Arizona football: Sione Taufahema out indefinitely with knee injury

The defensive tackle recently had knee surgery and is not in camp with the Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats defensive tackle Sione Taufahema had knee surgery and is not with the team in camp, head coach Rich Rodriguez said Wednesday.

“I don’t know if he’s going to be available in camp at all,” Rodriguez said. “Probably not.”

Taufahema, a junior college transfer from College of the Canyons, was/is expected to add size to the Wildcats’ defensive line this season.

The junior is listed at 6-foot-1, 330 pounds.

“I think we’re bigger, but still not as big as we need to be or will be,” Rodriguez said Tuesday of Arizona’s undersized defensive line. “But we have enough size and we got to play more of them.”

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Rodriguez said senior wide receiver Cam Denson is being limited in individual workouts as he gets back into shape.

Denson suffered a foot injury in spring ball.

“If he can stay healthy and keep working, he needs to have a big year,” Rodriguez said. “It’s his time ... he’s going to be a guy we’re counting on quite a bit.”

Denson, a former four-star recruit out of Salpointe Catholic, caught 15 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns last season.

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Wide receiver Cedric Peterson broke his right foot in practice last season, ending his season after six games, but said he is “full go” now.

“I feel great,” said Peterson, a redshirt sophomore. “I’m just happy to be out there. It’s been so long since I ran routes.”

Peterson, who had three catches last year, said he is learning all four receiver spots (Rodriguez has every wide receiver practice at all four spots), but is mostly used on the outside.

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Arizona has two notable freshman receivers in Brian Casteel and Drew Dixon, and Rodriguez said Casteel is a bit further ahead than Dixon.

“He’s seemed to grasp it pretty quickly in three days,” Rodriguez said of Casteel. “But he’s got to get in shape. He’s not in good enough shape right now, but he’s got a good feel for the game.”

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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