To get ready for the upcoming Arizona football season, All Sports Tucson offers a countdown, which will include history notes and a look ahead to the season — a good way to keep Arizona football on the mind in the summer months leading up to fall camp in early August and then kickoff against New Mexico on Aug. 31 in the start of the Brent Brennan era.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS PREVIOUS DAYS IN THE COUNTDOWN
A LOOK BACK — NO. 23 KENNY CARDELLA
With it being the 23rd day until kickoff between the Lobos and Wildcats, the best player to wear No. 23 for Arizona is running back Kenny Cardella, who starred for the program from 1951 to 1953. An Arizona Hall of Famer, Cardella was a two-time All-Border Conference standout who was Arizona’s career rushing leader (2,060 yards) when he was done. He was third in the nation in rushing in 1953 (915 yards on 148 carries, 6.2 yards average) despite missing two of 10 games due to injury. He earned first team All-Border Conference honors and All-American honorable mention in 1953. Cardella passed away at 88 years old in 2020. After his college career, he became a pilot in the Air Force. Cardella later served as a state senator while living in Tucson. He started Cochise Airlines and ran it for 10 years. He finished his working career selling land and investments as a commercial realtor. He remained active after developing a passion for tennis.
NO. 23 IN 2024 — CB EMMANUEL KARNLEY
Karnley, 6-foot-3 and 184 pounds, is a redshirt freshman out of Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, Calif. He played wide receiver and cornerback for Los Lomas. A three-star prospect (247Sports) who was ranked No. 68 at defensive back in California. He also received offers from San Diego State, Arizona State, Boston College, Nevada, Oregon State, Utah, Utah State, Washington, and Washington State.
NOTE
Arizona junior Tetairoa McMillan joined his fellow wide receivers in individual drills during practice for the first time Wednesday. He previously worked out on the side alone. He has progressed enough to be able to practice with the rest of the wide receivers on the sixth day of fall camp. The next step for him will likely be to participate in team drills soon with the season beginning in a little more than three weeks.
THEY SAID IT
“It’s been great, just been taking it day by day with the fellas. (I’m) focusing on the present, being present and helping each other out, just trying to get better each day. I’m just trying to do my job. Not to overthink it. … Stick to the course.” — Arizona offensive tackle Rhino Tapa’atoutai, who is taking over the starting role at left tackle after Raymond Pulido was ruled out for the 2024 season for undisclosed reasons.
FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
Recommended for you
