of a threat for a big return, though.

For those explosive plays, Stoops said the coaching staff will look at some of the team’s young defensive backs, including Joe Jonathan McKnight and Shaquille Richardson, as well as senior cornerback Trevin Wade.

Motivation isn’t hard to come by for the Arizona Wildcats.

“We lost four straight,” said senior running back Nic Grigsby, “and we don’t want to end on a fifth one.”

Doesn’t get much simpler than that for tonight’s Alamo Bowl matchup against Oklahoma State.

The Wildcats have been claiming that their preparation has been much better than last season. Arizona was past its expiration date when it showed up for the 2009 Holiday Bowl against Nebraska, having spent more than a week in San Diego over the Christmas Holiday.

This time around, coach Mike Stoops worked the team hard in Tucson before giving them a few days off before Christmas.

“The focus has been tremendous with our players,” defensive coordinator Tim Kish said at an Alamo Bowl press conference this week. “The energy level has been up, the enthusiasm has been up.”

A better prepared team doesn’t necessarily mean a winning team, but at least the Wildcats might have a fighting chance against the 10-2 Cowboys — unlike last year in a 33-0 bowl loss to Nebraska.

Bug is back
Arizona junior receiver Bug Wright is back in Stoops’ good graces after being suspended indefinitely late in the regular season because of a violation of team rules.

Wright will handle punt return duties against Oklahoma State, giving the Wildcats a potential jolt on special teams. Wright’s punt-catching has been an adventure at times, but he’s also a threat to score at any time.

The combination of those skills makes him the anti-David Douglas on punt returns … but the punt-catching risk is worth the potential reward.

A good omen?
Oklahoma State had to replace four starters on the offensive line before this season and still had the nation’s most prolific offense, averaging 537.6 yards per game. Arizona will have to replace all five of its starting linemen next season, which will loom as one of the team’s major question marks. But it can be done.

Back in the preseason …
As senior editor of Lindy’s College Football Annuals, I’m in charge of ranking every team in the country, from No. 1 to No. 120. In compiling the list right after spring ball, I thought Arizona and Oklahoma State were as close as could be. I ranked the Wildcats 38th nationally and the Cowboys 39th.

I took some grief on the Arizona message boards when I picked the Cats to finish sixth in the Pac-10. They ended up in a three-way tied for fifth … which averages out to sixth. At least I got something right.

For Lindy’s, I picked Oregon to finish second in the league (this prediction came before USC’s sanctions from the NCAA). At least I didn’t pick the Ducks to end up fifth in the Pac-10, as one writer did in a summer vote of the league’s media.

That honor belongs to Arizona Daily Star columnist Greg Hansen (sorry, Greg, couldn’t resist).

(Speaking of Hansen, he mentions in today’s “Mr. Football” column that Arizona’s oldest player of the Pac-10 years is former linebacker Adrian Koch, who was 26 as a senior.

I can think of one that was older — wide receiver Cullen Plousha, who was with the team from 1992 to 1994 and was 27 years ago as a senior. Plousha, like Koch, was a Marine before attending Arizona.)

Shootout time
Oklahoma State scored at least 33 points in 10 games, went for more than 40 eight times, topped 50 on three occasions and hit 65 twice.

“They have a phenomenal offense, but I have a lot of trust in our defense,” said Arizona offensive tackle Adam Grant. “I hope Brooksy and Ricky have a great night, that’s all I can hope for.”

Senior ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore are a formidable pass-rushing pair, but Oklahoma State has allowed only nine sacks all season.

If the Cats are to win, they might have to score in the 40s. They’ve won a few shootouts in recent seasons, but Arizona is only 3-14 under Stoops when the opponent scores at least 30 points.

Matchup to watch
Arizona’s offense is at its best when quarterback Nick Foles is targeting star junior receiver Juron Criner. Oklahoma State will counter with 6-foot All-Big 12 cornerback Andrew McGee, who had five interceptions in the regular season.

Who wins the special teams?
How will Arizona’s Alex Zendejas react after having those two extra point attempts blocked in the regular-season finale against ASU? He says those low kicks are a focus issue, but something technical must be afoot, because I can’t believe he would have focus problems on either of those blocks against the Devils.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State has two players out because of academic ineligibility, including All-American punter Quinn Sharp, who averaged 46.2 yards in the regular season. Now, the Arizona defense just has to get some stops and force the Cowboys to punt.

The Cowboys also will be without long-snapper Marc Yerry.

Prediction
The Arizona defense couldn’t slow down either of the two elite offenses it played against this season — Stanford and Oregon. Oklahoma State is another one of those, with balance and top-notch skill all over the offense, led by receiver Justin Blackmon and quarterback Brandon Weeden.

But I’d be most worried about the Wildcats slowing down the Cowboys’ running game, featuring senior Kendall Hunter, who has rushed for 1,516 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Stopping the run has been the defense’s main problem during the four-game losing streak. The Cats allowed four rushing touchdowns through eight games … and 11 in the past four.

I’m going Oklahoma State 38, Arizona 28 … with Hunter winning MVP honors.

More from the TucsonCitizen.com Sports Network:

Class of 2006 makes its final stand at Alamo Bowl

Arizona football: Top 10 plays of the year

Foles happy to return to Alamodome (with video)

Javier Morales: Keys to victory: Make Oklahoma State pass 100 times

Javier Morales: Route 66 is way to Alamo Bowl point total

Scott Terrell: Texas two step: Arizona vs. Oklahoma State preview, with uniform stats

You can watch the top 10 plays and vote for your favorite here.

My pick isn’t on the list. In terms of what it meant, combined with a high degree of difficulty — considering Nick Foles had to rifle a third-down pass through a small window between defenders — I’ll take the game-winning touchdown pass to Bug Wright to beat Iowa as my Arizona play of the year.

You can see that one as part of the highlight package below.

Was this game-winning TD pass from Nick Foles to Bug Wright against Iowa the Wildcats' Play of the Year so far?/Photo by Chris Morrison, US PRESSWIRE

The Arizona Wildcats have reached the halfway point of their season at 5-1 overall, ranked 15th in the AP poll.

But it’s an uneasy time. Starting quarterback Nick Foles is out indefinitely with a knee injury, and while Mike Stoops said Foles will return this season, no one knows for sure exactly when that will be.

While the first half of the season was challenging — including Iowa — the second half of the schedule is ever more so, with Stanford, USC, Oregon and Arizona State in the final month.

And there’s this little nugget from history: The last time Arizona was 5-1 was the 2000 season … and then the schedule turned tougher, the Wildcats lost some painfully close games, and they ended up losing their final five games, costing coach Dick Tomey his job.

That’s just a reminder that, as is usually the case at this point of the year, anything could happen. The Wildcats’ season could range anywhere from historical splendor to heart-stabbing disappointment.

Let’s take a look at the first half of the season:

Please continue reading my story at FoxSportsArizona.com

Nick Foles was the first QB to pass for more than 300 yards against Iowa since the end of the 2007 season/Photo by Chris Morrison, US-PRESSWIRE

It’s one of those classic “movie” moments. Game on the line. Quarterback gets into the huddle and says the most perfectly inspirational line. Something about heart and determination and respect and all that.

So what did Arizona Wildcats quarterback Nick Foles say to his teammates in the huddle late in Saturday night’s game against the ninth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes?

“I love ya’ll,” he said. “Let’s go do this.”

Foles doesn’t need someone else to write his lines.

That was perfect.

Speaking of love, just how much are you loving Nick Foles right now?

Foles didn’t crack under the pressure Saturday night, even after the Wildcats were trying to put a pretty bow on their gift-wrapped present to the Hawkeyes. Penalties. Turnovers. More penalties. More turnovers.

Arizona, which had been up 27-7 at halftime, was tied at 27. Momentum gone. Cue the panic in Arizona Stadium.

Not from Foles, keeping his offense loose on the sideline.

“I just sat on the bench with the guys, and you have to say a couple of jokes and get to laughing a little bit,” he said. “Just look at them and say, ‘Guys, this is just football.’ It’s really that easy.”

Foles says he’s just trying to be his humorous self, but added he wasn’t really sure if the guys think he is funny. “I just think sometimes they think I’m weird,” he said.

Not weird at all. What’s weird is Arizona having a quarterback this good.

Yes, it was Foles’ intercepted pass that was returned for a touchdown to tie the game, but the kid with the “what-me-worry?” attitude was sensational on the game-winning drive, which covered 72 yards on nine plays.

“Nick came out and did what special players do,” coach Mike Stoops said. “Made all the throws down the stretch.”

Even though the drive covered 72 yards, Foles completed passes for 76 yards because of a rushing loss. Foles was 5 of 6 for the drive, hitting Dave Roberts deep down field on the opening play as the receiver stretched and extended to make a 38-yard gain to the Iowa 34.

“Dave Roberts made a heck of a catch,” Foles said. “I thought for a moment I overthrew him.”

Said left tackle Adam Grant, who was locked in a battle with Iowa All-American end Adrian Clayborn all game: “When I saw D-Rob catch that ball, there was no doubt in my mind we were going to win this game. I screamed like a little girl. Clayborn looked at me like I was an idiot.”

Bug Wright catches the game-winning score from Nick Foles wit5h 3:57 left/Photo by Chris Morrison, US PRESSWIRE

Foles ended the drive by threading a 4-yard pass to Bug Wright, slanting over the middle from the slot on third down.

“It went through like three guys to get to Bug, and he made a good catch,” Foles said.

“Foles got that arm,” Wright said, “and he gunned it in there.”

Foles finished by completing 28 of 39 passes for 303 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. He is second nationally in completion percentage (78.57) and 14th in passing efficiency (164.46 rating).

Iowa had gone 28 games without allowing a 300-yard passer, but Foles shrugged off his yardage total as no big deal.

“I mean, I go into every game expecting to do something like that,” he said.

So, I ask again, just how much are you loving Nick Foles right now?

As far as that game-winning drive goes, that ranks as one of the great ones in Arizona history — given the stage, the opponent and what it means for momentum heading into a Pac-10 season that no one around here has felt this good about since 1998.

And it all started with a quarterback telling his buddies he loves them.

“I tell them that all the time,” Foles said. “That’s all I have to say to those guys to get them fired up.”

As in Arizona coach Mike Stoops saying several times Monday, referring to that play in last Saturday’s painful loss at Washington, “it was just a freak thing” or some variation thereof.

But that wasn’t the only freaky thing going on.

On Friday morning, senior defensive tackle Earl Mitchell was standing in a hallway at McKale Center. Someone called his name. He glanced. He started to turn his head back around. A door opened from the baseball locker room.

Bam!

The edge of the door hit him above the eye.

“It was pretty much just a freak accident,” Mitchell said Monday.

Freakish enough that he needed a couple of stitches in his eyebrow, and coaches worried about a head injury, so Mitchell didn’t travel with the team to Seattle later that day. That put the Wildcats down two starting defensive linemen — Mitchell and end Brooks Reed, who missed his second consecutive game with an ankle injury.

“It’s crazy. Real unfortunate,” Mitchell said. “The thing is, it could have happened to anybody. To be honest, I’m glad it happened to me rather than somebody else walking down the hallway.”

Arizona started Lolomana Mikaele at defensive tackle, with D’Aundre Reed starting at end. Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops revealed Monday that Reed suffered a broken hand during the game, but was out there at the end of the game because the line was “bare bones.”

D’Aundre Reed’s availability for Saturday isn’t yet known.

Mitchell said he was confident about playing this week, but Mike Stoops called Mitchell and Reed “kind of day to day.”

“Getting those two guys healthy will be a big factor in this game,” Stoops said, referring to an expected physical battle against Stanford and bull-dozing running back Toby Gerhart.

On the other side of UA’s line, starting left guard Conan Amituanai suffered a knee injury against Washington. “Hopefully, it’s just an MCL sprain,” Stoops said. If it is, Amituanai figures to be out 2-3 weeks. He was scheduled for an MRI exam this afternoon.

“At least we have some depth,” Stoops said.

The starting line figures to look like this: LT Phillip Garcia, LG Mike Diaz (moving from left tackle), C Colin Baxter, RG Herman Hall, RT Adam Grant.

Right guard Vaughn Dotsy is back from a concussion, so he could go into the lineup, with Hall moving to the right side for more mix-and-match possibilities.

Stoops said running backs Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin were still “banged up” for the Washington game, leaving the bulk of the work to Greg Nwoko. More will be known about the status of Grigsby and Antolin later in the week.

At receiver, Bug Wright, who has missed two full games because of a knee injury, “should be back, hopefully,” Stoops said. Wright was scheduled to participate in some of practice this afternoon.

“He looked pretty good running at the end of the week last week,” Stoops said.

Mike Stoops

But without a touch of insincerity, Arizona coach Mike Stoops raved and raved Monday about Washington junior Jake Locker, mentioning the quarterback in the same breath as Florida’s Tim Tebow (one of the greatest college quarterbacks ever) and John Elway (one of the greatest quarterbacks ever).

“I think people used to laugh at you when you compared him to Tebow a couple of years ago,” Stoops said at his weekly news conference.

“But watch him play. There is not a throw on the field he can’t make. Some of throws he made in the USC game to give them a chance to win were phenomenal. …

“One of his strongest attributes is his ability to scramble and keep plays alive and keep looking downfield to throw the ball. We’re talking that this kid might be the best quarterback in the country. He possesses arm strength and makes throws a lot of guys can’t make. He just flicks the ball and it just gets there very quickly.”

One of the reasons Stoops might be such a big fan is that Locker had — statistically — his career game against Arizona as a freshman in 2007 in Seattle. Locker passed for 336 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 157 yards and two scores, but the Wildcats rallied to win 48-41 and probably saved Stoops’ job that day.

Locker was out with a thumb injury when Arizona routed Washington last season.

“I don’t want to get crazy, but the guy has got an Elway-type of release and arm strength that not many people have,” Stoops said. “His mobility … John was a lot like that when he was younger.”

Locker (6-3, 226) played in only four games last season because of the thumb injury, and he entered this season below 50 percent in career accuracy. Things are different this season under first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, who tutored Heisman-winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC.

With improved mechanics and working in a pro-style offense, Locker has completed 57.7 percent of his throws through five games.

“I read somewhere we he lost 10 pounds or so. You can tell,” Stoops said.

“He’s not as bulky as he was, and he’s much more fluid in what he is doing when you watch him play. … Accuracy is somewhere where he struggled, but his accuracy is much different. He’s working with a guy who has worked with a number of top quarterbacks throughout his career.”

If you don’t believe Stoops’ flattery, how about the praise from USC’s Pete Carroll? He said this about Locker — before the Huskies upset the Trojans in Seattle last month.

“That’s the best quarterback we’ve played in nine years here,” Carroll said. “He’s the most extraordinary athlete at the position we’ve seen, and I saw that as a freshman.”

That “extraordinary athlete” thing includes Texas QB Vince Young.

And what are Stoops’ final words on Locker?

“Hopefully, he will leave after this year,” he said.

INJURY NOTES
Stoops said that all his injured players have a chance to be back this week, with the exception of tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Bug Wright.

Gronkowski is out for the season after back surgery; Stoops said it would be 2 to 3 months before he could resume physical activity. Wright, who had arthroscopic knee surgery, could be back for the Oct. 17 home game against Stanford (which, by the way, will start at 4:30 p.m. and be telecast on Versus, it was announced Monday).

Running back Nic Grigsby would not have contact today in practice as he tries to come back from a shoulder injury, Stoops said. Other players trying to make it back are defensive end Brooks Reed (ankle), offensive guard Vaughn Dotsy (concussion), offensive tackle Mike Diaz (concussion), running back Keola Antolin (ankle) and receiver Delashaun Dean (thigh).