In August of 1999 I went to Douglas, Arizona where the Arizona football team was holding fall camp, to do a profile of coach Dick Tomey.

The Wildcats were coming off a 12-1 season. They had a cutting edge defense and were a trendy pick to contend for the national title.

I didn’t know a whole lot about Tomey before I went. My surface impression was he was an old-school guy with a physical, hard-nosed approach to the sport. I got his approach to the Xs and Os right but quickly learned there was nothing old-school about the man.

During camp that year, nearly two decades before the #MeToo movement, Tomey divided the team into small groups for discussions about gender roles and how they should treat women.

Tomey’s wife, novelist Nanci Kincaid, spoke to the team.

“We had an amazing dialogue about things like why a boy reveres his mother but might not transfer that respect to his girlfriend or women his own age," Kincaid told me. "They were so honest and forthright.”

I heard countless stories about the respect with which Tomey treated his players and assistant coaches. It seemed to me then, they loved him.

The postscript to the piece I wrote wasn’t storybook. Arizona was a disappointing 6-6 in 1999, and 5-6 in 2000, after which Tomey was pushed out by athletic director Jim Livengood.

Tomey left Arizona with 95-64-4 record. I’ll argue the school’s football program never has recovered. None of the coaches who followed have been above water in conference games. Tomey went on to lead San Jose State to a 9-4 season in 2006. And, no surprise to me, he initiated academic reforms that made the SJSU program a model for the FBS.

Tomey is 80 now, and being treated for lung cancer in a Texas hospital.

If karma counts for anything, this is a battle he will win.

OK, more links:

Oregon linebacker Justin Hollins earns defensive MVP award after 10 tackles and two sacks at the East-West Shrine Game.

Hollins and Boise State QB Brett Rypien put on a show for NFL evaluators.

Football Scoop reports Minnesota is zeroing in Oregon analyst Rod Chance to be cornerbacks coach.

The Daily Star’s Greg Hansen: Arizona State president Michael Crow wasn’t speaking for the whole conference -- or, even most of it -- when he praised Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott’s stewardship. (Last item).

Among the topics the Merc’s Jon Wilner hits here are the problems Arizona State, and the Pac-12 as a whole, have in retaining good assistants, Utah’s embarrassment of riches at quarterback and UO athletic director Rob Mullens' tenure as CFP chair.

Scooby Axson of SI grades the FBS conferences for the 2018 football season, and flunks the Pac-12.

Washington QB Jake Browning throws two interceptions in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and leads a late rally that falls short.

Art Thiel of SportsPressNW.com: UW linemen Kaleb McGary and Greg Gaines head out of Washington on top.

Arizona receiver Shawn Poindexter catches a TD pass in the East-West Shrine Game.

Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune: Utah is winning the game that matters.

New role, same goal for Colorado assistant Darrin Chiaverini.

Fresno State assistant Jamar Cain will become Arizona State’s defensive line coach.

Oft-injured UCLA receiver Audie Omotosho will transfer.

Wisconsin extends coach Paul Chyrst through 2024.

The links from Duck Sports Now.

The links from Beaver Sports Now.

-- Ken Goe

kgoe@oregonian.com | @KenGoe