Arizona vs. BYU: Wildcats announce uniform combo for season opener

Wear red on Saturday

***warning: sarcasm ahead***

The biggest mystery surrounding the Arizona Wildcats’ first game has now been solved.

We know what uniforms they’ll be wearing.

This Saturday, we'll be wearing... http://pic.twitter.com/2QpRVtpa1n

— #Forever65 (@ArizonaFBall) August 31, 2016

That’s Nate Phillips announcing that Arizona will wear red-red-white as the uniform combo on Saturday.

U of A never wore this particular combo last year. The Wildcats went 2-1 while wearing the plain red helmets, and 2-1 in the red jerseys, but put up a record of 1-3 in the white pants. Two of those losses were blowouts at the hands of Stanford and Washington.

The last time this particular combo was used was in the 2014 game vs. Nevada. UA won that contest 35-21.

When the Wildcats were last in University of Phoenix Stadium, they wore blue helmets and red everything else. So the red jerseys are remaining the same this time around.

Thanks to the team for getting this out of the way early this week. I always hated waiting around until Friday to find out what they would be wearing. Now we have three days to worry about less important things.

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Arizona football: Shun Brown works his way into a starting role

A newer face will be getting more action in 2016

As a true freshman, Shun Brown didn’t play as much as many people expected him to. He finished the year with four catches for 24 yards, and also returned four kickoffs.

But he doesn’t see that as a wasted year of eligibility.

"It was more watching the older guys, playing special teams and knowing my role," Brown said, explaining his viewpoint on the 2015 season. "It was just a learning process."

"It was worth it," he added about not redshirting. "I know the plays better and now I’m treated as an older guy. I don’t see it as a burnt year."

Knowing those plays better and the work he’s put in over the offseason has vaulted the 5-foot-8 sophomore up to the top of the depth chart at the slot position.

"I’ve just pretty much done my job and hard work," he said about what he’s done to earn that spot. "I’ve been working on my route-running, studying the plays, knowing the game...stuff like that."

"He’s a competitive kid that loves football and works his tail off," head coach Rich Rodriguez stated on Monday. "He’s intelligent and is a coach’s son so he has great understanding of the game."

"I know he can play at least three of (Arizona’s four wide receiver positions)."

On the depth chart, Brown is listed above Tyrell Johnson and Devaughn Cooper.

"They’re similar," Rodriguez said when comparing Brown and Johnson. "Tyrell’s a little faster, but of course Tyrell’s a little faster than everybody. Shun’s probably a little more consistent with his route-running and ball-catching, but they’re both really good players."

We should expect to see both Brown and Johnson used on special teams in addition to their receiver duties, particularly kick return.

Brown’s high school teammate Orlando Bradford is also listed as a co-starter at running back.

"We don’t look at it like that as a motivation thing," Brown responded when asked if the two think of this year as the time to start shining at this level. "We’re like ‘okay, when our number’s called it’s time to go’. But we’re not like we’re going to take over, because we gotta actually work for it.

The two went to Calvary Baptist in Shreveport, Louisiana. This year, they picked up another Louisiana kid in Antonio Parks, who’s from New Orleans. Obviously the three of them have a special bond.

"We live together," Brown continued. "We always playing Madden against each other, and just to let them know, I am the champ at Madden, so that’s that. I’d give (second place) to Antonio."

"I’m the best at Madden on the team," Parks told us during a Facebook Live chat. "We’re having a tournament and I’m most likely to win every time. They chasing me right now. Shun Brown is second best. He gave me a challenge but even that don’t work."

"It was really great and made the transition easier," Parks added about having someone like Brown already on the team. "You don’t want to be alone in college, and when I first got here, Shun, Orlando, and even Kendal Franklin, who’s gone now, all helped me with my transition."

Shun really seems to enjoy the NFL game, not just allegedly dominating his roommates in Madden. He watches a ton of tape on some of the guys that he looks up to.

"I’ve got a little bit of Antonio Brown, Tavon Austin, and a little bit of everybody," Brown said through a smile. "I got hands like Odell (Beckham Jr.). When it’s time to do a one-handed catch, I’ll do it, but I’d rather use two than one."

Whoever he’s trying to emulate, it’s working. 2016 could just be the beginning of the Shreveport guys taking over the offense.

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Arizona vs BYU: Five Cougars to watch

Here’s a look at some of the possible impact players for BYU

Well, it’s finally here. The 2016 college football season. I can honestly say I’m excited and I know a bunch of you are too.

As you are aware, the Arizona Wildcats are facing the BYU Cougars on Saturday in Glendale. It will be an interesting game for both Arizona and BYU. The ‘Cats really aren’t sure what they are going to see from the Cougars (except maybe man-press defense) and have questions about their defense they want to see answered.

To become a little more familiar with BYU, our own Ronnie Stoffle wrote a first look into the Cougars. One of our editors, Ryan Kelapire, wrote a piece on what BYU head coach Kalani Sitake thinks of Rich Rodriguez and Arizona.

What I want to focus on, however, are the five Cougar players I believe Wildcat fans should be on the lookout for.

Taysom Hill, QB (#7)

BYU offensive coordinator and QB coach Ty Detmer named Hill the starting QB against Arizona on August 23. Hill is a fifth-year senior (due to injuries), and let me tell you, he is talented. I’ve seen him play and he has an incredible awareness of what’s around him. He is a consistent passer and an even better runner. On top of that, USA Today has listed him as a preseason Heisman candidate. The biggest challenge for Arizona’s defense will be containing Hill and collapsing the pocket around him quickly. With the new aggressive style of defense, it is easily doable.

Tanner Mangum, QB (#12)

Another QB?! Yes, another QB. Mangum took over BYU’s offense as a true freshman last year when Hill was injured. He had himself quite a year going 267-of-446 for 3,377 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He is mature despite being a sophomore and has great pocket presence. It is unknown if BYU will run a two QB system, but he is still someone to keep an eye on.

Jamaal Williams, RB (#21)

Williams did not play for BYU last year but he is back this year. From 2012 to 2014, he was a workhorse for the Cougars totaling 492 carries for 2,562 yards and 23 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he might be a handful for Arizona’s undersized defense, though it will be interesting to see what type of shape he’ll be in.

Harvey Langi, LB/DL (#21)

Langi is a big hybrid linebacker/defensive lineman measuring 6-foot-3, 252 pounds. I believe he’ll be an anchor and leader for BYU’s defense this year. He is poised for a big season after racking up 68 tackles, 6.5 TFL, and 4.5 sacks last year as a junior.

BYU’s offensive line

I think the entire Cougar offensive line is something to watch. Averaging 6-foot-3, 307 pounds, they are a big group of guys. It will be interesting to see how they handle Arizona’s smaller, faster defensive linemen. It’s been noted in the past that the Cougs have a hard time dealing with quick d-lines, so Arizona’s speed will be a factor in disrupting BYU’s offense.

BYU released their week one depth chart and it can be found here.

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Arizona football recruiting: Mapping the Pac-12 recruits across the country

Arizona football: Wildcats to honor Zach Hemmila with helmet stickers and hat patches

And there will be at least one pre-game ceremony as well

It's no secret that the Arizona Wildcats are planning to honor Zach Hemmila this season, and on Wednesday part of the program's plan to do so was revealed.

"We're going to have stickers on our helmets and patches on the coaches' hats," Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said after practice.

Rodriguez said there will also be a pre-game ceremony of some sort before the season opener versus BYU at University of Phoenix Stadium, and possibly another one before Arizona's home opener against Grambling State the following week as well.

The team has made an effort to keep Hemmila a part of the program — such as the offensive line still putting their scouting sheets at his locker — and the helmet stickers and hat patches will surely do that.

Hemmila, who was competing to be Arizona's starting center, was found dead in his apartment on August 8.

The cause of his death is unknown.

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Sonoran Hot Reads: Elliott Pitts transferring to Diablo Valley College

Pitts is going home and will redshirt this year

After leaving the Arizona Wildcats after being accused of sexual assault and being suspended from the school, former guard Elliott Pitts has apparently found a new home. According to Verbal Commits, Pitts will transfer to Diablo Valley College, and will redshirt this upcoming year. Diablo Valley is just inland from Berkeley, near Pitts’ hometown of Dublin, CA. The Vikings went 14-14 last year

- Alex Barcello chatted with Corona del Sol’s newspaper about his decision to commit to Arizona

Football

- Rob Gronkowski was named the 2nd-best player in the entire NFL by Pro Football Focus

- Arizona currently has verbal commitments from three of the top four high schools in the country

- Drew Dixon goes to Sabino, is an Arizona commit, and is quite impressive on a football field

- BYU will be missing star defensive lineman Travis Tuiloma for the Arizona game and longer

- Here are five storylines for this weekend according to Wildcat Sports Report

- Kalani Sitake seems concerned about the speed that Arizona’s offense plays at

- BYU will have more fans than Arizona at Saturday’s game, which shouldn’t surprise people, but it will anyway. We also chatted about these neutral site games and other stuff in this week’s roundtable

- Our twitter followers were really concerned about the Arizona offense this week, particularly the receivers

- Thanks for contributing to our first Reader Pac-12 Power Rankings! Stanford took the top spot, Oregon State was last, and everyone else was somewhere in between

- Bookmark this page for all of our BYU/Arizona coverage, including our By the Numbers preview and BYU basics. You won’t find more info in one place than in that StoryStream

We'll be in red helmets Saturday night when we take on BYU in Glendale! #BearDown #Forever65 http://pic.twitter.com/izesKo4Jyg

— #Forever65 (@ArizonaFBall) August 30, 2016

Baseball

- 2018 LHP Blake Peyton pledged his verbal commitment to Arizona. According to Perfect Game, Peyton hit 89 MPH on the radar gun this past month. He was a 2016 underclassmen high honorable mention by PG as well

- There are no Arizona commits among the Top 25 2017 HS MLB Draft Prospects

- Kevin Newman is now a top ten shortstop prospect

Ever wonder how you throw 16 scoreless IP in Omaha? You work in August! #BearDown #MLBTrainingGround @Bigclone27 http://pic.twitter.com/o51br6nNoV

— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) August 30, 2016

Other sports

- Freshman Maddie Bennett is excited to be part of Arizona soccer’s rise

Tucson news

- Donald Trump’s campaign denied the Daily Wildcat’s credential requests for his event in Phoenix on Wednesday

- As I was writing this on Tuesday night, a shooting situation was happening at the TMC parking garage

- A man was stabbed on the south side

- Increasing the state’s minimum wage will be on the ballot in November

Mt. Lemmon is gorgeous right now! @whatsuptucson @jeffbeamish #tucson #skycandy http://pic.twitter.com/7pcxxfEICs

— Sean Parker (@seanparkerphoto) August 31, 2016

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Arizona vs. BYU: Wildcats open 2016 season with Cactus Kickoff Classic against the Cougars

UA opens in their home state, but it will likely have an away game feeling

As the Arizona Wildcats head into true game prep for the opener against the BYU Cougars, many questions remain unanswered about BYU after bringing in an entirely new offensive coaching staff and a new head coach.

But one thing we do know now. Taysom Hill will be the Cougars’ starting quarterback after winning the camp battle between himself and Tanner Mangum:

Taysom hill is BYU's starter

— Jay Drew (@drewjay) August 23, 2016

Kalani said Hill is starting QB cuz he won the spot, earned it with play

— Jay Drew (@drewjay) August 23, 2016

Ty Detmer said Tanner mangum handled decision well

— Jay Drew (@drewjay) August 23, 2016

Oddly enough, Rich Rodriguez had just talked about both of BYU’s quarterbacks earlier in the day on Tuesday after Arizona’s first non-camp practice.

“They’re both really good players,” the Wildcats’ head coach stated. “Obviously Taysom Hill is a great threat running, but so is Tanner. So we’ll prepare for both of ‘em, but it’s kinda hard to prepare for what they’re gonna do because you don’t have any idea what their schemes are.”

“Like I said, there’s a lot of question marks that we’re going to have to figure out pretty soon.”

Hill, who went to Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho, was recruited by Arizona when he was coming out of high school. His brother Jordan actually played defensive tackle at ASU.

The now 26-year-old Hill played in one game last year, where he suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury against Nebraska. His recovery from that injury has been a long process, as detailed in this wonderful piece by Joan Niesen.

Though this will be his fifth year at BYU, Hill has lasted an entire season just once, playing 13 games in 2013. In 2012, he suffered a season-ending knee injury after six games, two of which were starts. 2014 was ended by a broken leg and ligament tear against Utah State in the fifth game of the season, and of course 2015 was the Lisfranc injury in the team’s opener.

When healthy, Taysom Hill is a dangerous offensive weapon, especially with his ability to run the football. In 25 career games at BYU, he has 4,606 passing yards and 2,212 rushing yards. He also has 24 rushing TDs compared to his 31 passing TDs and 20 INTs.

On the flip side, Mangum came in for Hill last year against Nebraska and immediately made his mark, connecting on a Hail Mary pass to win the game (there’s a lego version of it now). He kept that Hail Mary per game pace going the next week when he did the same thing to Boise State.

Mangum finished the season with a completion percentage just under 60%, threw 23 TDs and just 10 INTs. He is not a rushing threat at all though, unable to cancel out his sack yardage over the course of the year.

Both of these quarterbacks present unique challenges for Arizona’s new-look defense. With Hill starting, Marcel Yates and his staff can concentrate on stopping a more mobile quarterback. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see both of these teams use two quarterbacks in this game if their offense isn’t moving up and down the field.

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Arizona vs. BYU: Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake talks Rich Rodriguez and the Wildcats

What does the first-year head coach think of the Wildcats?

With fall camp complete and the season opener just a few days away, the BYU Cougars and first-year head coach Kalani Sitake have zeroed in on game planning for the Arizona Wildcats.

Sitake, on a Facebook Live interview on BYU Football's official Facebook page, shared his thoughts on Arizona, and like with any coach facing a Rich Rodriguez-led team, his first thought concerned the Wildcats' offensive system.

"They're difficult, especially with all their skill and how they spread the ball offensively," he said. "Rich [Rodriguez] has seen every defense out there so they know how to attack you. I think for us it's a matter of executing and making sure we're assignment sound. That type of offense tests you with the ground and the throw game, so we have to be a disciplined defense in order to defend them and defensively they're a good team too."

What's the most challenging part of defending an Arizona team?

"The pace combined with the talent," Sitake answered. "It's a nice system and you need a quarterback that knows how to handle it, and they have two of them, so I imagine they're going to be difficult to defend, but I think if we do things as a team offensively and special team-wise I think we should be okay."

Rich Rodriguez hasn't named a starting quarterback yet, perhaps making Arizona even more difficult to prepare for, but Sitake said BYU is ready for both Anu Solomon and Brandon Dawkins.

"I'm not really worried about it; I'm anticipating the best quarterback possible," Sitake said. "We're preparing for both. Just like Tanner [Mangum] and Taysom [Hill], they have their strengths and weaknesses, but I think they're really strong in that system they run, and I think they're very similar in a lot of ways — one might throw better than the other and the other might be a better runner."

Sitake is worried about the pace of Arizona's offense, though.

"I don't think you can really simulate all that, especially with what we're trying to establish with our offense and defense to begin with," he said. "There's some things we did creatively trying to simulate it, but you can't really feel it until you get into the game. So we'll have to test our depth."

Sitake admitted that he's not sure what type of depth the Cougars have on defense, but they'll "have have to find out" because Arizona's pace will force them to rotate several players in and out of the game.

And what BYU can't afford to do is let the Wildcats dictate the tempo of the game.

"If you try to play their type of game and match them with plays, it's going to be a problem," Sitake said.

Sitake also downplayed the notion that BYU, with a brand new coaching staff and changes in scheme that come along with that, has the upper hand in terms of preparation.

"I don't know how much of a surprise it's going to be," Sitake said. "[The Wildcats are] preparing for everything, they're watching film, they're seeing and hearing some of the stuff that [the media] is leaking out, and I'm sure they're preparing for all of it. And as a coach you try to prepare for everything, even stuff that you don't know if they even have, but you're just going to prep for it."

After all, Sitake mentioned, both teams are going to be caught off guard at some point.

"That's the fun of game one," Sitake said. "You don't know what's going to happen, and there will be a lot of adjustments made during the game from the first series to the next... We'll see who can make the best adjustments during the game."

You can follow this author on Twitter at @RKelapireUA

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Arizona football roundtable: On neutral site games and questions the Wildcats need to answer

Are neutral site games cool? And what does Arizona need to show this weekend?

The Arizona Wildcats begin their 2016 season on Saturday, and unlike each of the last five years, it will not begin in Tucson.

Arizona and BYU join the growing trend of early-season neutral site games with the Cactus Kickoff Classic in Glendale. So what do we make of this fad? And what will the Wildcats need to show us on Saturday? Let’s discuss!

Jason Bartel: Are you a fan of these early-season neutral site games?

Gabe Encinas: It depends. Overall, I feel like this is an okay neutral site game with two comparable programs. The only problem I have with neutral site games is when it’s like Alabama vs. Wisconsin in Texas, Boise State vs. Ole Miss in Georgia, etc.

This was technically supposed to be a road game for the Wildcats, but it still ends up being closer for Arizona fans. I’m really not that concerned that BYU has been outselling either, simply because it’s not a huge game that really entices the Tucson folk to drive up for the game, and a lot of Phoenix area fans would probably rather drive down for Washington, USC or Stanford anyways. Apparently BYU students are outselling Arizona students too, which is funny only because Arizona invades Las Vegas for Labor Day, meanwhile BYU kids will use the weekend for a road trip to Arizona.

Drake Horner: A neutral site game in Glendale isn’t the worst way to start the year. I’m a fan of them if it benefits both teams and with BYU having a big alumni base in Arizona and the game being played in Arizona, I feel like it benefits both sides.

Steve Apter: I'm a fan. It’s exciting to start the season with a little change of scenery. Cal - Hawaii in Australia was rather amazing; can you imagine getting passports for 75 college kids and arranging travel, equipment, etc.? The opportunity to showcase football internationally or the chance for stateside fans to see teams they normally wouldn’t is good for the game.

Alec Sills-Trausch: I like neutral site games overall. What I’m not a huge fan of is how early this game was played. Now I understand the necessity of it with the time change and all, but it seems weird there was a football game, on a Friday, an entire week before the regular season. However, it helped land the Pac-12 a TV deal so I guess that’s not so bad. (Sorry to the DirecTV people for still not being able to watch Pac-12 football)

Brandon Combs: I am a fan of them. Luckily for BYU they have a large fan base in the Phoenix area plus the game is in Arizona so it benefits both sides. Games like Florida vs. Georgia in Jacksonville on the other hand doesn't make much sense.

Ryan Kelapire: I don’t really like neutral site games in any sport, since I like the home crowd atmosphere, but in this case, I don’t mind it. I’d rather have Arizona play a good program on the road than host a team like Grambling State or Hawaii. It’s also cool because it gives Arizona fans in Phoenix a chance to see the Wildcats play locally (though it doesn’t appear as if they’re taking great advantage of it).

David Potts: I’m not a big fan of the neutral site generally speaking, but I like the idea of a game in Phoenix. It gives local alumni (read: me) an opportunity to see a game in-person without needing to trek to Tucson. Despite the slow ticket sales, many of the Arizona alums I know in Phoenix are going to be there on Saturday, and I hope they set up a game like this in Phoenix every few years.

JB: What’s the biggest question you want answered by this team on Saturday?

GE: How the defense attacks and gets pressure. That’s all we’ve heard this past spring and fall camp and the defense seems to have a new energy about it. I’m curious to see which safeties are rotated throughout and how Dane Cruikshank debuts after a redshirt year and strong offseason. Marcel Yates led a Boise State defense that was among the best in creating turnovers and Donte’ Williams had the first and second ranked passing defense in each of his last two seasons at San Jose State.

DH: Can the defense contain Taysom Hill? We really don’t know how the defense is gonna look and with the emphasis put on creating pressure and turnovers it’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. Taysom is elusive and if he gets out of the pocket, it could cause some trouble.

SA: How will Cam Denson do on offense? I’m pulling for him to make some big plays.

AST: Pass rush. The defensive line is quite questionable going into this game and if the team is going to have any success this season, they are going to need to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. My second-tier question is how Anu Solomon (I’m assuming he starts) responds to the first real in-house competition he’s faced in his two years at Arizona. He’s always had some trouble with overthrowing the deep ball so I’m hoping he’s gotten that under control..

BC: Pressure, pressure, pressure. I believe the secondary can handle the receivers but I want to see how the d-line stacks up against big o-lines. Will the line be able to get pressure on the QB and/or disrupt plays in the backfield? The name of the game this fall has been aggressive, attacking defense. I believe they can and now I want to see it on the field.

RK: No matter who the quarterback is, I think the offense will be just fine. Therefore, the defensive side of the ball is where my questions are. And the one I think is of the most interest is how will Marcel Yates be able to manufacture a pass rush? The Wildcats don’t have a lot of pass rushing talent, but the expectation is pre-snap movement and changes in playcalling/schemes can overcome that to some degree. But will it actually happen? That remains to be seen.

DP: Can the defensive line hold up? Arizona’s defensive line has been the defensive unit that worried me the most in the Jeff Casteel era, and the switch to a 4-2-5 puts even more pressure on those guys up front. I don’t expect them to suddenly become the best unit on the field, but I’d like to see some potential on Saturday.

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Arizona Tuesday Twitterbag: Wildcats receiver notes, depth chart and videos

Let’s take a closer look at the wide receiver situation

It’s game week for the Arizona Wildcats, which means you guys have questions about actual hard-hitting football things.

So let’s get to it, as most of them are about the wide receivers and the offense in general. As always, be sure to follow us on Twitter @azdesertswarm and to tweet in your questions every Monday and Tuesday.

@azdesertswarm who will make more of an impact at receive this year-Shun Brown or Cam Denson?

— Michael Jansen (@mjansen91) August 30, 2016

I think Shun Brown will make more of an impact than Cam Denson. By all accounts, Brown has become one of the better route-runners on the team, and that will get you open in college football more than just having the physical attributes. I think Denson will gradually get the ball more and more as the season goes along, but if we’re talking about overall impact in 2016, I feel like Brown is the guy to take here.

@azdesertswarm Thoughts on Tony Ellison being left off the depth chart? What type of camp did he have?

— Dragon Slayer (@coach_kain) August 30, 2016

I asked Rich Rodriguez about this Tuesday morning, and Tony Ellison is injured, and has been for most of camp. Rodriguez also said that he expects Ellison to be out a few weeks. We’ll see what the actual injury that gets listed will be on Thursday.

@azdesertswarm Do you see any walk ons getting any notable playing time?

— Tyler McCoy (@NotTylerMcCoy) August 30, 2016

I mean, Justin Belknap is your starting defensive end, and he’s a walk-on, so him. Also, I think we will see Matt Aragon punt a little bit this year, and as far as I know, he’s not on scholarship. Outside of that, I don’t think we’re going to see a ton of current walk-ons. Jake Matthews is a former walk-on that should see the field a decent amount at linebacker.

@azdesertswarm who will make the biggest impact who isn't on the current depth chart?

— Jeff Angle (@azjangle) August 30, 2016

Yeah, I have a few options for you on this one. At cornerback, I think we might see Lorenzo Burns or Antonio Parks get some run in a backup role. On the defensive line, Calvin Allen was kind of surprising to not see on there. Also, Finton Connolly is someone who receives praise on a pretty regular basis from the offensive linemen. And then Jamardre Cobb at fullback. He already has a year of doing it under his belt, and was moved there during camp this year, so I think in certain redzone situations, he will be a dangerous weapon out of the backfield.

@azdesertswarm UA seems to have some good horses in the stable this year. Where do you rank the Cats running back situation among the Pac12?

— Dragon Slayer (@coach_kain) August 30, 2016

I think Arizona is 4th in the conference. I would put Stanford, Oregon and USC above the Wildcats, plus ASU and Washington have good cases as well. It is exciting to have three viable options out of the backfield heading into the year. The key will be if Nick Wilson can stay healthy. I also believe that this year’s starting offensive line could be one of the best run-blocking groups.

@azdesertswarm do you see the tight ends having a bigger presence this year in the offense?

— The bishop (@ZonaFan2014) August 30, 2016

It’s almost impossible to have less of a presence than last year, right? I was kind of surprised to see Josh Kern over Trevor Wood on the depth chart, but I think both of those guys could be interesting redzone options. I believe there will be multiple TD receptions this year from tight ends, topping last year’s total of one.

@azdesertswarm is greg byrnes the master mind behind ua media? @UA_DigitalGurus

— The bishop (@ZonaFan2014) August 30, 2016

He wishes. Matt Dudek has a lot to do with them, but the real credit should go to John Daley, Ryan Bloom and the entire video staff at Arizona. They do a good job, and we’ve been spoiled by some of their early work.

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Arizona vs. BYU: Previewing the Wildcats and Cougars by the numbers

BYU was better than Arizona last season and they bring back more production from last year’s team. So why does Vegas give the Wildcats the edge?

Before every Arizona Wildcats football game, we like to take a look at how the next week's opponent stacks up statistically. In week one, that's always a challenge - no games have been played and no one knows anything, really - but let's take a look at Arizona's match-up with the BYU Cougars by the numbers:

70% - BYU's returning production from last season

BYU returns about 70% of their production from a team that went 9-4 last year. In contrast, Arizona lost more production than BYU (Cayleb Jones, Scooby Wright, etc.) from a team that only won seven games last year and had to squeak out a win against New Mexico in the bowl game to even get there. BYU was better than Arizona last season and lost less production than the Wildcats. It's easy to see why BYU might be favored...

5.7 - BYU's projected margin of victory, per S&P+

...and, at least per S&P+, they are. This makes sense - the game is at a neutral site (and BYU may even have the advantage in that department) and BYU is projected to be better than Arizona this season. A 5.7 projected margin of victory translates to a 63% win probability for BYU, so even this projection leaves plenty of wiggle room for an Arizona win. Arizona fans, though, have reason to worry this Saturday.

BYU +1.5 - the spread in Vegas

Yet despite the pretty strong statistical case for BYU winning this game, Vegas still has Arizona favored. As I type this, the Wildcats are currently 1.5 or 1 point favorites, depending on where you look. That's a surprisingly large gap between what the stats think will happen and what Vegas thinks will happen.

There are plenty of reasons why that might be. First, while Arizona does have a new staff on the defensive side of the ball, BYU has a completely new staff period. When Bronco Mendenhall left BYU for Virginia, he took with him Robert Anae (offensive coordinator), Nick Howell (defensive coordinator), Jason Beck (quarterbacks coach), Mark Atuaia (running backs coach), Garett Tujague (offensive line coach), and Kelly Poppinga (special teams coordinator), in addition to some other assorted staff members. As a result, incoming BYU coach Kalani Sitake had to fill out essentially the entire staff.

This is going to be BYU's first game with that new staff. It wouldn't be surprising if there were a few hiccups as the coaches and players get accustomed to each other in game situations.

Second, in spite of BYU's ticket sales, the game is in Phoenix, and there are a lot of local alumni who will be at the game. I expect an environment similar to the Fiesta Bowl in 2014 - plenty of Boise State fans showed up to the game, but Arizona still ultimately brought more fans. I'd bet on that being the case this Saturday.

Finally, if nothing else, Arizona simply has more talent than BYU. In spite of the Wildcats’ perceived recruiting struggles (prior to this year's staff shake-up, obviously), Arizona's recruiting ranks 44th in the country over the past two years and 44th in the country over the past five years. BYU? 66th and 70th, respectively. That's a pretty sizable difference. Talent isn't everything, of course - and BYU has done a phenomenal job developing those recruiting classes - but it certainly helps Arizona's chances in this game.

Last season really did a number on the Wildcats. The defense was bad, the offense sputtered against good teams, and the result was a middling season. To win against BYU, Arizona is going to have to show more than they did last season. Here's hoping they do.

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Arizona vs. BYU: First look at the Cougars

Some quick hits on Arizona’s first opponent of the season

The 2016 college football season is officially here!

The Arizona Wildcats open their season in Glendale at the University of Phoenix Stadium against the BYU Cougars on Saturday night. To ensure everyone is somewhat familiar with Saturday’s opponent, let’s take a look at the Cougars.

2015 Record: 9-4; 9-3 regular season with a loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Key Offensive Players: Taysom Hill (QB), Tanner Mangum (QB), Algernon Brown (RB), Jamaal Williams (RB), Nick Kurtz (WR), Jonah Trinnaman (WR), Mitchell Juergens (WR)

Key Defensive Players: Sae Tautu (DE), Fred Warner (LB), Harvey Langi (LB), Kai Nacua (FS), Micah Hannemann (SS), Michael Davis (CB)

Overall, BYU was successful in 2015 despite a season-ending injury to Taysom Hill in week one. They were able to salvage the season with Mangum leading the offense. Both quarterbacks return, which provides excellent depth at the position.

Hill, a dual-threat, has recovered from a Lisfranc injury and will be the starter against the Wildcats.

During the offseason, former head coach Bronco Mendenhall left BYU to become the head coach at Virginia. This led to the hiring of former Cougar player Kalani Sitake.

Sitake was hired from Oregon State where he was the defensive coordinator. Prior to his DC stint with the Beavers, he was with Utah since 2005, and was the Utes’ defensive coordinator starting in 2009. It’s safe to say that there is plenty of familiarity between Sitake and Rich Rodriguez.

The Cougars are returning talent on both sides of the ball. They will also take the field with a veteran offensive line unit that has an average weight just north of 300 lbs. The size of the O-line could be a major factor if they’re able to overpower UA’s lighter defensive line and protect Hill from the pass rush.

I don’t expect that this contest will suffer from a shortage of points. BYU averaged nearly 34 points a game last season but just under 17 in losses. They can definitely be slowed down. I think the key to doing so will be to keep Hill controlled as a runner.

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AZDS Reader Pac-12 Power Rankings: Preseason voting

BYU fans are buying up Arizona tickets for the Cactus Kickoff

It’s not surprising that the Wildcats will have less fans at their season opener

On the Monday before the Arizona Wildcats face the BYU Cougars in Glendale, Arizona, U of A Athletic Director Greg Byrne gave a quick update on how the ticket sales are going.

"We had a good week last week," Byrne said of Arizona’s side of the ticket sales. "We’ve actually had a good surge. (BYU) is still a little bit ahead of us, but not in the same manner that they were a few weeks ago."

"We knew when we scheduled this game with BYU that they have a good following in The Valley especially, and we anticipate a very good crowd."

Byrne also added that he’s guessing the total attendance figure will be somewhere between 45,000 and 50,000, probably closer to the lower end.

"If I was a betting man it’s probably going to be closer to 45."

What we found out after posting this on Twitter is that Arizona’s surge in ticket sales may be due to BYU fans buying tickets on the Arizona side.

@azdesertswarm I've talked to several ppl who bought on the AZ side when the BYU side filled up, so could be more still

— Brady Spackman (@bjspack) August 29, 2016

@azdesertswarm I bought my tickets on the Arizona side. BYU side was full.

— Rampage Rebekah (@RichBeeker) August 29, 2016

@azdesertswarm $100 says that 25% of "Arizona's sales" are actually BYU fans buying on Arizona's side. The stadium will be white and blue.

— Tanner Christenson (@tannachris) August 29, 2016

.@azdesertswarm @boneyfuller I bought on the AZ side. Anyone else?

— The Blue Brethren (@BlueBrethren) August 29, 2016

@BlueBrethren @azdesertswarm @boneyfuller I did too. Nothing available on the BYU side.

— Smith in Exile (@Teancum86) August 29, 2016

@azdesertswarm @boneyfuller The entire stadium is actually all BYU fans is what I'm reading. Arizona side doesn't exist.

— skyler smith (@smitty8o1) August 29, 2016

@bjspack @azdesertswarm maybe I'm the only one but I am sitting on BYU side.

— Jeff Angle (@azjangle) August 29, 2016

@azdesertswarm on the Arizona side #GoCougs

— Paul Boors (@Paul_Boors) August 30, 2016

@azdesertswarm @boneyfuller on the Arizona side!! gotta take what you can get! #gocougs!!!

— Duncan Graham (@DuncanGraham24) August 30, 2016

I, for one, am not surprised by this development in the slightest. Just 20 months ago, I walked into that very same stadium for an Arizona game against Boise State, and all I saw was blue and orange. BYU has a much larger following in the Phoenix area than the Broncos do thanks to the large LDS communities in Mesa and other surrounding cities.

Plus, most people have the idea in their head that Arizona gave up a home game for this neutral site duel, but that’s not the case at all. The Wildcats still have the maximum seven true home games in 2016.

"The way our schedule worked out this year, we could have our seven home games and have that eighth game in-state by playing BYU up in Phoenix," Byrne explained. "Of the five games we have scheduled with them, three of them are in-state, and two of the three are in Tucson."

Arizona is currently scheduled to play BYU in Tucson in 2018 and 2027, in Provo in 2026, and in Las Vegas in 2021.

This was never intended as a home game for Arizona, and all signs point to it being more of a road game right now. You want true non-conference tests for this team? One’s coming, even if it still within the state boundaries.

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Sonoran Hot Reads: What “Pride of Arizona” football uniforms would look like

Arizona football releases video paying tribute to the past

Dream on

The Arizona Wildcats are currently churning out hype videos. Even though this one has very little production value, it’s going to hit some fans right in the feels.

Rich Rodriguez was very excited for this video to come out.

"The Gladiator was fun, it didn’t take much time, but the next video that we come out with to the ‘Dream On’ song where it shows the history of Arizona football...off the charts in my opinion."

"Whenever it comes out, every Arizona fan that’s ever followed Arizona football I think will like the next one coming out."

"I think we have the most talented video guru guys in the country," Rodriguez continued. "They’re really good and it’s amazing what they can do. It was fun doing some of the player videos every year, but this one here is pretty neat. It’s pretty spectacular."

The Gladiator-inspired film released a few days prior appears to be 100% the idea of RichRod.

"The hardest part was putting on those outfits," coach joked. "Those guys are 20 years old, and they kind of fit right in there ya know what I’m saying. But put an old man in there and it’s a little more difficult."

"We did this three or four weeks ago for three hours on a Sunday," Rodriguez responded to critiques of the videos taking time away from game prep.

And then we found out the real reason he willingly participated.

"I’ve watched the movie, which I think may be the greatest movie ever made and the probably the single greatest acting performance in the history of movie making by Russell Crowe. That one and The Outlaw Josey Wales are neck and neck for my all-time favorite movies, so I’ve watched it a bunch of times."

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Arizona football: New receiver Shawn Poindexter adjusting to the speed of the game

Will the junior college transfer contribute to the Wildcats’ offense in 2016?

With a couple of junior college transfers set to make a bunch of plays for the Arizona Wildcats’ defense (Paul Magloire and Dane Cruikshank), there’s one on the offensive side of the ball that’s only been in Tucson for a couple months, but is ready to get out there at the NCAA level.

Shawn Poindexter, a 6-foot-6 wide receiver out of Glendale Community College, caught the attention of his teammates and coaches early on. But he knows there’s still a lot of work to do with the season-opener looming.

"It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen," Poindexter said about going through Arizona’s fall camp. "At the JUCO level we don’t really have camp similar to this, so it was new for me, and it was fast for me, but I think I’m getting the tempo down."

That tempo is what threw him off the most while trying to make the necessary adjustments to succeed at the Division-1 level.

"The biggest adjustment I have to make is the speed of the game," he continued. "The players are a lot faster. They’re more athletic. More physical. So it’s just about playing faster and playing smarter too."

"I talked to a few other JUCO guys and they were like ‘oh it’s similar to JUCO’ but we run a fast-tempo offense and that was the biggest adjustment. It’s just so much faster than I’ve ever been a part of."

Poindexter’s decision to come to Arizona was pretty unexpected as National Signing Day approached in February. He was committed to Marshall, but then Rich Rodriguez and the Wildcats jumped in at the last moment.

"I just talked to Coach RichRod for a little and he was very sincere," explained Poindexter. "He said ‘I know we’re late in the process, but we want you to come out here and look at the facility before you make your decision’. So I was like okay, I’ll definitely take that trip."

It was the visit to Tucson that sealed the deal.

"Everything," Poindexter responded when asked what stood about his trip to U of A. "Coming from a JUCO, we don’t have all these nice things. So I see this nice facility, this nice weight room, the nice gear, locker room and everything...it was just like Christmas Day."

The tall receiver took two other visits; one to South Dakota State and one to Marshall.

"No comparison whatsoever," he said about those two stacking up against Arizona. "I mean, they had their indoor facilities, but even then, they still don’t compare to this atmosphere that U of A brings."

But the offensive situation the Wildcats are in right now didn’t hurt either.

"I looked up the quarterback situation with Anu (Solomon) and he still has two years left and he has two really good years," Poindexter added. "So I was just like the sky’s the limit over there."

His decision on where he wanted to ultimately end up had to happen very quickly though.

"It was very hectic," said Poindexter about those couple of days leading into National Signing Day. "I was calling my mom, my uncle, my dad...all my family just talking to them, asking them ‘Hey, what should I do? What do you think is best for me?’."

"Ultimately, I got to stay in-state. We’ve got what, eight home games cuz BYU’s right down the road, and my family doesn’t have the money to travel, so I’m like ‘Okay, this could work’."

Now actually working with the quarterbacks he looked up before coming to Arizona, Poindexter has been pleased about how he’s been able to click with them throughout the summer and fall.

"I came out June 5th and we started working; running routes on air and stuff," he said. "I’m still getting the feel for them a little bit. Anu’s a very slick guy as far as he can give you a no-look pass and you won’t be expecting it, but the more we work, the better our connection will be."

Poindexter has put himself in a good spot to see important snaps early on in his Arizona career. And the Wildcats will likely have a use for him, as he’ll tower over any defensive back that is trying to cover him.

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Join the AZ Desert Swarm College Football Pick ‘em group

Think you can pick college football games better than other Arizona fans? Prove it!

Think you can pick college football games better than other Arizona Wildcats fans? Well, here’s your chance.

This year we’ll have an official AZ Desert Swarm group in ESPN’s College Pick ‘em challenge.

Basically, ESPN will choose ten games each week to pick the winner of. You’ll have to assign a confidence value to each game, so that you can earn more points on the ones you think are the most obvious picks.

No guarantee that Arizona will be a game to choose from every week, but hey, they are part of the Week One field!

So come join us in that competition, and we’ll post updated standings here every Wednesday to remind you to get your picks in for that following Saturday.

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Arizona Wildcats in the NFL: Cayleb Jones and Nick Folk survive cuts

Preseason Week 3 saw a lot of former Wildcats in action

With week 3 of the NFL preaseason in the books, the regular season is getting closer and closer. That means less time for players to impress enough to make a team’s roster.

Cayleb Jones (Philadelphia Eagles) and Nick Folk (New York Jets) both survived the latest series of cuts from their respective teams. That leaves Jones as one of eight remaining receivers on the Eagles’ roster and Folk as the first string kicker.

With 16 Arizona alums currently in the NFL, let’s take a look at how they fared this past weekend.

Scooby Wright III, LB, Cleveland Browns

Scooby’s Browns faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday (August 26) and ended up losing 30-13. Scooby had just one tackle in the match up. So far he has recorded four tackles this preseason. I do expect him to make the roster come the regular season.

David Richards, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Richards did not have any stats in the Rams’ loss against the Denver Broncos on Saturday (August 27). He hasn’t recorded any catches this preseason. He will have to work hard in order to make the regular season roster and not much time to do it. He has made some appearances on HBO’s "Hard Knocks". If you haven’t seen the show, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Austin Hill, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Hill had one catch for seven yards against the Broncos on Saturday (his only catch this preseason). He too will have to work hard in order to make the roster. He has, however, had a prominent showing on "Hard Knocks", especially episodes two and three.

Trevin Wade, DB, New York Giants

Wade had a pretty good showing Saturday against the Jets. He racked up three tackles in the Giants’ one point win. He has recorded nine tackles so far and I believe he will make the roster.

Brooks Reed, LB, Atlanta Falcons

Reed only had a PBU during his team’s game against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday (August 25). He has totaled five tackles, one TFL, and one PBU this preseason. I do expect him to make the roster, mainly as a back up.

Will Parks, S, Denver Broncos

Parks, overall, has had himself a strong preseason. On Saturday against the Rams, he recorded one tackle. He has racked up three tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a TFL so far. I see him not only making the cut, but being a contributor this year for the Broncos.

Dan Pettinato, DE, Houston Texans

Pettinato had a good showing against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday (August 28). He racked up four tackles in the 34-24 Texans win. He has totaled five tackles and one PBU this preseason. He might make the roster, maybe the practice squad at least.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots

Gronk hasn’t had any playing time this preseason. Let’s be honest though, does he really need it?

Cayleb Jones, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Jones has had a solid preseason as well. On Saturday, he had one catch for 22 yards in an Eagles win vs. the Indianapolis Colts. In three weeks, he has had five catches for 45 yards. As mentioned above, he has survived this week’s cuts by the Eagles. He should make the roster, and if not he’ll be on the practice squad.

Earl Mitchell, DT, Miami Dolphins

Mitchell has had a quiet preseason. He hasn’t recorded any stats and I’m not sure where he stands with the Dolphins. We’ll know by this weekend or next week.

Robert Golden, S, Pittsburgh Steelers

Golden had a nice game on Friday in the Steelers’ win against the New Orleans Saints. He racked up three tackles, giving him a preseason stat line of seven tackles. His work in the preseason has drawn high praise from Mike Tomlin. We can expect to see him play on Sundays.

Reggie Gilbert, LB, Green Bay Packers

Gilbert has also had a strong preseason. On Friday, he had two tackles and 0.5 sacks in Green Bay’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. During the preseason, Gilbert has five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one TFL. I believe he has shown enough to make it onto Green Bay’s regular season roster.

Nick Folk, K, New York Jets

Folk has been the Jets’ kicker since 2010. This year will be no different. As stated above, he is the first string kicker after Ross Martin was cut on Sunday.

Nick Foles, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Foles was released by the Rams at the end of July. He was then signed by the Chiefs on August 5. And he hasn’t really disappointed. During Saturday’s win against the Chicago Bears, Foles went 2-for-5 passing for 65 yards, including a 58 yard bomb down the field to Tyreek Hill. During the preseason he is 24-for-35 for 235 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He is projected to be the second string quarterback for Kansas City this year.

Marquis Flowers, LB, Cincinnati Bengals

Flowers had two tackles during Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also had a nice preseason with 11 tackles and a TFL. We will be seeing him on Sundays as well.

Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Chicago Bears

Carey was injured during the Bears’ first preseason game and had to go through the NFL’s concussion protocol. After sitting out a week he ended up playing Saturday during Chicago’s loss to Kansas City. He had four carries for nine yards and one catch for ten yards. So far this preseason he has a statline of seven carries for 17 yards and three catches for 32 yards. Recently he has been noted as a vocal leader both on and off the field, which is something the Bears can benefit from.

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Sonoran Hot Reads: BYU needs Jamaal Williams to be his old self

The Cougars’ running back will be returning this weekend after a year away from football

When the BYU Cougars take the field on Saturday against the Arizona Wildcats, an old face will be making an appearance for them. Jamaal Williams, who withdrew from school prior to the 2015 season, is back and ready to resume his role as BYU’s starting running back. Just 930 yards shy of the school’s all-time rushing record, Williams’ ability to hit his stride early will be crucial for this offense. With Ty Detmer running the offense now, Williams will be even more important than before

- It sounds like we should expect BYU to play a man-press defense this week

- Are you prepared for all the new rule changes? Let a ref tell you about the five big ones. That section comes from the best preview magazine you’ll find anywhere

- Here’s video of Arizona commit Cody Shear pushing people around

- Speaking of commits doing things, we put together some highlights and stats from their games this past weekend

- The depth chart is out! No huge surprises, but a couple little things here and there. Anthony Gimino had more in-depth thoughts on some of it

- We introduced our reader Pac-12 Power Rankings feature we’ll have this year. Get your votes in through Monday night and we’ll post the results Tuesday

- Cayleb Jones is one of eight receivers left on the Eagles’ roster after a few cuts were made on Sunday

Our 1st game week practice of 2016 is underway! #BearDown #Forever65 http://pic.twitter.com/1ye2A6qxG5

— #Forever65 (@ArizonaFBall) August 29, 2016

Basketball

- Just something to ponder...what teams would you want Arizona to face in a preseason tournament every year?

Baseball

- Zach Gibbons went 3-for-5 with a couple of RBI and three runs scored to bring his average back up to .377

- Cody Ramer is currently rehabbing with the AZL Angels. He was 2-for-4 there on Saturday. They play in Goodyear against the Reds Monday night if you’re so inclined to go watch Ramer as the AZL ends its season

Other sports

- Volleyball led two sets to nothing against No. 6 Hawaii in Hawaii, but dropped the final three sets and the match

FINAL: http://pic.twitter.com/gfg4WZmo0J

— Arizona Volleyball (@ArizonaVBall) August 29, 2016

Tucson news

- The TPD Red Tag Unit appears to have been putting up red tags left and right this weekend

- You can help stop animal abuse in Tucson. A seminar will be held next Wednesday at the TPD office on Miracle Mile

Fire in the sky for our #SundaySunset feature this week! #Tucson photo via IG user @mateolowen http://pic.twitter.com/nLNSZZaLA6

— Tucson AZ (@VisitTucsonAZ) August 29, 2016

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Arizona vs BYU Football Preview

Wildcat Radio previews the Arizona vs. BYU match-up, breaks down the finalized Arizona Football depth chart, and looks at Pac-12 week one action.

Click play below or subscribe for free on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Google Play.

Wildcat Radio's Bryant Conger and AZDesertSwarm's Ronnie Stoffle breakdown the FBS season opener between University of Arizona Wildcats and BYU Cougars.  They discuss University of Arizona's football depth cart and the opening week of PAC12 college football games. Also, the preseason All PAC12 Wildcat Radio ballots are revealed.

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Arizona football recruiting: Brian Casteel and Nathan Tilford lead the way for Wildcat commits in week one

Tracking the progress of Arizona’s commitments through their senior season

The 2016 high school football season is officially in full swing, and the Arizona Wildcats’ 2017 commitments are starting their final season of high school ball. There were only two recruits who weren’t in action this weekend, Cody Shear and Drew Dixon. Shear’s Sheldon squad will open the season this upcoming Friday, meanwhile Sabino was off this week after a big win last week.

We’ll be taking a look to see how each commit performed this week, as this is something we’ll be doing from here on out as long as statistics are available from each game.

Below are the notable performances from this weekend.

3-star wide receiver Brian Casteel

The 6-foot receiver had himself a nice Thursday night, hauling in seven receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

He’ll be taking on Nathan Tilford’s Colony High School this week.

What Brian Casteel looks like catching no running for another Charter Oak TD, 30-3, second quarter http://pic.twitter.com/dhjfiEGkAV

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) August 26, 2016

4-star running back Nathan Tilford

Arizona’s 4-star running back prospect makes you think about how devastating the Wildcat backfield can be in a year or two; Orlando Bradford, Tilford, and J.J. Taylor folks. Tilford finished the night with 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

As mentioned above, he’ll meet up with Casteel and Charter Oak this week.

3-star quarterback Rhett Rodriguez

Rhett Rodriguez had himself an efficient night. He went 7-of-10 for 141 yards and three touchdowns in a big win over Tempe High.

A few of the nice plays from Arizona QB commit Rhett Rodriguez last night against Tempe High http://pic.twitter.com/fhfopzjAFW

— Matt Moreno (@MattGOAZCATS) August 27, 2016

4-star athlete Greg Johnson

No stats were available for Greg Johnson out of Hawkins High, but he did have this 44-yard touchdown in a win.

2017 @HawkinsFootball ATH Greg Johnson (@quick6gjohnson), an #Arizona commit, breaks a tackle on way to 44-yard TD: http://pic.twitter.com/ZkwZINf6kI

— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) August 27, 2016

3-star defensive end Jalen Harris

Desert Ridge is ranked No. 1 in the state of Arizona, but lost to Norco, a top California school. Stats were also unavailable for this game, but here is Harris bringing down a quarterback.

Jalen Harris getting revved up @varsityxtra #DridgeVsNorco #vxlive http://pic.twitter.com/RmUn1ugrCK

— Jason P. Skoda (@JasonPSkoda) August 27, 2016

3-star receiver Warren Jackson

Arizona receiver commit Warren Jackson had a great night, bringing in seven receptions for 150 yards and two touchdowns. This is a guy who is bound to blow up this season given his 6-foot-5 frame.

BishopAlemanyHs said: Warren Jackson scored another TD in the thirdhttps://t.co/dCaF4KxqWS http://pic.twitter.com/kEwzuosqEy

— Bishop Alemany HS (@Alemanywarriors) August 27, 2016

3-star safety Rhedi Short

Short picked up five tackles in an easy win over Santa Fe.

3-star linebacker/defensive end Bryce Brand

After transferring from IMG Academy, Brand had a nice debut at Clayton Valley. He racked up eight tackles, one for a loss.

He’ll be heading to Helix High School this week to meet up with safety commit Scott Young.

3-star linebacker Joshua Brown

Another guy I’m excited to see this season, Brown took down eight ball carriers and recovered a fumble to earn his team the win over Los Alamitos.

3-star linebacker/defensive end Kylan Wilborn

This season at Notre Dame, Wilborn has been asked to take on some offensive duties, playing running back. He found some success at the position, rushing for 111 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll be coming to Arizona as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. On defense, he was able to come up with two sacks.

3-star athlete Darrian McNeal

There were no statistics available for McNeal, but the newly converted wide receiver made some nice plays in a win over Plant City.

@DarrianMcNeal1 Highlights vs Plant City @Brodie07Perry @Armwood_Hawks @ArmwoodHawksFF @armwoodpressbox http://pic.twitter.com/MvBqJVvwip

— Ty Timmons (@TheRTIChallenge) August 27, 2016

3-star tight end Bryce Gilbert

Gilbert did not play this week, but he’ll be back next week to take on St. Mary’s. I’ll be in attendance for that game and will bring you all the coverage on Gilbert.

Bryce Gilbert did not play in Higley's 63-36 win over Mingus, but the University of Arizona commit will be back next week, Zubey says

— Richard Obert (@azc_obert) August 27, 2016

3-star tight end Bryce Wolma

An odd situation here for Wolma’s high school. Rockford High was forced to forfeit this game due to team illness, giving Wolma a win for week one.

The Week 1 Football Game at Rockford HS has been canceled.
Unfortunately, Rockford was forced to forfeit due to team illness.

— Saline Athletics (@SalineAthletics) August 26, 2016

4-star quarterback Braxton Burmeister

Burmeister traveled to Hawaii for the season opener and had himself a decent performance. La Jolla Country Day had the lead going into the fourth quarter but let it slip away, falling to 'Iolani. Burmeister did suffer an arm/shoulder injury, but he finished out the game.

The highly-ranked quarterback finished the day 32/56 for 292 yards, throwing both a touchdown and an interception. He also had 22 rushes for 81 yards and a touchdown.

@Braxton1B with the TD for @TORREYFOOTBALL !!!! http://pic.twitter.com/8bagIvxPd6

— Randy Roa (@randyroa23) August 28, 2016

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Arizona football: Wildcats release opening week depth chart

Arizona basketball: Discussing hypothetical preseason tournament opponents

ESPN’s Champions Classic was just renewed through 2019. Why aren’t there more of these?

For the past five seasons, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State have taken part in the Champions Classic, an exciting match up of college basketball’s top programs.

It gives fans, normally inundated with non-conference games against inferior opponents, a chance to watch some of the best players in the country face off against each other. While the individual teams are only a shell of their March potential, it is still an event worth watching.

Senior vice president of ESPN Events Pete Derzis agrees, saying, "We are pleased to extend the Champions Classic for a new three-year term into the 2019 college basketball season. This marquee event will continue to showcase four teams that represent the very best of college basketball and its rich history."

Furthermore, in an era where quality teams are shy to face off against each other for fear of piling up losses, the exposure for a school, would, in my opinion, be much greater an offset.

---------

With that all being said, what I want to know is why aren’t there more of these events?

I can understand ESPN potentially not wanting to do one in fear of watering down star potential, but you would think other networks could figure out a way to get this on TV.

Beyond the actual logistics of putting on a massive tournament in some of the nation’s largest cities, I set out to compile what I believed would be the next-best tournament if the Arizona Wildcats would take part.

The first school and most obvious choice is the University of North Carolina. The Tar Heels are a blue-blood program, and under Roy Williams have been one of the most consistent programs in the country. They have only missed the NCAA Tournament once (2010 NIT Championship appearance) in the last 13 seasons, and have won two titles in that span, plus an appearance in last year’s championship game.

With them in and Arizona also in, this is where the difficulty came in.

To myself, I had a few criteria: regionally diverse, big TV market/fan base, and a winning program.

While I had some ideas, I wanted to see what some of our great readers thought. Plus, I knew I’d forget some good teams.

So, I posed this question to the Twitter world:

Can UofA get in on one of these w/ UNC/_____/______? (Also, who'd you want the other 2 teams to be? @azdesertswarm) http://pic.twitter.com/ESr7qhZ1Vq

— Alec Sills-Trausch (@UofAlec) August 24, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm problem is you can't have two teams from same conference. Would have to be UNC, AZ, IND, & a big 12 team or UCONN

— Ryan Dolan (@ryandolan24) August 25, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm Indiana/Ohio State and Florida

— Steven Malina (@StevenMalina) August 24, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm would be fine with switching Florida for Oklahoma

— Steven Malina (@StevenMalina) August 24, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm Man, we missed the boat on that one. Zona, UNC, Florida, and UCONN (or Villanova)

— UALoco (@TheUALoco) August 25, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm something like UNC/UofA/Louisville/Syracuse maybe?

— Neej Patel (@GoldenbrownNeej) August 25, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm Indiana and Texas would be cool.

— Jeremy Elias (@jelias_1) August 25, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm indiana and syracuse

— Brent DeLong (@OhioWolverine17) August 24, 2016

@UofAlec @azdesertswarm actually wait that wouldn't work because they are all in the ACC. So, Texas and Wisconsin

— Dane Miller (@DMillerPublic) August 25, 2016

As you can see, there was a lot of Indiana suggestions which would cover the Midwest region. While I don’t have any objections, I liked the Texas route more as I feel they have greater potential in the long-term and have arguably the largest TV market in college sports.

For me personally, I went Longhorns. Then I needed a northeast school and that could be Villanova, Connecticut, or Syracuse. While I’m not fully sold on any of them, I'd probably go with Nova right now.

However, this is much less about me and much more about you .

I want to hear who you would include in my hypothetical ‘Next-Up Classic’.

You can also tweet me, follow me or do both and tell me if I’m right or completely off my rocker: @UofAlec

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Arizona Desert Swarm Reader Pac-12 Power Rankings

Have your voice heard this year!

With one Pac-12 team already in the win column this year, we’re ready to unveil a new feature here at AZ Desert Swarm.

Each Sunday, we will be posting a form in which you can submit your Pac-12 Power Rankings!

Voting will last all day Sunday and Monday, and we will post the results each Tuesday at noon AZ time.

So here’s our first one of the season...the “preseason” version if you will. If you have any trouble accessing it, just let us know. You will need to sign into Google to vote so that we’re only getting one vote per person. Vote below or click this link.

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Sonoran Hot Reads: Arizona offers 2018 Cienega QB Jamarye Joiner

A Tucson product now has the opportunity to stay home if he so chooses

As the Arizona high school football season begins to ramp up, one Tucson product has been garnering a lot of attention, and that’s now-Cienega junior quarterback Jamarye Joiner. Once ranked the top 2018 player in the state, Joiner did not play his sophomore season at Salpointe after being re-assigned to a charter school. Joiner ended up at Cienega this past April, and in his first game with the team on Friday, led the Bobcats to a 52-20 win over Marana, in which he ran for 191 yards on eight carries, and threw for 131. On Saturday, he received a scholarship offer from Arizona. You can see why here:

- Here are some other recruiting updates from the week

- Former Arizona QB Nick Foles had a really long pass for the Chiefs. It was one of two passes he completed on five attempts

- Jacob Alsadek, Gerhard de Beer, Bryson Cain and Michael Eletise were getting their twirling game on

- The quarterbacks were the final group we had to preview before the season gets going. Check out all of our position group previews here

- Former Arizona assistant coach Dino Babers threw out an awful first pitch at the Syracuse Chiefs game

Video via @CuseNation10: Syracuse coach Dino Babers skips in the first pitch at the @SyracuseChiefs game tonight. http://pic.twitter.com/SajfbWUBOG

— Stephen Bailey (@Stephen_Bailey1) August 27, 2016

Basketball

- Get your tickets now for the Lone Star Shootout, which features the game against Texas A&M in Houston

New tshirts and shorts for @APlayersProgram http://pic.twitter.com/Yh9kEvNBRZ

— Brian Brigger (@Briggs04) August 25, 2016

Baseball

- Nick Hundley had a nice game on Friday. He followed that up with a 1-for-6 day on Saturday, and has now hit safely in six of his last seven games

- Mark Melancon has only allowed one earned run in his last 15 games

Other sports

- Volleyball was swept by No. 4 Wisconsin, but there seems to have been some controversy at the end of the first set:

Arizona led the first set 25-24 but lost 26-24 after some confusion.

— Arizona Volleyball (@ArizonaVBall) August 28, 2016

Tucson news

- A young bear was captured on Mt. Lemmon and is now on its way to Bearizona in Williams

- A renovated Flandrau is now open to the public

Come hang out with us, help a great cause, Casa De Los Niños, at El Con Mall...bring some new shoes with you http://pic.twitter.com/V9CfldgnmV

— Matt Dudek (@AZ_Matty_D) August 27, 2016

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