The Arizona Wildcats and Arizona St. Sun Devils both had disappointing football campaigns during the 2011 season. Both programs fired their head coaches with hopes to restore their schools to the upper echelon of the Pac-12 conference, something that will not be an easy fix.
With spring camp over the players heading home for a few weeks to rest up before returning for summer practices, who were the standouts from a few weeks of workouts?
According to ESPN's Pac-12 blogger, Ted Miller, Arizona running back Ka'Deem Carey was the big story for the Wildcats. He was Miller's pick to have a breakout season in 2012.
Carey was a hyped recruit from Tucson -- Canyon del Oro High -- and the local boy seems likely to make good this year after rushing for 425 yards as a freshman. He led a solid crew of backs this spring.
As for the Sun Devils, offensive lineman Brice Schwab is Miller's pick to have a big year.
It's been a long time coming for Schwab, who has gone from heralded junior-college transfer to bust to likely starting right tackle. Schwab's problem when he arrived was conditioning: He was huge but it wasn't good weight. And he was way too weak. He started four games in 2010 and struggled, then redshirted last season in order to get in better shape. Once a 340-pounder, he's now 6-foot-7, 295. And he's a better player.
It should be an exciting year for college football in the state of Arizona.
For more on the Wildcats, check out AZ Desert Swarm. For more on the Sun Devils, visit House of Sparky.