Arizona linebacker Hank Hobson is carted off the field with a neck injury at UCLA on Nov. 3. Photo by Andrew Fielding-US PRESSWIRE

RELATED: Arizona likely to seek medical hardship for Terrence Miller

The Arizona Wildcats’ injury problems started during their spring game. That’s when safety Adam Hall tore his ACL for the second time in a year.

The bad news kept coming for Rich Rodriguez in the summer and fall camp.

Four players never made it to the start of the season, including sophomore linebacker Rob Hankins, who had to give up football because of a concussion. Senior Greg Nwoko, who moved from running back to linebacker in camp, suffered a career-ending hip injury.

Injuries hit hard at offensive tackle. Jack Baucus, a converted tight end who might have been able to help, succumbed to a knee injury and is no longer on the roster. Promising redshirt freshman Jacob Arzouman suffered a torn ACL in August practice. Another redshirt freshman tackle, Lene Maiava, played in four games before tearing his ACL.

The offensive line further had to be a mix-and-match unit to cover for in-season injuries to guard Trace Biskin, center Kyle Quinn and guard/tackle Chris Putton.

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Rob Hankins started the first three games of his true freshman season. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats sophomore linebacker Rob Hankins, after one of the first practices of fall camp, talked about how he had to play as a true freshman, perhaps before he was really ready.

“I wish I could have been 10 years more ready,” he said. “But I had that responsibility and I was happy to have it.”

Sadly, Hankins won’t have any more football responsibilities.

Coach Rich Rodriguez talked at his weekly Monday afternoon news conference that Hankins’ was not making an encouraging recovery from a concussion in terms of being able to play football again.

Later in the afternoon, Rob Hankins Sr. posted on his Facebook page that his son’s career is over. (TucsonCitizen.com also confirmed the news via e-mail with his father.)

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If Rob Hankins really wanted to be like Tedy Bruschi, he's start riding a scooter around campus.

Arizona freshman linebacker Rob Hankins, at this early age, often is compared to Wildcats legend Tedy Bruschi. Maybe that’s fair. Maybe not. But here’s one more thing to feed into the connection.

Hankins, like Bruschi in 1991, could start the first game he plays in at Arizona.

“I’m getting a lot more reps,” Hankins said after Monday’s practice, “and I feel the light bulb is coming on right now.”

Now, whether he starts or not depends on two factors:

–The decision of the coaches, who are also evaluating junior college transfer David Lopez at middle linebacker.

–The kind of offense that Northern Arizona puts on the field for its first play on Saturday.

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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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The Arizona Wildcats released a new football depth chart Monday morning as part of their weekly game notes, and here are a few quick observations.

–True freshman Rob Hankins is listed as the first-team middle linebacker, ahead of junior college transfer David Lopez. Senior Derek Earls has been in that spot but is listed as an outside linebacker.

It will be interesting to see who much Hankins, from Parish Episcopal in Dallas, plays because Arizona might not be in its 4-3 base too much, preferring its nickel package, when Earls and senior Paul Vassallo are the linebackers in the game.

Another true freshman linebacker, Hank Hobson, is listed as a backup to Earls.

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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.

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Paul Vassallo will be trying for his second season with 100-plus tackles. Photo by David Kadlubowski/The Arizona Republic

Here is the eighth 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: The linebackers.

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Rob Hankins, a linebacker from Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, is expected to fax his letter-of-intent to Arizona on Wednesday. He’ll be one of the Wildcats’ highest-rated recruits in a class that figures to rank near the bottom of the Pac-12.

Hankins was selected to the Dallas Morning News’ All-Prospect Team, considered one of 24 players that the paper believes will “do well at the next level.”

Hankins is rated as the 18th-best middle linebacker in the country by Scout.com. He is listed as a three-star prospect (out of five) by Scout and Rivals.com. Hankins made 126 tackles, including seven sacks, as a senior. He also forced six fumbles.

Here are his senior season highlights:

Continuing a recent surge of commitments, Arizona coach Mike Stoops has secured the pledge of four-star linebacker Rob Hankins from Parish Episcopal School in Dallas.

Hankins is considered the 24th-best player in Texas by Scout.com, and the ninth-best middle linebacker in the nation. ESPNU and Rivals.com also rate Hankins No. 9 nationally among inside linebackers.

Rivals.com reports that Hankins (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) has 241 tackles, including 34 for loss, in the past two seasons.

He also had offers from Miami, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Missouri, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Cal, Texas Tech and many others.

Earlier this month, Arizona received a commitment from local star running back Ka’Deem Carey from CDO, Salpointe Catholic offensive lineman Jacob Arzouman, linebacker Hank Hobson from Bakersfield, Calif., running back Jared Baker from Los Angeles, defensive back/athlete Tra’mayne Bondurant from Fairfield, Calif., and safety Kerry Swarn from Dallas.