The 2016 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2016 season. The season was the Wildcats's 117th overall, 39th as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, and its sixth within the Pac-12 South Division. The team played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona for the 88th straight year. They were led by fifth-year head coach Rich Rodriguez. They finished the season 3–9, 1–8 in Pac-12 play to finish in last place in the South Division.
Preseason
Draft picks The NFL Draft will take place from April 28 through 30, 2016 and will be hosted by the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL. The two following members of 2015 Arizona Wildcats football team were selected in the 2016 NFL draft.
Player Position Round Pick Team Will Parks S 6th No. 219 Denver Broncos Scooby Wright LB 7th No. 250 Cleveland Browns
Departures The Wildcats would lose twenty-one senior football players to graduation as well as two junior football players (Junior linebacker and 2014 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Scooby Wright and unanimous first team All-American junior wide receiver Cayleb Jones) who would choose to forego their senior season in pursuit of an earlier NFL career. The Wildcats would lose six more players from the 2015 team due to various reasons (transfers and withdrawals will be filled out once spring practice occurs). Notable departures from the 2015 squad included.
Name Number Pos. Year Notes Cayleb Jones #1 WR RS junior foregoing for the senior season, declaring in the 2016 NFL draft, signed an undrafted free agent pick to the Philadelphia Eagles Scooby Wright #33 LB Junior foregoing for the senior season, declaring in the 2016 NFL draft, to Cleveland Browns Jerrard Randall #8 QB RS senior Graduated David Richards #4 WR RS senior Graduated, signed an undrafted free agent pick to Atlanta Falcons Johnny Jackson #30 WR RS senior Graduated Jared Baker #23 RB RS senior Graduated, signed an undrafted free agent pick to Arizona Cardinals Cayman Bundage #61 OL Senior Graduated David Catalano #68 OL RS senior Graduated Kaige Lawrence #75 OL RS senior Graduated Lene Maiava #77 OL RS senior Graduated, signed an undrafted free agent pick to Seattle Seahawks Reggie Gilbert #8 DL RS senior Graduated, signed an undrafted free agent pick to Green Bay Packers Jeff Worthy #55 DL Senior Graduated Antonio Smothers #4 LB Senior Graduated Hayden Gregory #49 LB RS senior Graduated Sir Thomas Jackson #53 LB RS senior Graduated Jamar Allah #7 S RS senior Graduated Will Parks #11 S RS senior Graduated, to Denver Broncos Anthony Lopez #28 S RS senior Graduated Trevor Niemann #38 S Senior Graduated Casey Skoworn #41 PK RS senior Graduated Drew Riggleman #39 K Senior Graduated Jose Romero #54 LS RS senior Graduated Griffin Goudreau #63 LS Senior Graduated Sharif Williams #90 DL RS freshman Medically retired from the knee injury Jonathan Haden #7 RB RS junior Transfer to TBA T.D. Gross #90 OL RS senior Graduated Kendal Franklin #43 LB RS freshman Dismissed, Transfer to McNeese State Derrick Turituri #45 LB RS junior dismissed from the football program Anthony Fotu #42 DL Senior dismissed from the football program
Transfers In addition to the 2016 recruiting class, Arizona added two transfer football players in 2016 season. Linebacker Michael Barton transferred to Arizona in January from California. As a graduate transfer, Barton is immediately eligible to play in 2016, and he will have 1 year of his eligibility remaining. In 2011, Barton was a 4-star recruit out of De LaSalle High School in Concord, CA.
Wide receiver Zach Benjamin transferred to Arizona in May from Florida. Benjamin is immediately eligible to play in 2016, and he will have 2 years of eligibility remaining. In 2013, Benjamin was a 3-star recruit out of De LaSalle High School in Tampa, FL.
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Michael Barton 14 Linebacker 6'1" 186 RS senior Concord, CA transferred to Arizona in January from California. As a graduate transfer, Barton is immediately eligible to play in 2016 season, and he will have 1 year of eligibility remaining. Zach Benjamin 87 Wide receiver 6'1" 186 RS junior Tampa, FL transferred to Arizona in May from South Florida, Benjamin is immediately eligible to play in 2016 season, and he will have 2 years of eligibility remaining.
Recruiting
Position key BackBCenterCCornerbackCBDefensive backDBDefensive endDEDefensive linemanDLDefensive tackleDTEndEFullbackFBGuardGHalfbackHBKickerKKickoff returnerKROffensive tackleOTOffensive linemanOLLinebackerLBLong snapperLSPunterPPunt returnerPRQuarterbackQBRunning backRBSafetySTight endTEWide receiverWR
Arizona inked two junior college transfer players in February 2016, including 2-star walk-on safety Jalen Jenkins (Mesa CC) and 2-star wide receiver Shawn Poindexter (Glendale CC). All junior college transfers will enroll at Arizona in February 2016, participate in spring practice and be eligible to play in 2016.
Four freshmen signed financial aid agreements with Arizona in 2015 and will join with the junior college transfer as January 2016 enrollees. Financial aid agreements are binding on schools but non-binding on players. Early freshmen enrollees include 4-star offensive guard Michael Eletise (Kaiser) and 4-star quarterback Khalil Tate (Junipero Serra). Additionally, 4-star inside linebacker Kahi Neves (Brighton) expected to sign a financial aid agreement and enroll in January 2016.
National Signing Day is February 3, 2016. The incoming players listed below include the three junior college transfers that have signed binding letters of intent during the junior college transfer signing period, and the two incoming freshmen who have signed financial aid agreements to enroll in January 2016.
The Wildcats would go on to land another top 10 recruiting class in 2016 (#44 by Scout, #51 by Rivals, #45 by ESPN, and #43 by 247). The Wildcats has finish another top 10 in the Pac-12 recruitment class (#No. 9 by 247, Scout and ESPN, and #No.10 by Rivals)
RB Russell Halimon and WR Jessie Britt will grayshirt for the 2016 season because their enrollments were delayed and they did not receive scholarships.
2016 spring football practice The 2016 Wildcats had spring practice from February 12, 2016, to March 25, 2016.
Offense
Player Class Position Anu Solomon (12) rsJr QB Nick Wilson (28) Jr RB Tyrell Johnson (2) Jr WR Trey Griffey (5) rsSr WR Nate Phillips (6) Sr WR Samajie Grant (10) Sr WR Layth Friekh (58) Jr OL Jacob Alsadek (78) rsJr OL Freddie Tagaloa (72) rsSr OL
Defense Player Class Position Tellas Jones (1) rsSr S Cam Denson (3) Jr CB Devin Holiday (13) Sr CB DaVonte' Neal (19) rsSr CB Jarvis McCall Jr. (29) rsJr CB Jake Matthews (47) Sr LB Cody Ippolito (57) rsJr LB Parker Zellers (93) rsJr DL Calvin Allen (94) rsJr DL
Special teams Player Class Position Josh Pollack (9) Jr PK Matt Aargon (26) SR P Nick Reinhardt (56) rsSO LS
† Indicates player was a starter in 2015 but missed all of 2016 due to injury.
Fall camp Pac-12 media days are set for July 14–15 in Hollywood, California. Prior to media days, The Wildcats were also picked by the Pac-12 media to finish fourth at South Division in the conference standings and received 87 first place votes, with the remainder going to top-picked UCLA in the South Division.
Fall camp is scheduled for August.
Personnel
Coaching staff 2016 Arizona Wildcats coachesHead coach Rich Rodriguez (5th year, West Virginia (1986)) Assistant coaches Calvin Magee – Associate head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach (5th year, South Florida (1990)) Marcel Yates – Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (1st year, Boise State (2000)) Rod Smith – Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (5th year, Glenville State (1997)) Tony Dews – Assistant coach/wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator (5th year, Liberty (1996)) Jamille Addae – Assistant coach/safeties coach (1st year, West Virginia (2005)) Jim Michalczik – Assistant coach/offensive line coach (3rd year, Washington State (1988)) Vince Amey – Assistant coach/defensive line coach (Arizona State (2010)) Donte Williams – Assistant coach/cornerbacks coach (1st year, Idaho State (2006)) Chris Singletary – Recruiting coordinator/player personnel director (1st year, Pittsburgh (2003)) Charlie Ragle – Tight ends coach/special teams coordinator (5th year, Eastern New Mexico (1998)) Chris Allen – Associate athletic director, co-strength and conditioning coach (5th year, West Virginia (2000)) Troy Ramsey – Assistant coach/co-strength and conditioning coach (3rd year, North Texas (2007)) Ovid Goulbourne – Assistant coach/strength and conditioning coach (4th year, West Virginia (2009)) Brett Gerch – Assistant coach/co-strength and conditioning coach (3rd year, Appalachian State (2000)) Coaching staff sources: ArizonaWildcats.com
Coaching changes December 21, 2015 – Arizona cornerbacks coach David Lockwood will not returning in next season. December 21, 2015 – Arizona officially promoted from football analyst to assistant coach/safeties Jahmile Addae, replacing David Lockwood. January 4, 2016 – Arizona defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich will not returning to UofA next season. January 15, 2016 – Matt Caponi leaving Arizona to be West Virginia's safeties coach, reunited with Tony Gibson. January 17, 2016 – Arizona hires Boise State defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, replacing Jeff Casteel. January 17, 2016 – Arizona hires San José defensive coach Donte Williams to be a defensive assistant for cornerbacks. February 10, 2016 – Arizona officially promoted from football analyst to new defensive lineman coach Vince Amey, replacing Bill Kirelawich.
Roster 2016 Arizona Wildcats rosterOffense
Quarterbacks 10 Zach Werlinger – RS sophomore 12 Anu Solomon (C) – RS junior 13 Brandon Dawkins – RS sophomore 14 Khalil Tate – Freshman 16 Gunther Johnson – Freshman
Wide receivers 2 Tyrell Johnson – Junior 3 Cam Denson – Junior 5 Trey Griffey (C) – RS senior 6 Shun Brown – Sophomore 7 DeVaughn Cooper – Freshman 9 Tony Ellison – RS sophomore 10 Samajie Grant – Senior 11 Nate Phillips (C) – Senior 18 Cedric Peterson – Freshman 19 Shawn Poindexter – Junior 24 Darick Holmes Jr. – Freshman 83 Joshua Mason – Freshman 84 Abraham Mendivil – Junior 87 Zach Benjamin – Junior 88 Jordan Bogardus – Freshman 89 Justus Lee – Freshman Running backs
25 J. J. Taylor – Freshman 28 Nick Wilson – Junior 32 Jake Laudenslager – Freshman 34 Zach Green – Junior 38 Branden Leon – Freshman 42 Richie Estrada – Sophomore
Offensive linemen 50 Josh McCauley – Freshman 54 Bryson Cain – Freshman 55 Levi Walton – Sophomore 58 Layth Friekh – Junior 59 Christian Lopez – Freshman 63 Keenan Walker – Freshman 64 Nathan Elridge – Freshman 67 Gerhard de Beer – Junior 69 Christian Boettcher – Sophomore 72 Freddie Tagaloa – Senior (C) 74 Alex Kosinski – Freshman 75 Michael Eletise – Freshman 76 Cody Creason – Freshman 77 Harper Sharman – Freshman 78 Jacob Alsadek – Junior Tight ends 8 Trevor Wood – Sophomore 15 Matt Morin – Senior 17 Josh Kern – Senior (C) 30 Jamardre Cobb – (FB) Sophomore 48 Brian Anduze – Freshman 85 Jamie Nunley – Freshman
Defense
Defensive linemen 50 Justin Holt – Freshman 55 Darrell Cloy Jr – Sophomore 60 Luca Bruno – Junior 62 Aiulua Fanene – Senior 86 Justin Belknap – Freshman 91 Finton Connolly – Freshman 92 Jack Banda – Junior 93 Parker Zellers – Junior 94 Calvin Allen – Junior 96 Marcus Griffin – Sophomore 99 Sani Fuimaono (C) – Senior
Linebackers 7 Kahi Neves – Freshman 11 Michael Barton – GS Senior 15 Jacob Colacion – Freshman 18 Brandon Rutt – Sophomore 24 RJ Morgan – Junior 28 Carrington Vaughn – Freshman 32 DeAndre' Miller – Junior 33 Corey Selenski – Freshman 39 Franciso Nelson – Freshman 47 Jake Matthews – Senior 51 Lee Anderson III – Freshman 52 Alex King – Senior 53 Richard Merritt – Freshman 56 John Kenny – Junior 57 Cody Ippolito – (C) Senior