From Editor: Nice mention of Cal's Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson in this article.
WR Vickers can help UA offense by being himself
Anthony Gimino
Tucson Citizen
Jul. 22, 2005 12:00 AM
B.J. Vickers heard all the hype in the spring.
How he was the savior of the Arizona receiving corps. How he was going to be one of the Pacific-10 Conference's biggest-impact recruits.
"When I first got here, I was listening to all of it," Vickers said Monday after the Wildcats' voluntary workout on campus.
With the players' official reporting date just over two weeks away on Aug. 3, one of the areas in which Vickers, a transfer from Santa Monica (Calif.) Community College, said he has made the biggest strides from spring is being able to shut out all the outside adulation.
"In spring, I was like, 'Man, they are expecting big things out of me,' so, I was trying to make a big play every play," Vickers said. "Every time I messed up, I felt like, 'Oh, my world is over.' I had to stop listening to everything and just be myself."
One more thing: He had to get in better shape.
Vickers, the son of former UA tight end Ryan Vickers, is 6 feet 3, a powerfully built 215 pounds, and looks like he could run all day, but spring ball and the rigors of coach Mike Stoops' offseason program brought a different reality.
"The main thing was that I would get fatigued, and then I couldn't think right and then I was missing plays," Vickers said. "All of that came into play in the spring. It was a big transition."
The four-day-a-week offseason workouts - which include sprinting while attached to a 100-pound sled - have improved Vickers' conditioning, and film study with receivers coach Charlie Williams has sharpened his mental game, he said.
"Basically, a lot more learning, rather than relying just on skill," he said.
Vickers, a junior, ended up first string on the post-spring depth chart as the Wildcats look for more game-breakers.
Junior Syndric Steptoe is a slippery receiver who caught 30 passes, including three touchdowns, last season. But beyond that, there isn't much of a track record for the UA wideouts, although junior Mike Jefferson - 16 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns last season - has looked much improved in spring and summer workouts.
Speedster Bobby McCoy, a redshirt freshman, is another to watch, but it's still Vickers getting the hype.
With his combination of ability and opportunity, he could very well be one of the top additions in the Pac-10 this season. Rivals.com recently selected Vickers as one of the top five newcomers in the league.
He's had to deal with that kind of chatter for a while now, ever since he was one of the top receiving prospects in the West at Venice Senior High School in Los Angeles. Vickers originally signed with Louisville to play in coach Bobby Petrino's high-flying offense, but academics sent him to junior college instead.
Now, he just needs to not let all the praise affect his game.
"There were a lot of things I didn't know when I first got here. It was a big learning experience," Vickers said. "I know I have a long way to go. I am nowhere near where I can be."
Impact new receivers
Arizona's B.J. Vickers isn't the only new receiver expected to make a big impact in the Pac-10 this season. Here are four others:
• James Finley, Oregon: With a new spread offense under former BYU coach Gary Crowton, the Ducks can team Finley, who originally signed with Oregon State, with Demetrius Williams and Cameron Colvin.
• Lavelle Hawkins, Cal: Hawkins is a former LSU signee who ended up at powerhouse City College of San Francisco, where he caught passes from Joseph Ayoob, who also signed with the Bears last winter.
• DeSean Jackson, Cal: Almost ended up at USC, but the prospect of more immediate playing time lured this Parade All-American to Berkeley.
• Patrick Turner, USC: Just what the Trojans need: Another big-time target for Matt Leinart. Turner (6-5, 220) was arguably the nation's top high school receiver.
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