Coach Mike Stoops wants QB Matt Scott to not hesitate to use his legs/Photo by Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats junior quarterback Matt Scott is the X-factor tonight against Washington. You knew that. There are reasons to be optimistic, reasons to be worried.

Let’s start with the sunny side of the street:

Scott has three games of starting experience; he isn’t wide-eyed.

He has, thanks to the tutelage of new quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo, greatly improved his throwing mechanics. Scott is more accurate and has more velocity because of a more compact throwing motion. Coaches aren’t afraid to let him wing it.

He also is a runner, a guy who can make something out of nothing, a guy who can give the defense something else to scheme for, to worry about.

Arizona coach Mike Stoops said he has just told Matt to play like Matt, that he doesn’t have to prove he can stand back there and pass like Nick Foles. Scott needs to take the ground gains when he sees them.

OK, as for the pessimism:

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QB Nick Foles is showing complete command of the UA offense/Photo by Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

NOTE: This part of the weekly “Nothin’ But The Notes” column at WildcatSportsReport.com, written by me and Javier Morales. Follow the link for more football and loads of basketball recruiting.

One of the many encouraging things about Arizona’s opening game against the Toledo was the absolute control, the calmness, that quarterback Nick Foles showed.

Even when the offense sputtered in the first half, there was absolutely no panic, and first-year quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo said that comes from Foles being a dedicated student of he game in the offseason.

“The thing with Nick is that he’s knowledgeable,” Scelfo said. “He knew what he was doing. He felt comfortable with the game plan. It’s like taking a test and knowing the answers. He had a great offseason.”

One thing Scelfo and head coach Mike Stoops mentioned as an area of improvement is getting to the line and getting the ball snapped fast.

“We have a chance to put the defense at a little bit of a disadvantage is we can pick up the tempo a little bit more,” Scelfo said.

Trivia question
Did you know that there are seven former Arizona football assistants who are now head coaches at some level of college football? Probably not. Question is, how many can you name? Answer below.

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Arizona junior quarterback Nick Foles has looked sharp through the first six sessions of fall camp, including in Tuesday morning’s scrimmage.

He completed 17 of 24 passes for 206 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, in the hour-long scrimmage at the team’s on-campus practice facility. He connected with Gino Crump, Bug Wright and Travis Cobb for touchdowns. You can find all the stats at the athletic department’s official site.

After the scrimmage, which was closed to the public and media, Foles talked about the impact of new quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo (check out the video). Scelfo is a personable guy who helped tutor four quarterbacks at Tulane who went on to the NFL.

Back in the spring, I was talking to Scelfo about how Arizona hasn’t produced a quarterback who has thrown a pass in the NFL since Bill Demory in 1973.

He was shocked to hear that, but with a nod to his starting quarterback, he added:

“We’ll get us one pretty soon here,” Scelfo said.

After Tuesday’s practice, Wright raved about Foles.

“Man, he’s back there throwing that thing,” Wright said. “He’s got that NFL size. He’s got the NFL arm. He’s just coming to work. He’s bringing it.”

Ross Oltorik, running for a touchdown for Cincinnati Moeller High in 2007, is a passer first but said he doesn't mind taking a hit./Photo by Malinda Hartong, Cincinnati Enquirer

Ross Oltorik, a former pitcher and walk-on quarterback at Ohio State, is getting a fresh start at Arizona.

Oltorik arrived in Tucson earlier this week after getting all the paperwork cleared and will start summer classes on Monday. He’s already settled in to a living situation, rooming with junior college transfer linebackers Derek Earls and Paul Vassallo, who arrived for the spring semester.

Oltorik is looking to dedicate himself to football after suffering a rotator cuff injury before the 2010 baseball season. He said he had been scheduled to be the Saturday starting pitcher for the Buckeyes.

“A week before the season started, I tore my rotator cuff. Once that happened, I came to the conclusion that it’s time to focus on being the best quarterback I can be … and do I want to do that at Ohio State or somewhere else?

“I had a couple of meetings with Coach (Jim) Tressel — he’s a great guy, he’s been very good to me — and he said he was full on scholarships until January.”

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Nick Foles throws in spring ball under the watchful eyes of quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo (left).
Photo by WildcatSportsReport.com

With the spring game looming on Saturday, Arizona coach Mike Stoops is ready to declare the strength of the team.

“I have been pleased with the progression of all three quarterbacks,” Stoops said after Wednesday morning’s practice. “I think there is a difference in every one of them when you look at them.”

It’s probably no coincidence that for the first time, Stoops has a quarterbacks coach who does not double as offensive coordinator, as Mike Canales and Sonny Dykes did.

Frank Scelfo, who tutored four NFL quarterbacks while at Tulane, can focus solely on improving the mechanics and the minds of Nick Foles, Matt Scott and Bryson Beirne.

“I think it’s a different aspect that we haven’t had for the quarterback position,” Stoops said of having Scelfo as a dedicated position coach. “You can have all the ability, but you still have to have the proper mechanics to throw the football accurately. Frank’s expertise in that area has definitely helped.”

**Here is more from Stoops about the quarterbacks:

“Nick really went to a different level this spring, along with Matt. I think both of them are much more polished players, just seeing things quicker, reacting quicker, getting the ball out of their hands, throwing the ball down the field better — every aspect of their game. Their intelligence. I just think they are much more confident players.”

**Beirne, a redshirt junior, has always been a good soldier, despite having only the slimmest prospects of playing time. In scrimmage situations, he has shown a good arm and good decision-making. It certainly wouldn’t be a disaster if he was forced into action by injuries.

“I think Bryson has made some positive steps as well in his limited reps,” Stoops said. “So we feel good. The quarterback position is probably the strongest position on the field.”

**It helps the quarterbacks that the receiver position is the “next position I feel really good about,” Stoops said.

Senior Delashaun Dean and junior Juron Criner are 6-4 outside receivers who combined for 87 catches for 978 yards and 11 touchdowns — nine by Criner — last season. They are givens. Stoops on Wednesday also singled out junior Bug Wright, who was limited by injuries last season, and redshirt freshman Richard Morrison, converting from quarterback.

“Richard Morrison is coming on. That has been a really positive move,” Stoops said.

He added: “Our skill is probably as good as it has ever been.”

**The big question on offense heading into the spring was identifying the play-caller after Stoops promoted Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell to co-coordinators. It was assumed that Littrell, by virtue of his game-day position in the coaches box, would be the one actually calling down the plays to the sideline, and it appears that will be the case.

“He and Bill set up the daily game plan, and then Seth calls it,” Stoops said. “Still, I’m not really worried about scoring points, really. I think we should be able to do that pretty consistently. I think we’re much better offensively than a year ago.”

**There isn’t a quarterback controversy, but Scott’s throwing appears to be improved, and perhaps the coaches won’t be afraid to let him wing it when he comes into the game as a running change-up to Foles.

“I think I have improved a lot,” Scott said.

“Since Coach Scelfo has been here, I have learned a lot and progressed a lot through him. I just feel like I am improving every day. I’m really confident.”

Earlier this spring, Scelfo said Scott’s throwing motion had gotten “too long,” and he had lost velocity and accuracy because of it. He also discussed how he was working on Foles’ footwork.

“Every time I don’t throw it how he wants it, he is going to let me know,” Scott said of Scelfo.

“He is going to tell me how it is. That is what I like about him. He’s a straight-up guy with you. He is going to give it to you straight. And I feel that is what I need.”

Nick Foles is trying to recapture the accuracy he had in his first three starts/Photo by WildcatSportsReport.com

When new quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo arrived at Arizona less than two months ago, he flipped on the game tapes to see what he had inherited.

What he saw was a backup quarterback, Matt Scott, whose delivery had become too long. Scelfo saw a starting quarterback, Nick Foles, whose footwork too often got out of whack.

“A lot of times I do a good job of keeping my feet moving, but sometimes my feet will be pointing one way and I’ll throw it the other way,” Foles said. “We’re just trying to keep my feet pretty much on a swivel, on line with my throwing.”

Foles was a flash upon taking over as the starter from Scott in the fourth game of last season.

In Foles’ first three starts, he completed 104 of 138 passes for 1,053 yards, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions (one of which bounced off a shoe — or the Husky Stadium turf, if you prefer).

Not that we expected Foles to keep completing 75 percent of his passes for 351 yards per game … but his drop-off the rest of the season definitely brought expectations back to earth. Hold off on Foles4Heisman.com.

Read more from Frank Scelfo and watch a post-practice video from Nick Foles in my report at FoxSportsArizona.com.

In his last seven starts, Foles completed 144 of 254 passes (56.7 percent) for 1,334 yards, with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Eh. That includes the miserable, discombobulated performance — from Foles and the entire Wildcats team — in the Holiday Bowl against Nebraska.

Scelfo said what he saw from game tape was that Foles knew what he wanted to do, and generally made the right decisions, but his accuracy was compromised by that poor footwork.

“The one thing he lacked last year at times was accuracy. He knows what to do, but a lot of times he was inaccurate,” Scelfo said. “When he and I were looking at it, it was based on his mechanics, his footwork, his balance and his transition.

“Those are the things that we’re working on. He obviously has a big arm, but if he improves his accuracy, we’ll be more successful as a team.”

Despite having last season’s top two quarterbacks back, Scelfo said he is struck by the inexperience at the position. He notes that last season marked the first real playing time for either quarterback since high school. Scott is a junior, Foles a redshirt junior.

“I really like what I see from him,” Foles said of Scelfo.

“He’s a really good guy. He’s a player’s coach. He cares about the players. We already have a really good bond with him. …

“You always have to have a reason for everything you do, and he makes us explain what that reason is. He’s a fundamental guy, which is very important for the quarterback position.”

Scelfo does have an outgoing personality, but he said he is somewhat treading lightly because part of the goal of spring is establishing a trusting relationship … and he can’t expect his relatively inexperienced quarterbacks to be close to perfect right now.

“You’ve got to figure out who they are and which buttons to press when you’re dealing with them,” Scelfo said. “There is a learning period, and they have got to know how to take me. It’s a learning curve on both sides.

And how should the quarterbacks take him?

“I’m kinda old, so I’m just going to do it the way I need to do it, and they will figure it out,” said Scelfo, 51.

“The guys are receptive to what I’m telling them. Also, what’s happening out there is the guys are having some success. So they are seeing a little bit of what I’m telling them actually translating over to the plays. That makes it easy. When you have good players, you can be a good coach.”

Bill Bedenbaugh

The identity of Arizona’s play-caller for offense is still a mystery. Which is not the same thing as it being a concern.

Coach Mike Stoops has two new co-coordinators — offensive line Bill Bedenbaugh and running backs/tight ends coach Seth Littrell. He also has a new quarterbacks coach in Frank Scelfo, who called plays last season for Louisiana Tech and has done so at other places, including Tulane.

Stoops’ message: It will all work itself out as Arizona goes through spring ball, which was set to begin Friday afternoon.

“We haven’t really worked through all that yet,” Stoops said. “It’s just about getting comfortable with who we are as a staff. A lot of will be determined as we move through the spring. That’s a process that will be ongoing.”

Stoops admits that the lack of a play-caller at this stage is “probably a little bit unorthodox.”

But Bedenbaugh is entering his fourth season at Arizona, Littrell is second season, and they coached together at Texas Tech. So, they each have a high level of comfort in this offensive scheme.

And the players have a high level of comfort with them, Stoops said.

“I think our players are as confident as they have ever been in our staff, that is for sure,” Stoops said.

“I think they have a great feeling of continuity. I think that is the biggest thing. There is not a lack of trust there. The big thing is to have chemistry among our staff and players. I think we have that. If we didn’t have that, then that would be alarming.”

Seth Littrell

Stoops met with the media Friday morning, and then his co-offensive coordinators and co-defensive coordinators (linebackers coach Tim Kish and new secondary coach Greg Brown) did the same.

As a practical matter on game days, Bedenbaugh said he will be on the field while Littrell will be in the press box.

“We have been in this offense; we know what we want to do,” Bedenbaugh said. “We think alike. We want to run the same things. Everything will be good.

Two other members of the offensive staff return — outside receivers coach David Nichol and inside receivers coach Garret Chachere — easing the transition.

“We have great position coaches,” Littrell said. “We are not going to have to be looking over anyone’s shoulder.”

Bedenbaugh said the playbook has been tweaked to reflect the team’s strengths and weaknesses. The team’s biggest strength at this point, Stoops said, is the experience on offense, where 10 starters return, including quarterback Nick Foles.

“I think it will be a much more confident group,” Stoops said. “I think they know they can move the football.”

One thing to work in the spring is to continue to explore the options with backup quarterback Matt Scott, including specific packages for his running skills.

“I think you have to,” Stoops said. “He’s one of our most talented players. I think you have to keep him involved. …

“He’s going to have a lot of opportunities. It will be his chance to show us what he can do and see if he’s matured through the course of the year.”

Now, all Arizona has to figure out is who calls the plays. The game plan typically is done by Tuesday of game week. On game day, it laregly will be a collaborative effort — as it was with Sonny Dykes as the coordinator the past three seasons — but somebody has to pull the trigger when things get crazy during games.

In spring and fall scrimmages, the coaching staff will have to work on communication and timing, as well as the play-calling.

“These guys are all in it together,” Stoops said.

NOTES

Stoops said three players are out for the spring — starting OG Vaughn Dotsy (back surgery last week), projected starting DT Dominique Austin (toe) and third-string RB Greg Nwoko (shoulder).

Scelfo

In a story first reported by our sports network partner Wildcat Sports Report, Arizona head coach Mike Stoops will announce the hiring of Frank Scelfo as his quarterbacks coach in an ironic spin of the coaching carousel.

Scelfo had been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Louisiana Tech, elevated to interim head coach two weeks ago when Derek Dooley left to become the head coach at Tennessee.

Louisiana Tech then hired Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes to lead the Bulldogs.

A good trade? Let’s see how it all shakes out at Arizona.

Although it was first reported that Scelfo would be a co-coordinator, those titles will fall to well-respected offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and running backs/tight ends coach Seth Littrell, both of whom have backgrounds in the Texas Tech-style spread offense.

Scelfo is an experienced assistant and has a good reputation as a play-caller who understands the passing game.

Prior to his three-year stint with Louisiana Tech, he spent 11 years on the staff at Tulane, including the final eight as offensive coordinator.

While there, he tutored four future NFL quarterbacks — Patrick Ramsey, J.P. Losman, Lester Ricard, and Shaun King – which is four more quarterbacks than Arizona has sent to the NFL in its entire Pac-10 existence.

Stoops said Wednesday he had interviewed three candidates for the position. Scelfo attended a UA fan recruiting event in the Phoenix area on Thursday.

Stoops has had two previous offensive coordinators. The first one, Mike Canales, was recently hired as coordinator at North Texas after he wasn’t retained by new South Florida head coach Skip Holtz.

From his Louisiana Tech bio about his days with Tulane:

Scelfo directed one of the most innovative offenses in the college game as the Green Wave finished ranked in the top 30 nationally in passing offense five times, including ranking 3rd in passing offense (324.45) in 2000, 5th in passing offense (327.3) in 1999 and 12th in passing offense (291.50) in 2001.