Ka'Deem Carey will wear No. 25 at Arizona, just like he did at CDO. Photo by Deirdre Hamill/The Arizona Republic

Arizona football newcomers report to camp Tuesday morning, so get ready to see a bunch of pictures of some guys you have never seen before trying on helmets.

Coach Mike Stoops typically keeps his newcomers off limits through the first week or so of camp, so don’t expect any riveting interviews Tuesday — just those photos of newbies trying on their equipment.

That doesn’t stop us from looking ahead.

This most recent recruiting class received barely modest reviews — ranked eighth in the Pac-12 by Rivals.com, and last in the league by Scout.com (OK, so that’s a lousy review) — but there is ample opportunity for newcomers to make an immediate impact.

Later, we will have to do a list of “Top redshirts to watch” — such as WR Dan Buckner and left tackle Mickey Baucus — but for now, here are six first-year players to watch.

Arizona will hold its first practice Thursday morning.

6. LB Rob Hankins

Having a “motor” that is compared to that of Wildcats legend Tedy Bruschi makes Hankins one of the most intriguing new defenders for Arizona.

There is some question whether his production at Parish Episcopal High School in Dallas (126 tackles as a senior) will translate right away to the Pac-12. But given the Cats’ lack of depth at linebacker, though, it would be a surprise if Hankins doesn’t have some kind of backup role while helping on a variety of special teams.

5. P Kyle Dugandzic

It would be nice if he can take the adventure out of the punting game after the inconsistent senior year of Keenyn Crier. Special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt told us in the spring that Dugandzic doesn’t necessarily have a “wow” leg … but then the JC transfer boomed a 72-yarder in his one attempt in the spring game.

He did lead all California junior college punters last season with kicks of better than 50 yards, but the Wildcats will be happy to settle for placement and direction over pure distance after plunging to 98th nationally in net punting last season (34.1 yards per attempt).

4. LB David Lopez
Arizona coaches, needing to bolster its linebacker unit that lost four scholarship players in the offseason (including Jake Fischer to an ACL injury), bolstered the group in the summer with Lopez, a junior college transfer who was otherwise headed to Portland State.

For now, he is listed as the starter at strongside linebacker but will have to earn that spot in camp. Said coach Mike Stoops last week: “He looks good. He’s a big kid. We hope we stole one there.”

3. DE Lamar De Rego

Coach Mike Stoops says replacing the lost pass rush of three defensive ends now in the NFL is his biggest concern.

That’s where De Rego, who who had 8.5 tackles for loss at San Jose Community College last year, comes in. He seems to be the best option to provide competition for tentative starters C.J. Parish and Mohammed Usman.

2. PK Jaimie Salazar

The best position battle of fall camp will be between Salazar and two-year starter Alex Zendejas, who has to win back a lot of trust from the coaches after PAT nightmare against Arizona State. Coach Mike Stoops says the slate is clean … so may the best kicker win.

1. RB Kadeem Carey

He’s the star of the recruiting class (and speedy freshman RB Jared Baker can’t be ignored, either). But the hype has been swirling for years about Carey, who posted an epic junior season at CDO (running for 2,738 yards and 45 touchdowns) in leading the Dorados to the 4A-I state championship.

His senior year was marked by injuries — costing him the state running record and, likely, some points in the recruiting rankings — but he retains his game-breaking moves, which is exactly what Arizona needs. Senior Keola Antolin is a solid No. 1, but Carey (and Baker) could make a camp move into the backup role.

Alex Zendejas will have to be show more consistency in fall camp. Photo by David Kadlubowski, The Arizona Republic

Here is the 10th part of our Arizona Wildcats football preview in collaboration with our Gannett partner, The Arizona Republic.

We write the words, and they have taken the cool photographs and put it all together in a slick presentation at azcentral.com.

Check back here and at azcentral.com every Friday as we roll out more of our preview every week, all the way into August.

This week: Special teams.

INTRO

The kicking game was a mess last season. That’s not breaking news.

If there is one moment (or two) that will endure from Arizona’s 2010 season, look no further than the two extra point attempts that Alex Zendejas had blocked against ASU — one in the final minute of regulation, the other at the end of the second overtime.

He’s back but will have to fight for his job as a senior.

The punting game deteriorated, as the Wildcats’ net punting average dropped for the third consecutive season, down to 34.1 yards, 98th nationally. Four-year starting punter Keenyn Crier is gone, replaced by a junior college transfer.

It was all enough to put special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt (who also coaches defensive ends) on the hot seat. Of the place-kicking, he said: “We’ll be OK,” before adding, “or I won’t be here.”

Alex Zendejas

In 2009, he kicked a last-play 32-yard field goal to beat Arizona State. The next year, he had two extra-point attempts blocked in a painful double-overtime loss to the Sun Devils. Such is the life of a kicker.

He was the flashpoint for a lot of fan anger, which he has had to deal with through the offseason. Not even Zendejas was surprised when the coaches brought in junior college transfer Jaimie Salazar to compete for the job in fall camp.

Zendejas has been accurate (31 of 41 on field-goal attempts in two years as the starter), but the coaches rarely test his range and the height on his kicks have been an issue, as everyone knows from the ASU game. Arizona has missed eight PATs in the past two seasons.

“He still needs to be more consistent,” coach Mike Stoops said. “He showed signs of it (in the spring), but it has be consistently consistent, if that makes sense.”

Jaimie Salazar

The transfer from Trinity Valley Community College in Texas will get every chance to win the starting place-kicking job. He earned second-team All-America honors last season from the NJCAA after making 14 of 15 field goal attempts.

Coach Mike Stoops said the kicking competition between Salazar and incumbent Alex Zendejas will “start even” will camp opens.

“We’ll try to do more intensified drills with those guys to compete,” Stoops said. “We’ll probably spend more time than we have in the past to try to get those guys ready for the season.”

Kyle Dugandzic punts during Arizona's scirmmage on April 2. Photo by David Kadlubowski/The Arizona Republic

Kyle Dugandzic

Without another full-time punter on the roster after Keenyn Crier completed his eligibility last season, Arizona brought in Dugandzic at the semester break and got to work with him during the spring. The starting job is basically his by default. He’s also listed as the top holder for placekicks.

Special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt said Dugandzic was “trying to hurry himself” early in spring drills, but began to find his comfort zone later in practice.

Crier was known for a big, but erratic, leg … and he had trouble last season pinning opponents deep. The scouting report on Dugandzic is that he excels at direction and placement, although his right leg looked just fine, too, when he boomed a 72-yarder in his only attempt at the spring game.

Dugandzic is from Ventura (Calif.) Community College.

Chase Gorham

Gorham, the son of former UA placekicker Charlie Gorham (1972-73), has a chance to be a four-year starter as long snapper. He was the true freshman last year who entered camp most assured of playing time, and he did, indeed, start from the first game, doing a solid job.

The Arizona coaches quickly identified Gorham, from Scottsdale Chaparral High, as someone they wanted to recruit. Gorham committed in the spring of his junior season, becoming the first recruit in UA’s 2010 class.

Gorham was considered one of the top prep long snappers in the country, and he earned Arizona Republic All-Arizona honors as a senior.

Returners

This has been an area of strength for Arizona in recent seasons, but the Wildcats have to replace speedy kick returner Travis Cobb and primary punt returner Bug Wright.

Redshirt freshman Garic Wharton seems to be the best answer at kick returner. He’s arguably the team’s fastest player, and he showed show wiggle in his running style during spring drills. Perhaps he will fit in as the punt returner, too.

Some of Arizona’s young defensive backs — such as Shaquille Richardson and Jonathan McKnight — will have a chance at that role, too, each with the athleticism needed to make game-changing plays. When the Wildcats are playing it safe, they can send out sure-handed receiver David Douglas to make a fair catch.

Alex Zendejas throws his helmet after having an extra point attempt blocked at the end of the second overtime against ASU last season. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Alex Zendejas didn’t run away from trouble. Now, he has to fix it.

His name became something of a curse word for Arizona Wildcats fans late last season. You know the details. Two low extra point attempts — one in the final minute of regulation, one at the end of the second overtime — were blocked by Arizona State.

Those kicks were the flashpoints in a 30-29 home loss.

Zendejas followed up with another uneven kicking performance in the Alamo Bowl, missing two of three field goal tries.

“I hear it from every angle still,” Zendejas said earlier this week, talking about fan reaction.

“But I never considered leaving. I was here. I wanted to finish out here. I mean, it’s been tough … but it’s not who I am. I’m not going to run away from something that’s happened.

“I love this school. I love the program, the coaches, the players. It was never my intention to leave. I love it here.”

Zendejas is preparing for his senior season, and he and special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt know there is no margin of error.

Zenedejas has new competition, not only from kickoff man John Bonano – who has been “kicking great,” Hammerschmidt said — but from junior college transfer Jaimie Salazar, who will arrive for fall camp.

“I honestly expected it. It’s what they had to do,” Zendejas said of the coaches bringing in a junior college transfer.

“It’s part of college life. You’re always having someone come in competing for the job. They recruited freshmen for every other position to compete.”

How does Zendejas get better this spring and hold off the competition?

In practice, to focus on elevation, the coaches have put tackling dummies 3 yards in front of the kickers. Those tackling dummies are about 6 feet high.

“From 3 yards out, they look really big,” Zendejas said.

At other times, a linebacker will be holding blocking pads above his head as he tries to block the attempt, again giving the kicker reason to focus on height.

“I feel good,” Zendejas said. “I’m starting to get a lot more elevation on the ball. Doing that over and over, it doesn’t make you think about it as much, I guess.”

Alex Zendejas celebrates after beating ASU with a last-second kick in 2009. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Zendejas’ accuracy on field goals has been fine — 31 of 41 in two years as the starter — although the coaches don’t often test his range. But the low kicks were nothing new. They happened from time to time … and the Arizona State game was the worst possible time.

Arizona has missed eight extra-point attempts in the past two seasons.

“We’ll be OK,” Hammerschmidt said of the place-kicking, before adding, “or I won’t be here.”

Zendejas said he’s had plenty of support from his famous kicking family, and he hopes to use the memory of last season in just the right dose.

Can’t think about it too much; that’s just unwanted added pressure. Can’t ignore it, either.

“It’s definitely some motivation to come back and work your butt off. It’s a little extra push,” Zendejas said. “It’s hard to forget something like that. I’ve learned a lot since December.”

He can’t change what happened in December. His game-winning, last-second field goal at Arizona State in 2009 seems all but forgotten.

What will 2011 bring — glory, agony or a season on the bench?

For now, there’s only one thing do.

“Just focus on consistency, give it my all every practice and get the most out of every day,” Zendejas said. “That’s all I can do, right?”

NOTE
Fans can get a look at the kicking game and everything else at Saturday’s spring-ending scrimmage at Arizona Stadium. The scrimmage will begin at 1:30 p.m.