Kickoff Return Gets Arizona Going Toward a 24-6 Victory

Cary Taylor returned the opening kickoff 83 yards to set up No. 13 Arizona’s first touchdown and the Wildcats’ defense shut down Texas El Paso in a 24-6 victory Saturday night.

Taylor broke up the middle and streaked down the right sideline before being knocked out of bounds by Brian Vellmure at the one. Three plays later, Ontiwaun Carter scored from the one.

Then Arizona unveiled something it has lacked for nearly a decade--a drop-back quarterback--and 6-foot-5 sophomore Dan White, a transfer from Penn State, threw two touchdown passes.

He connected with Troy Dickey on a 21-yard touchdown pass play in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead and passed five yards to Terry Vaughn in the end zone in the third quarter.

White, who completed 13 of 24 passes for 135 yards, also was intercepted twice.

The victory was Arizona Coach Dick Tomey’s 100th as a college coach. Tomey, starting his seventh season with the Wildcats after 10 seasons at Hawaii, is 100-75-7.

Arizona gained 251 yards to the Miners’ 153 and intercepted two passes by quarterback Shawn Gray. UTEP, in 33 rushes, ended up with a minus-eight yards. Arizona, held to 35 yards rushing in the first half, finished with 116.