College football preseason Top 25
It might only be July, but it’s never too early to talk college football. Here’s your daily fix with our countdown of the preseason Top 25, as selected by the American-Statesman sports staff:
NO. 19 ARIZONA
The Wildcats will contend if ...
the offensive youth — the Wildcats’ leading passer, rusher and receiver from 2014 all return — continues to develop, while a defense led by the Pac-12’s top defender yields better numbers (28.2 points per game). Arizona needs to also take advantage of a schedule that wouldn’t feature Oregon until the Pac-12 title game.
INSIDE THE WILDCATS
Coach: Rich Rodriguez (4th year, 2614 overall)
2014: 10-4, 7-2 in the Pac-12; lost to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl 38-30
Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense, 2 specialist
The key game: Arizona State, Nov. 21 Hello: LB Scooby Wright III, WR Cayleb Jones, QB Anu Solomon, OL Lene Maiava, RB Nick Wilson
Goodbye: OL Steven Gurrola, WR Austin Hill, DB Jonathan McKnight, DL Dan Pettinato, DB Jared Tevis
Spring cleaning: Rodriguez’s uptempo offense has always been built around experienced signal-callers. Matt Scott did pretty well initially, but then the Wildcats moved to B.J. Denker. But there could be something special about Solomon, who threw for an FBS freshman-record 3,793 yards last season. Given that Arizona might have one of the Pac-12’s deepest receiving corps, the Cats have something cooking offensively. Keep an eye on the backfield, which features Wilson and Jared Baker, two players with spotty injury histories. There’s a thought that former slot receiver-turned-running back Jonathan Haden could be the perfect complement to Wilson. The Pac-12 has always been a score-happy league, and Arizona is already up to snuff in that category. With Oregon now rebuilding, the door might be open for Arizona to move up the ladder.