The 2018 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Wildcats's 119th season. They played their home games at the Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona (for the 90th year) and competed members of the South Division (8th season) in the Pac-12 Conference (41st overall season). They were led by first-year head coach Kevin Sumlin. The Wildcats finished the season 5–7 and did not qualify for a bowl game. They went 4–5 in Pac-12 play, tying USC for third place in the South Division.
Offseason
Offseason departures The Wildcats have 17 senior graduates only graduated players noted until spring practice. As well as one junior who would choose to forgo their senior season in pursuit of an earlier NFL career. The Wildcats would lose four more players from the 2017 team due to various reasons. Notable departures from the 2017 squad included.
Name Position Year Reason Donavan Tate QB FR Left from team Nick Wilson RB SR Graduation Zach Green RB rSR Graduation Tyrell Johnson WR SR Graduation Zach Benjamin WR rSR Graduation Trevor Wood TE rJR Chose to graduate and transfer Gerhard de Beer OL rSR Graduation/NFL Jacob Alsadek OL rSR Graduation De’Andre Miller DE rSR Graduation Jack Banda DE rSR Graduation Brandon Rutt LB JR Chose to graduate and transfer Brandon Dawkins QB rJR Chose to graduate and transfer Isaiah Strong LB SR Graduation Christian Boettcher OL SR Graduation Parker Zellers DL rSR Graduation Marcus Griffin DL rJR Chose to graduate and transfer Dane Cruikshank CB rSR Graduation/NFL Kwesi Mashack CB SR Graduation Luca Bruno DL rSR Graduation Larry Tharpe Jr. LB rJR Declared for the 2018 NFL draft. Jarvis McCall Jr. S SR Graduation Francisco Nelson DE rSO Elected to transfer
Recruiting
On December 20, 2017, NCAA Football started the first ever early signing period which they signed 15 recruits. On the national signing day the Wildcats received 2 more high school recruits tipping off the signing period with a total of 20 high school recruits, 1 walk-on HS recruit, 2 JUCO transfers and 4 college transfers which totals 28 total recruits in the 2018 offseason.
Source:
Incoming transfers In addition to the 2018 recruiting class, Arizona add two JC transfer players from junior college and six transfer players from college, which includes eligible for the current season, to the 2018 roster:
List of incoming transfers Name Pos. Eligible beginning Years of eligibility Previous school Notes P. J. Johnson DT 2018 2 Sacramento State Junior college transfer from City College of San Francisco. Steven Bailey OG 2018 2 Northern Arizona Junior college transfer from Glendale C.C. Keyshawn Johnson Jr. WR 2018 4 Nebraska Transfer from Nebraska. He is expected to be eligible for the 2018 season. Dylan Klumph P 2018 1 California Graduate Transfer from California. He is expected to be eligible for Arizona this year. Tim Hough CB 2018 1 UNLV Graduate Transfer from UNLV. He is expected to be eligible for Arizona this year. Robert Congel OL 2018 3 Texas A&M Transfer from Texas A&M. He will likely to sit out for the 2018 season. Joshua Szott WR 2018 4 Colgate Transfer from Colgate. He is expected to be eligible for the 2018 season. Santino Marchiol LB 2018 4 Texas A&M Transfer from Texas A&M. He will likely to sit out for the 2018 season.
Returning starters Arizona returns 30 starters in 2018, including 15 on offense, 9 on defense, and 5 on special teams.
Offensive starters Returning offensive starters Player Class Position Khalil Tate (14) Junior Quarterback Nathan Tilford (33) Sophomore Running back J. J. Taylor (23) RS sophomoreRunning back DeVaughn Cooper (7) RS sophomore Wide receiver Shun Brown (6) Senior Wide receiver Shawn Poindexter (19) Senior Wide receiver Tony Ellison (9) RS senior Wide receiver Cedric Peterson (18) Senior Wide receiver Layth Friekh (58) RS senior Left tackle Josh McCauley (50) RS freshman Left tackle Bryce Wolma (81) Sophomore Tight end Alex Kosinski (74) RS sophomore Right guard Cody Creason (76) RS junior Right tackle Nathan Eldridge (64) RS junior CenterReference:
Defensive starters Returning defensive starters Player Class Position Jarrius Wallace (3) RS sophomore Safety Chacho Ulloa (20) Junior Safety Finton Connolly (91) RS junior Defensive lineman Colin Schooler (7) Sophomore Linebacker Lorenzo Burns (2) RS sophomore Cornerback Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (6) Senior Safety Jace Whittaker (17) Senior Cornerback Dereck Boles (99) RS senior Defensive linemanReference:
Special Teams starters Returning special teams starters Player Class Position Josh Pollack (9) RS senior Placekicker Lucas Havrisik (43)SophomorePlacekicker Nick Reinhardt (56) RS sophomore Long snapper Jake Glatting (16) RS senior Punter/holderReference:
† Indicates player was a starter in 2017 but missed all of 2018 due to injury.
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Lott TrophyColin SchoolerLBSORimington TrophyNathan EldridgeCJRMaxwell AwardKhalil TateQBJRDavey O'Brien AwardKhalil TateQBJRDoak Walker AwardJ. J. TaylorRBRS SOJohn Mackey AwardBryce WolmaTESOWuerffel TrophyMalcolm HollandDBJRPaul Hornung AwardShun BrownWRSRWalter Camp AwardKhalil TateQBJRJohnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardKhalil TateQBJRManning AwardKhalil TateQBJR
Pac-12 media poll The 2018 Pac-12 media days are set for July 25, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Kevin Sumlin (Head coach), Khalil Tate (QB) & Colin Schooler (ILB) at Pac-12 media days. The Pac-12 media poll was released with the Wildcats predicted to finish in third place at Pac-12 South division.
Spring game
The 2018 Wildcats had spring practice on March 19, 2018. The 2018 Arizona football spring game will take place in Tucson, AZ on April 14, 2018, and time to be determined.
Date Spring Game Site TV Result April 14, 2018 Offensive vs. Defense Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ P12N Defense 55–46
Schedule Arizona announced its 2018 football schedule on November 16, 2017. The 2018 Wildcats' schedule consists of 7 home and 4 away games for the regular season. Arizona will host nine Pac-12 conference opponents California, Colorado, Oregon, USC and arch-rival Arizona State for the 91st annual Territorial Cup to close out the regular season and will travel to UCLA, Utah, Oregon State and Washington State. Arizona is not scheduled to play Pac-12 North opponents Stanford and Washington in the 2018 regular season. The Wildcats bye week comes during week 11 on November 10.
Arizona's out of conference opponents represent the American and Big Sky conferences. The Wildcats will host two non–conference games which are against Southern Utah (first ever meeting) from the Big Sky and BYU (NCAA Division I FBS independent) and travel to Houston from the American.
Game summaries
vs BYU
Statistics BYU ARIZ First downs 2322 Total yards 392326 Rushing yards 43–18335–129 Passing yards 209197 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–017–34–0 Time of possession 36:3323:27 Team Category Player StatisticsBYU Passing Tanner Mangum18/28, 209 yards, TD Rushing Squally Canada24 carries, 98 yards, 3 TD Receiving Aleva Hifo2 receptions, 36 yardsArizona Passing Khalil Tate17/34, 197 yards, TD Rushing J.J. Taylor18 carries, 85 yards, TD Receiving Shawn Poindexter4 receptions, 68 yards
at Houston
Statistics ARIZHOU First downs 3128 Total yards 531551 Rushing yards 50–15040–297 Passing yards 381254 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–50–219–40–0 Time of possession 35:2124:39 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Khalil Tate24/45, 341 yards, 2 INT Rushing J.J. Taylor18 carries, 54 yards Receiving Shawn Poindexter7 receptions, 134 yardsHouston Passing D'Eriq King17/34, 246 yards, 4 TD Rushing Teren Williams12 carries, 65 yards Receiving Romello Brooker2 receptions, 76 yards, TD
vs Southern Utah
Statistics SUU ARIZ First downs 3026 Total yards 463626 Rushing yards 54–19338–268 Passing yards 270358 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–44–115–22–0 Time of possession 37:0822:52 Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Utah Passing Chris Helbig27/44, 270 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jay Green15 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving Landon Measom5 receptions, 74 yardsArizona Passing Khalil Tate13/20, 349 yards, 5 TD Rushing Gary Brightwell9 carries, 81 yards Receiving Tony Ellison4 receptions, 111 yards, TD
at Oregon State
Statistics ARIZOSU First downs 2918 Total yards 594238 Rushing yards 51–44244–97 Passing yards 152141 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 9–17–018–26–0 Time of possession 27:0532:55 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Khalil Tate9/17, 152 yards, 2 TD Rushing J.J. Taylor27 carries, 284 yards, 2 TD Receiving Shawn Poindexter4 receptions, 92 yards, TDOregon State Passing Conor Blount17/24, 137 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jermar Jefferson19 carries, 82 yards Receiving Timmy Hernandez4 receptions, 51 yards, TD
vs USC
Statistics USC ARIZ First downs 1820 Total yards 450330 Rushing yards 47–25337–98 Passing yards 197232 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–24–016–33–1 Time of possession 32:5127:09 Team Category Player StatisticsUSC Passing JT Daniels16/24, 197 yards Rushing Aca'Cedric Ware21 carries, 173 yards. 2 TD Receiving Amon-Ra St. Brown5 receptions, 54 yardsArizona Passing Khalil Tate16/33, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing J.J. Taylor18 carries, 50 yards Receiving Shun Brown5 receptions, 81 yards
vs California
Statistics CAL ARIZ First downs 2513 Total yards 476265 Rushing yards 34–16134–124 Passing yards 315141 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 32–43–315–25–1 Time of possession 34:4025:20 Team Category Player StatisticsCalifornia Passing Brandon McIlwain32/43, 315 yards, 3 INT Rushing Brandon McIlwain20 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Moe Ways8 receptions, 97 yardsArizona Passing Khalil Tate15/25, 141 yards, TD, INT Rushing J.J. Taylor15 carries, 73 yards Receiving Tony Ellison3 receptions, 41 yards, TD
at Utah
Statistics ARIZUTAH First downs 1923 Total yards 318495 Rushing yards 31–7246–230 Passing yards 246265 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–46–016–22–1 Time of possession 26:5033:10 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Rhett Rodriguez20/38, 226 yards, TD Rushing J.J. Taylor14 carries, 63 yards Receiving Cedric Peterson4 receptions, 63 yards, TDUtah Passing Tyler Huntley14/19, 201 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Zack Moss15 carries, 68 yards, TD Receiving Demari Simpkins3 receptions, 78 yards, TD
at UCLA
Statistics ARIZUCLA First downs 2223 Total yards 520460 Rushing yards 38–28947–153 Passing yards 231307 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–34–222–35–0 Time of possession 27:1832:42 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Rhett Rodriguez15/34, 231 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing J.J. Taylor19 carries, 154 yards, TD Receiving Shawn Poindexter6 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TDUCLA Passing Wilton Speight17/27, 204 yards, 2 TD Rushing Joshua Kelley31 carries, 136 yards, TD Receiving Theo Howard3 receptions, 84 yards
vs No. 19 Oregon
Statistics ORE ARIZ First downs 1827 Total yards 270465 Rushing yards 23–8451–276 Passing yards 186189 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–48–119–33–1 Time of possession 23:5136:09 Team Category Player StatisticsOregon Passing Justin Herbert24/48, 186 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Justin Herbert6 carries, 31 yards Receiving Dillon Mitchell6 receptions, 69 yards, TDArizona Passing Khalil Tate19/33, 189 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing J.J. Taylor30 carries, 212 yards, 2 TD Receiving Shun Brown10 receptions, 96 yards, TD
vs Colorado
Statistics COLO ARIZ First downs 2727 Total yards 383566 Rushing yards 32–4047–216 Passing yards 343350 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–43–117–22–1 Time of possession 30:5629:04 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Steven Montez27/42, 343 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Travon McMillan11 carries, 59 yards Receiving Juwann Winfree8 receptions, 101 yardsArizona Passing Khalil Tate17/22, 350 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing J.J. Taylor40 carries, 192 yards Receiving Cedric Peterson2 receptions, 72 yards, TD
at No. 8 Washington State