UA Sports

UA quarterback leaves for Baylor

Arizona quarterback Kris Heavner said Monday he is transferring to Baylor University to be closer to family in Texas. Heavner, who lost his starting job at midseason to Richard Kovalcheck, started 14 games the last two years for the Wildcats. "My family will be able to see me play," Heavner said in leaving McKale Center with his belongings. "I am looking forward to a fresh start." Heavner threw for 1,501 yards and eight touchdowns last year as a true freshman. For his career, he was 205 of 380 for 2,338 yards with 12 TDs and 19 interceptions in 16 games at the UA. He will sit out for 2005, per an NCAA rule, as a redshirt season but then will have two years of eligibility remaining. "They will have a senior quarterback next season, and then I will be competing against the young quarterbacks they have," Heavner said. "I'm looking forward to it. I've had to compete here." Heavner completed the only pass he threw in Friday's win over rival ASU, a 10-yard completion to Syndric Steptoe when Kovalcheck was shaken up and missed one snap. Baylor is located in Waco, Texas, about two hours from the family's home in Johnson City. Kovalcheck is the UA's only quarterback on scholarship. Recruit Willie Tuitama of Stockton, Calif., will join the team next fall. Brooks earns Pac-10 honor

Arizona junior safety Darrell Brooks was named to the second-unit on the All-Pac-10 football team announced Monday. Brooks was the lone Wildcat on the first- or second-teams in voting by the league's head coaches. "Darrell compares to all the great ones that we've coached," UA coach Mike Stoops said earlier this season. "He can do it all." Brooks led the Cats with 73 tackles and nine pass break-ups. He was tied for second with 48 solo stops and was fifth with 4 1/2 tackles for loss. Earning honorable mention for the UA were halfback Mike Bell, cornerback Antoine Cason, tight end Steve Fleming, center Keoki Fraser and Steptoe as a kick returner. USC had the conference's co-Offensive Players of the Year in quarterback Matt Leinart and halfback Reggie Bush, who was also first-team punt returner and second-team kickoff returner. Trojans tackle Shaun Cody and Oregon State end Bill Swancutt shared the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year award. ASU tight end Zach Miller was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, while Cal's Jeff Tedford was Coach of the Year. Spurrier to join father

UA tight ends coach Steve Spurrier Jr. said Monday he is joining his father, head coach Steve Spurrier, at South Carolina. "It's an opportunity to be with family all the way around, with my wife's family on the East Coast," Spurrier Jr. said. "I had a great opportunity here." Spurrier Jr. will coach wide receivers with the Gamecocks, a position he held under his father at Florida and in the NFL with the Washington Redskins. He also worked with Mike Stoops and under head coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. "I've had a chance to work under a pair of real good ball coaches in Bob and Mike Stoops," he added. "I'm torn in leaving because it's only going to get better at Arizona." Extra points

● Sheldon Watts said he plans to re-enroll at the UA in January with the hope of returning to the field next fall. The freshman offensive lineman is recovering from gunshot wounds to the chest and right arm suffered at a house party last fall. ● Utah coach Urban Meyer faxed a congratulatory message to Stoops and the UA coaching staff for its victory last week over ASU. The Cats open the season next fall at Utah.