Ka'Deem Carey cuts through the UCLA defense on an 18-yard touchdown run. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The new Arizona Wildcats football coaches are in the getting-to-know-you stage with their players — learning about their backgrounds and personalities.

It won’t take the coaches long to learn about some players on the field.

Calvin Magee, the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach chuckled when asked what he already knew about freshman running back Ka’Deem Carey.

“I know he can play,” Magee said.

“I know the kid is a really good kid, after meeting him. His talent speaks for itself. I’m really, really looking forward to working with him and helping him improve.”

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Arizona quarterback Nick Foles will be trying to solve an ASU defense that has mostly held him in check in the past two seasons. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Five Sun Devils to watch

It only takes one play to be a rivalry hero for a lifetime.

Some in the Arizona-ASU duels have been stars who only added to their legend — Chuck Cecil, John Jefferson, Max Zendejas, Byron Evans.

Others had shining moments impossible to forget: James Debow’s goal-line stuff of ASU running back Channing Williams in 1986, Kevin Galbreath’s 51-yard touchdown run for a 7-6 ASU win in 1992, Brian Holland’s 92-yard touchdown reception in 1982.

Who is it going to be this season?

Anyone?

Here’s a look at five Arizona players who can make a difference Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium.

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This stellar TD catch earned David Douglas some time on SportsCenter all night. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

A failed fake field goal at the end of Arizona’s first drive was curious for timing and its execution.

The Wildcats tried to pull it off on fourth-and-12 from the Utah after a delay of game. That’s a long way to go for a fake field goal.

What’s more, a week earlier, interim head coach Tim Kish talked about how important he thought it was to come away with three points on the team’s opening drive at Washington. John Bonano kicked a 36-yard field goal on fourth-and-2.

This time, Kish went for a fake, needing 12 yards, at nearly the identical spot on the field.

If anything, getting three points was more important against Utah than Washington because the Utes have the better defense.

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Keola Antolin tries to make some headway against Oregon last week. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

In an effort to stir Arizona’s sleepy running game, three backs might be better than one.

And all at the same time.

The Wildcats are getting more comfortable with the full-house backfield formation it practiced through spring and fall, using it several times to reasonable effect against Oregon on Saturday. Arizona deployed it four times on its first scoring drive, getting a 15-yard carry from tailback Ka’Deem Carey, who was following lead blocks from Taimi Tutogi and tight end Drew Robinson.

Here’s how it looks:

Quarterback Nick Foles lines up in the shotgun, flanked by two backs (Tutogi and Robinson). A tailback lines up behind Foles, as in the Pistol formation. Tutogi often went in motion behind Foles to get a running start toward the line of scrimmage as he and Robinson tried to open holes.

Arizona put two receivers out wide, looking for single coverage somewhere if defenses committed a safety to stopping the run. If not, then Arizona has seven blockers for seven defenders — and the tailback has to make a play.

“What it does, it just gives us versatility,” said running backs coach Garret Chachere.

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This is how part of the Zona Zoo looked during the third quarter. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

The announced attendance for Arizona’s game against Oregon was only four away from being a listed sellout — 56,096.

After halftime, perhaps half the crowd decided to do something else with its evening.

The Zona Zoo student section — which has been built up into a 10,000-strong force during the Mike Stoops era — was especially sparse on the east side of the stadium behind the Wildcats’ bench. A third full?

“That’s expected. They’ve been doing that since I’ve been here,” said senior cornerback Trevin Wade.

“I appreciate the loyal fans that stayed and continued to watch us. Every team is not perfect. When we go to away games and we’re winning by a lot, their fans are still there, you know? It’s all about support. All we can do is keep playing. …

“It fires you up to have the loyal people there, still cheering for you. They were still pretty loud. That gets me amped up.”

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Ka'Deem Carey is averaging 5.2 yards per carry in limited opportunities. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats football coach Mike Stoops wants a better running game and a stronger commitment to it.

That’s nice, but there are a couple of problems with that.

His team spent camp under the philosophy of “we’ll pass 50 to 60 times a game if we have to,” so it might be getting a little late to change tack. And the inexperienced offensive line has been better in pass protection than run blocking, anyway.

There isn’t any sort of magic that can accelerate the learning curve of the offensive line. There isn’t any major personnel moves to make up front. Just add time and wait. Hopefully, not too long.

But Stoops can do something at running back. He says he will. He should.

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Here comes another No. 25 at Arizona. Photo by WildcatSportsReport.com

Arizona Wildcats running back Ka’Deem Carey is a true freshman. He’s 18. If he doesn’t know the school history of the jersey number he’s wearing, well, that’s mostly understandable.

Carey is wearing No. 25, his number from his days at Canyon del Oro High School … and those digits have a history of greatness at Arizona, especially when it comes to local running backs.

Remember Vance Johnson?

That’s Carey’s uncle, but he said didn’t know Johnson wore No. 25. Johnson, a Cholla High graduate, was a running back with the Wildcats before starring as a receiver as part of the Denver Broncos’ “Three Amigos” receiving corps.

Another No. 25 running back at Arizona: Pueblo High grad David Eldridge, part of the UA’s “Back Attack” of the late 1980s. He ran for 205 yards against UCLA in 1989 and earned second-team all-conference honors that season.

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Ka'Deem Carey

Running back Ka’Deem Carey is one of the potential impact true freshmen for the Arizona Wildcats, and the one with the most hype.

Fans likely will see more of him than expected in Saturday’s opener against NAU.

Carey’s window of opportunity is a bit wider now that second-stringer Daniel Jenkins is doubtful because of a sprained left ankle, coach Mike Stoops said Monday morning. Jenkins suffered the injury in the final scrimmage on Aug. 22.

Arizona will go with senior starter Keola Antolin … and then it should be Carey and sophomore Kylan Butler.

“Ka’Deem makes me very confident,” Stoops said.

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Carrying the ball is the easy part for Ka'Deem Carey. Photo by WildcatSportsReport.com

Arizona football newcomers had been off limits to the media until Tuesday. Those were coach Mike Stoops’ orders, his way of tamping down unrealistic expectations. No player’s ego should inflate before his production does.

With the restriction lifted, the local media closed in on the local kid after Tuesday’s practice. Freshman running back Ka’Deem Carey, from Canyon del Oro High School and the top-rated recruit in Arizona’s 2011 class, faced the video cameras, the notebooks, the audio recorders.

Carey, known in high school to have a confidence level that might have bordered on something else, didn’t make any bold predictions — “I’m just here playing football like any other person,” he said.

He acknowledged he is learning the same lesson as every other true freshman: The speed of the game moves way faster now.

“Playing at this level is different,” he said.

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True freshman running back Ka'Deem Carey looks for daylight in a practice at Fort Huachuca earlier this month. Photo by Anthony Gimino

Start the countdown to Ka’Deem Carey’s debut as an Arizona Wildcat.

He’s already been the most-hyped member of the true freshman class. First of all, he’s a running back, always a high-profile position. Secondly, he’s the hometown kid who led Canyon del Oro to the Class 4A-I state title in 2009.

And, well, most importantly, everyone knows he has a chance to be really, really good.

He displayed that potential in front of about 7,000 fans at Arizona Stadium on Saturday night, drawing oohs and aahs and further whetting the appetite. Carey ran eight times for 69 yards in the team’s final scrimmage, including a 39-yard burst when he found daylight around the right side and zoomed through defenders.

That run came one play after his 34-yard run around left end was called back because of penalty.

Carey also returned a kickoff about 40 yards.

“I love what Ka’Deem is doing,” coach Mike Stoops said.

“He gives us a special quality back there, and we have to keep bringing him along. He’s an electrifying runner. He’s a big, physical kid who has breakaway speed. He’s a very complete player.”

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