PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL / DAN HAFNER : Hot Streak No Mirage for No. 21 Arizona

At first glance, the first three games on the Arizona schedule looked like easy ones. They weren’t.

After those three games, the Wildcats were 1-1-1 and there were cries for the dismissal of Coach Dick Tomey.

Three games later, the Wildcats have advanced to No. 21 in the rankings.

A victory over California at Berkeley on Saturday would improve the Wildcats to 4-2-1, and it would make their turnaround almost complete.

Arizona opened with a victory over Utah State, then lost to Washington State, 23-20, when the son of Cougar Coach Mike Price kicked a field goal with 31 seconds remaining. The Wildcats hit bottom the next week when they were tied by Oregon State.

The about-face began the next week when the Wildcats played No. 1 Miami to a standstill, losing, 8-7, when a long field goal try on the final play was wide.

Then came convincing victories over UCLA and Stanford in games in which neither team could run the ball.

“All we’ve done so far is give us a chance to have a good season,” Tomey said. “All that fine play doesn’t mean anything unless we beat California.

“The Bears will be the toughest team to stop. They are physical and they have a powerful running attack.”

Arizona’s defense, especially against the run, has been outstanding in the last three games. Miami netted only two yards in 22 runs, UCLA 36 yards in 34 carries and Stanford minus-33 in 29. In addition, the Wildcats had eight sacks against Stanford.

“They out-hit us and they out-quicked us,” Stanford Coach Bill Walsh said. “We were beaten rather soundly.”

The low point was Sept. 19 at Oregon State, when the Wildcats missed a late field goal and were tied by the Beavers. In the four games since, Oregon State is 0-4 and has been outscored, 157-32.

“The poor start has kept people from recognizing that we are a good team,” Tomey said. “Everybody else is learning what we always knew--that Washington State is an outstanding football team.

“I think we’re starting to get the recognition we deserve. This is a very determined team. I think it stems from the early trouble. But nothing will mean anything if we don’t beat Cal.”

The Wildcats, 2-0 against the California universities, have a shot at their first sweep of the state. They play USC on Nov. 14.

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His first start since the 1991 Rose Bowl game was a milestone for Washington quarterback Mark Brunell.

Brunell, after tearing up his right knee in spring practice in 1991, finally made it all the way back when the led the unbeaten Huskies to a 24-3 victory at Oregon last Saturday.

Brunell ran 14 yards for the first touchdown, threw for the second and completed a 50-yard pass play to set up the third.

“It felt really good to get the start again,” Brunell said. “Any time you come down to Oregon, it’s a terrific challenge and it’s a good feeling to be able to contribute more.”

Coach Don James will continue to start Brunell, with Billy Joe Hobert, 17-0 as a starter, playing the second quarter. James plans to go with whomever is sharper for the second half.

The Huskies will play Pacific on Saturday and James said he couldn’t be happier with the 6-0 start.

“We knew with all the people we lost we wouldn’t be as good as we were last year,” he said. “We’re doing well. The Pac-10 is tougher, too, than it was a year ago.

“Last year we were the best defensive team in the conference. This year we are eighth.”

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Arizona State finally has found a balanced offense. The Sun Devils gained 190 yards on the passing of redshirt freshman Grady Benton and another 190 yards on the ground in the 40-13 rout of Oregon State last Saturday.

Benton, who apparently has solved the quarterback problem, was 19 for 24 with one interception. His chief target was Eric Guilford, who caught 10 for 131 yards, including touchdown plays of 22 and 21 yards.

“Eric is our big-play guy,” Coach Bruce Snyder said. “I think we’ll see him get a lot of double coverage from now on.”

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Stanford’s Walsh was giving a rundown on the team’s injuries as the Cardinal prepared to play at Oregon State on Saturday.

He named several players and their availability and after saying that running back Glyn Milburn’s shoulder was still sore, but that he would see limited action, he said, “Walsh is sick.”

After the Oregon State game, the Cardinal will play Washington, USC, Washington State and California. If it wins all four, presuming it beats Oregon State, it wins the conference title.

Pacific 10 Notes

Arizona punter Josh Miller had to punt to Glyn Milburn of Stanford, the No. 2 punt returner in the NCAA with a 20.1 average. Milburn had to make fair catches on five of Miller’s high boots. He returned two for a total of seven yards and the other went into the end zone.

Arizona quarterback George Malauulu can often be found in the school’s sports information center. As an intern working toward a communications degree, one of his assignments is to gather information on the Wildcats’ 1993 baseball opponents.

Reserve California quarterback Perry Klein, who fumbled in his only play against USC, walked out in the middle of practice Monday. With the departure of Klein, a junior from Malibu, the Bears have two untested freshmen backing up starter Dave Barr.