2007 Arizona Wildcats Football Preview

2007 Arizona Wildcats season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Arizona Wildcats football preview as well as the 2007 Arizona Wildcats Football Schedule. Dont miss Maddux's free college football picks taken from the weekly college football odds from the #1 sports handicapping team.

Coach: Mike Stoops (4th year at Arizona)
Team Name: Wildcats
2006 Overall Record: 6-6
Returning Starters: 17

The Arizona Wildcats (6- 6 overall, 3- 5 PAC-10) tied for 5th in their conference and continued, as they have since 1999, to miss a bowl bid. But things are looking a bit better due to head coach Mike Stoops' decision for fire his offensive staff and bring in offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes. It was Dykes who helped energize Texas Tech's offense by co-engineering their lighting-quick spread "O."

The Wildcats averaged 16.6 PPG, which earned them a national ranking of 105. With QB Willie Tuitama (55.9% COMP, 1,335 YDs, 7 TDs, 6 INTs) calling signals last season, the Cats won. But part way through the schedule he was out time and again with concussions. If the line can be less porous, and it looks like they will be, a protected Tuitama, now a junior, will stay healthy. The new quick-pass offense, which features innumerable looks designed to keep opponents guessing, will help too. Junior WR Mike Thomas (50 REC, 597 YDs, 2 TDs) is fast off the line and down the field. Senior wide Anthony Johnson offers a taller target. At RB both Chris Jennings and Xavier Smith can run and catch. Sophomore H-B Earl Mitchell has the talent to be a star.

Arizona's defense was rated 35th in the nation, allowing 19.6 PPG. The stellar Cat "D" returns 10 starters, including a solid frontline and expert line-backing corps. The front-four has experience and depth. OLB Spenser Larsen (89 tackles, 63 solo) and ILB Ronnie Palmer (69 tackles, 41 solo) are topnotch players capable of shutting down opponents. At corner, senior All-Conference back Antoine Cason (3 INTs) is back for a fourth year with counterpart Wilrey Fontenot. Senior Dominic Patrick leads Arizona's deep and talented safety-squad.

How many games can Arizona win? Six definitely but eight is a possibility. BYU, Oregon and Arizona State are swing games. If QB Tuitama stays healthy, the Wildcats will be growling for a bowl bid.

Arizona Wildcats Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Sep 1	BYU	Away
Sep 8	N Arizona	Home
Sep 15	New Mexico	Home
Sep 22	California	Away
Sep 29	Washington St	Home
Oct 6	Oregon St	Away
Oct 13	USC	Away
Oct 20	Stanford	Home
Oct 27	Washington	Away
Nov 3	UCLA	Home
Nov 15	Oregon	Home
Dec 1	Arizona St	Away

 

For more info on the 2007 Arizona Wildcats football program, view the Wildcats football site or you can read about other Pac-10 teams below.