UA football has loads of history
Arizona played its first-ever football game in 1899.
The Varsity — the name Wildcats would come later — finished in a a 0-0 tie with Tucson Town. Stuart Forbes was eventually replaced as head coach.
Since then, across 115 years, the Wildcats have had 26 coaches, and a whole lot more players.
That a lot of names to pare down to 10.
Max Zendejas had kicking power past 50 yards and a clutch gene to match it, and was as much of a weapon as anyone in the Pac-10 in the 1980s.
Fred W. Enke was Arizona’s first-ever All-American, and possibly the university’s greatest ever athlete, also starring in basketball and baseball.
Arizona running back Ka'Deem Carey (25) sheds Oregon tacklers during the fourth quarter of the University of Arizona vs. University of Oregon college football game on Nov. 23, 2013. Arizona upset No. 5 Oregon 42-16.
Ka’Deem Carey was a Tucson hero for a two-year stretch, setting pretty much every UA rushing record in sight.
Before Nick Foles, Eddie Wilson was the last quarterback to be drafted in 1972, and deservedly so.
Chris McAlister starred in the NFL, but was a superstar in college, winning the 1998 Mosi Tatupu Award and he was a threat to score anytime he touched the ball — whether that was on defense or on kick returns.
There is no ‘Desert Swarm’ defense in the 1990s without Rob Waldrop.
Chuck Cecil is Arizona’s best-ever defensive back, with its greatest ever play to boot — that is, a 100-yard interception against ASU in 1986.
Art Luppino’s senior year was pretty much lost to injury, but his first few seasons at running back for UA for so prolific it didn’t really matter. A taste: He once tallid 359 total yards in one game…on just eight touches.
The love for Tedy Bruschi by the football crowd is akin to what Steve Kerr receives for basketball, and that’s understandable for the supremely likable UA all-time sack leader.
