Arizona Wildcats O:8 D:9Last season showed glimpses of the direction this program is headed, and the coaching staff as well as the players and fans all hope that 2006 is the season they achieve a winning record. Wildcat football has offered nothing much to talk about for quite some time, but '06 could be a different story. Quarterback phenom Willie Tuitama is back to lead the Wildcats offense that returns eight starters. The offense averaged twenty eight points per game with him under center, so look for the unit to be much more potent and surpass the twenty three points per game they averaged last season. He's got a very talented and experienced front wall in front of him, and a solid wide receiver corps that boasts PAC 10 co-Freshman of the year Michael Thomas.
The defense is in for a very big year, as nine starters return and it will be backed up by some excellent JUCO talent. The defensive line is loaded with experience, size, and speed and will be constantly rotated due to their tremendous depth, while the line backer corps returns fully intact. Cornerback Antoine Cason is the leader in the secondary, and it will contend for top honors in the country. Wide receiver Syndric Steptoe was one of the nation's leaders in fielding punts and kicks last season, and kicker Nick Folk is back to help the Wildcats special teams ascend even higher this season.
