Quarterback competition could spur Arizona offense

Arizona Coach Rich Rodriguez brought in a whole new defensive staff this off-season, but that doesn’t mean his experienced offense is without a big question mark.

The Wildcats still haven’t decided who still start under center against Brigham Young on Sept. 3. Incumbent starter Anu Solomon hasn’t been consistent enough to secure the job, allowing sophomore Brandon Dawkins, who starred at Westlake Village Oaks Christian High and made one start for the Wildcats last season, to push his way into contention.

“I think we’re in a good situation with two young guys competing for the starting job,” Rodriguez said at Pac-12 media day in Hollywood on Thursday. “Solomon and Dawkins are going into camp splitting first-team reps, and we’ll see who wins the job.”

Rodriguez added: “I’m not typical where I think you have to name a starter. We treat the quarterback position pretty much like the rest of them, just compete and play the best guy at the time.”

With Solomon at the helm, Arizona finished third in the Pac-12 in yards per game last season. That was particularly important with a defense that gave up 28 passing touchdowns, but not enough to lift the Wildcats beyond a 7-6 record. The defense is now retooled with a new coaching staff, but it’s likely the Wildcats will once again lean on their offense to compete with UCLA and USC in the conference’s South Division.

Who the offense will lean on, though, remains a fluid situation until further notice.

“I think either will give us a great chance to win, and they can win and they’ve proven that,” said wide receiver Nate Phillips at media day. “If it’s today, if it’s in two months, it doesn’t really matter” when the starter is named.

Solomon threw for 20 touchdowns and five interceptions last season, and added three more scores on the ground. He was also nagged by a hamstring injury, and it would be normal for him to be frustrated by this competition. But Phillips said he and Dawkins are best friends, and that the locker room won’t be affected by the murky quarterback picture.

“ELE,” Phillips said, smiling. “Everybody love everybody.”

jesse.dougherty@latimes.com

@dougherty_jesse