Though the bar wasn’t particularly high coming off a disastrous 1-11 season, Arizona has taken big strides forward as it sits at .500 halfway through the season.
In Jedd Fisch’s second year at the helm, the Wildcats have developed an offensive attack that’s far more functional than those of recent years, headlined by a number of high-impact recruits and transfers. The Arizona defense remains a work in progress, but the improvement from last year is still notable.
On paper, Washington (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) should be well equipped to handle this squad, but the Huskies' recent struggles with consecutive losses to UCLA and Arizona State make it hard to say what kind of performance they’ll give on Saturday.
Here's a closer look at the matchup with the Wildcats ...
Arizona Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12)
Coach: Jedd Fisch (2nd season, 5-15 career -- includes 1-1 interim mark at UCLA in 2017)
Stats/ranks
Scoring offense: 30.3 PPG (67th nationally)
Total offense: 455.5 YPG (34th)
Scoring defense: 34.2 PPG (116th)
Total defense: 430.7 YPG (109th)
What the Wildcats do well: The strength of this Arizona team is indisputably in the depth it possesses at the offensive skill positions. The Wildcats' receiving corps has been highly impressive all year, led by the trio of Jacob Cowing, Dorian Singer and Tetairoa McMillan. The three have combined for 1,487 yards and 12 touchdowns so far, while tight end Tanner McLachlan has contributed 19 receptions for 342 yards. The distribution of skill sets among the group gives quarterback Jayden de Laura a diverse selection of targets to work with, which he’s frequently been able to take advantage of. At running back, Arizona has featured a rotation of three highly capable backs in Michael Wiley, DJ Williams and Jonah Coleman. They’ve run for 297, 235, and 217 yards each, with a strong collective average of 5.35 yards per carry and a total of 7 touchdowns. (Wiley is coming off an injury and is available Saturday, but Coleman will start.) The bevy of weapons at the Wildcats' disposal allows them to pose a real scoring threat even against better defenses and is easily the team’s greatest advantage.
