Less than a week into fall football camp it is hard to tell a lot about the team, but stories and themes are starting to emerge.

So far Nick Foles has been sharp and it is obvious that Matt Scott is attempting to redshirt this season, allowing him to battle for the starting job as a fifth year starter in 2012. Bryson Beirne has been getting the bulk of the snaps with the second team, while Scott, the back-up in 2010, works with the scout team.

Keola Antolin and Daniel Jenkins are holding down the top two spots at running back and the real competition seems to be for the third running back job. Sophomore Kylan Butler has the edge early in camp, but walk-on Terris Jones and true freshman Ka’Deem Carey are getting their opportunities.

Heading into fall camp we knew the Arizona receiving corps was deep, but this appears top be the deepest the unit has ever been. Juron Criner is back with the team after attending to some personal matters over the summer. He does not appear 100% in shape, but is still making plays. Once he improves his conditioning, watch out.

Newcomer Dan Buckner, the Texas transfer, appears as good as advertised, while Tyler Slavin has made play after play.

Terrence Miller has been a go-to guy during 2:00 drills and he gives the Cats yet another big target.

All eyes are on the offensive line and so far, so good. The starting five of Mickey Baucus, Fabbians Ebelle, Chris Putton, Trace Biskin and Kyle Quinn have been solid and early on have fended off challenges from second teamers.

The biggest news among the line is the addition of Jack Baucus, who moves from tight end to tackle.

Another position of interest has been the defensive ends who have to replace three players drafted by the NFL. So far Muhammed Usman and C.J. Parish have been very good and true freshmen Reggie Gilbert and Dame Ndiaye have shown that the future at the position seems very bright.

Junior college transfer David Lopez will start alongside Paul Vassallo and Derek Earls when the Cats go with their 4-3 base defense, but all indications are that the Wildcats will spend a lot of time in their nickel and dime packages.

So far the defensive backs have also played well. Shaq Richardson and Jonathan McKnight are in a real battle to start opposite of senior Trevin Wasde and Derrick Rainey is also showing well at corner.

There is less competition at safety where Rob Golden and Marquis Flowers have their jobs all but sewn up.

Alex Zendejas and Jaime Salazar are in a duel for the place kicking job. Many assumed that after last year’s disasterous finish that Zendejas would be out of a job, but he worked hard over the summer and the job probably won’t be decided early in camp.

So far the Wildcats have remained relatively injury free, which is especially good news after all of the injuries during spring ball. Two of those injured players, linebacker Jake Fischer and safety Adam Hall, appear to be ahead of schedule and may have a tough decision to make about whether to play this year or use a redshirt.

Jonathan McKnight

Although the Arizona Wildcats football team is still basking in the glow of the 2011 recruiting class, it is the 2010 class that is preparing for its first spring practice. A number of 2010 signees enter the 2011 season with chances to make an impact.

• Marquis Flowers – Should compete for a starting safety spot
• Cam Allerheiligen – If Matt Scott redshirts he will probably be the third-string quarterback.
• Mickey Baucus – Should be in the mix for one of the starting tackle spots.
• Fabbians Ebbele – Like Baucus, will likely compete for a starting tackle spot.
• Chase Gorham – Already the starting long snapper.
• Austin Hill – In the mix at the crowded outside receiver spot.
• Carter Lees – Could compete for a starting guard spot with a strong spring.
• Kirifi Taula – May get a shot at defensive tackle.
• Jonathan McKnight – Will battle for a starting cornerback spot. Will see the field in 2011.
• Dan Pettinato – Should be in the defensive end equation.
• Shaquille Richardson – Will battle for a starting cornerback spot. Will see the field in 2011.
• Trent Spurgeon – Will be in the mix at tackle.
• Tyler Slavin – In the mix at the crowded outside receiver spot.

The football season is over and now it is time to look ahead. Signing day may still be a few weeks away, but what Arizona football will look like next season is already shaping up. We continue out first look at the Wildcat football team with a look at the offensive line.

Shane Zink returns with little in-game experience.

OVERVIEW: The Wildcats will be gutted. They lose six seniors and an injury to another former starter will leave them with just one player who has ever started a D-I football game.

SAY GOODBYE TO: Everyone…Colin Baxter, Phillip Garcia, Adam Grant, Jovon Hayes, Conan Amituanai, Jack Julsing and Vaughn Dotsy. The first six all graduate, while a back injury will injury will prematurely end the career of Dotsy. Baxter, Garcia, Grant, Hayes and Amituanai had a combined 24 years in the program. To further clean house, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh left for West Virginia.

SAY HELLO TO: Addison Bachman. The junior college transfer will likely start at either center or guard.

GET TO KNOW:  Fabbians Ebelle, Trent Spurgeon and Mickey Baucus. The three redshirt freshmen are the future at tackle for Arizona. Baucus and Ebelle could win starting jobs next year. 

QUESTIONS: Will the Wildcats add anymore JC players? Will Bachman or Quinn be the center? How will the Wildcats adjust to Robert Anae as OL coach? Just who will play guard? How long will it take this unit to gel?

For complete coverage of signing day, including the FAX TRACKER, bios and breaking news, make sure you visit WildcatSportsReport.com.

Quarterback

Committed (1)
Cameron Allerheiligen, 6-3, 190, Keller (TX) HS

Fits Needs: D
With apolgies to Allerheiligen (no, I have no idea how to pronounce it either), he has a lot to prove. The ultimate sleeper in this class, he is a player who most recruiting services did not even have a profile for him. Maybe someday he will make me eat my words, but at this stage I would have felt a lot more confident with Matt Brown in the class.

Running Back

Committed (0)

Fits Needs: C
The Cats return five of their top six running backs (six if you count Taimi Tutogi) and did not really need a back in the class. The Cats will add redshirt freshmen Kylan Butler and Daniel Jenkins to the mix of Nic Grigsby, Keola Antolin and Greg Nwoko.

Wide Receiver

Mickey Baucus/WildcatSportsReport.com

Committed: (5)

Tyler Slavin 6-1, 191, Eleanor Roosevelt HS – Corona, CA
Austin Hill 6-3, 188, Eleanor Roosevelt HS – Corona, CA
Garic Wharton 5-11 165, Valley HS – Las Vegas, NV
Dexter Ransom 6-3, 215, Blinn College
Dan Buckner, 6-4, 215, Allen, TX/Texas

Fills Needs: A
The Cats probably did not need five receivers, after all they only lose on key contributor and only have two juniors on the roster that play any kind of key role. However, the Cats just could not pass up the variety and talent of the receivers in the class. They have fast receivers, big receiver and possession receivers. They even have a variety of ages with three freshmen, a D-I transfer and a junior college transfer.

Tight End

Committed: (0)

Fills Need: Incomplete
It is hard to determine whether or not the Cats failed to fill a need or no longer have the need. With the departure of Rob Gronkowski the Cats may phase out the position and rely more on the H-Back position.

Offensive Linemen

Committed:  (4)

Trent Spurgeon  6-7, 260 Owasso (OK) HS
Mickey Baucus 6-7, 250 Carmel Catholic HS – Mundelein, IL
Matthew Jakubiec 6-7, 290 Servite (CA) HS
Carter Lees  6-5, 325  Kempner HS – Sugarland, TX

 Fills Need: B
The Cats bring in four solid linemen, even if they did not bring in any starts. Three of the four have decent ratings and Lees had not yet been evaluated by the ESPN.com analysts. All four are over 6-5, three are 6-7, and they all have frames that can carry a lot of weight. This is a group that will not be relied on right away, but have the potential to produce at least a few future starters.

DEFENSIVE PREVIEW