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Ka'Deem Carey will indeed start at running back for the Arizona Wildcats in Week 3 against the UTSA Roadrunners. Surprise? Nope.
Daniel Jenkins is listed second and Jared Baker third on the Arizona depth chart for Week 3. Jenkins' time starting in front of Carey wasn't all in vein. The senior who transferred to Washington State and promptly back to Arizona this football offseason has shown his value in both games thus far. Rich Rodriguez has proven to include him with two-back sets even when Carey has played, and that's likely to continue.
Jenkins rushed 17 times for 79 yards and a 4.6 average last week. Baker, mostly in the second half, rushed 12 times for 66 yards, or 5.5 yards-per-carry.
But Carey reminded us why he's an All-American, taking 16 touches for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
If anything, Jenkins and Baker -- not to mention the game-plus suspension -- have kept Carey fresh in the cupcake nonconference schedule. The Wildcats may need a little more from him this weekend. Arguably, UTSA is the best of team of the Wildcats have played so far.
As for the rest of the depth chart, well, it looks mostly the same.
B.J. Denker will start at quarterback and if there's any commotion about whether he should be benched, it still appears Javelle Allen and Jesse Scroggins are second and third stringers behind Denker.
On defense, there's a lot of depth behind a solidified front six in the 3-3-5, though Scooby Wright is listed as challenging for starting with Keoni Bush-Loo. And in a good bit of news after a scary injury in last season's lost UCLA game, linebacker Hank Hobson is listed on the depth chart at middle linebacker behind Jake Fischer.
And thank goodness we're no longer talking about finding a new kicker. Jake Smith hasn't had the best of starts, but he's proven mentally tough by recovering to win the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week award for his record-setting performance against UNLV.
Notes
- On the Pac-12 coaches teleconference call, Rodriguez discussed his relationship with UTSA coach and former Miami coach Larry Coker, was glad the defensive success in practice has carried over and assured everyone the Wildcats won't overlook the Roadrunners, whose film speaks for itself. RichRod also was willing to say Scooby Wright's potential was "unlimited."