The second year of the Kevin Sumlin era begins in Tucson, Arizona this fall, but there are a lot more questions than answers for the Wildcats. Kevin Sumlin should be under some pressure after going 5-7 last season, attempting to turn Khalil Tate into a pocket passer and collapsing in the 4th quarter against arch rival Arizona State. If Arizona plays like the team from a year ago, then Wildcat fans will be in for a long season. However, Arizona has talent on both sides of the ball and could outperform expectations if Sumlin can put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Prestige Ranking: 3*

Arizona football has been a typical middle of the road program for a long time. Sure they have had their high notes like going 10-2 in 2014. But they also have had their down years such as going 3-9 in 2016. Average those two seasons out and you get around six wins which is what most people expect from Arizona. They’re average-not great- but not horrible either which is why they earn a prestige ranking of 3 stars.

Last Year’s Record: 5-7 (4-5 Pac-12)

Arizona had some impressive wins last year, the biggest one being a 44-15 ambush of the Oregon Ducks. However, they also had some terrible losses. The worst was when the Wildcats blew a 19 point 4th quarter lead to rival Arizona State. There were turnovers, bad play calling and a missed field goal as time expired to seal their fate.

Projected Returning Starters

Offense: 6

Arizona returns the most important piece of the offense, quarterback Khalil Tate. However, it remains a mystery as to which Tate will show up. Will it be the Heisman contender or the forced pocket passer who was injured? His play this season will largely dictate the success of Arizona’s season. Also returning is third team All-American running back J.J. Taylor. While small in stature, Taylor is a fantastic running back that can make any defender miss in open space.

Up front, Arizona returns center Josh McCauley, tackle Bryson Cain and tackle Donovan Laie. Arizona also has Bryson Cain returning as an experienced leader that can play multiple positions on the line. An unknown area for the Wildcats is their receiving corps. The only pass catcher returning that started last season is tight end Bryce Wolma. Arizona will have to replace their top three wideout options from 2018 and that will not be easy.

Defense: 8

Arizona does not return every single starter on defense, but every position returns key contributors from last season. The returning starters up front are end Jalen Harris and lineman Justin Belknap. At linebacker, Arizona returns their two best players in Colin Schooler and Tony Fields. Look for both of these guys to be leading Arizona’s defense this fall.

Arizona returns corners Jace Whittaker and Lorenzo Burns, as well as safeties Tristan Cooper and Scottie Young Jr. An interesting note is that Jace Whittaker missed all of last season with an injury which allowed younger players like Christian Young and Mackenzie Barnes to gain some valuable game experience.

Special Teams: 1

Lucas Havrisik returns to the place kicking and field goal duties this season for the Wildcats. He has an outstanding leg, but has struggled with accuracy previously in his career.

Key Losses:

Arizona has to replace a majority of their receiving options as Shawn Poindexter, Shun Brown, and Tony Ellison have all graduated. On defense a lot of pieces return, but Arizona lost defensive tackles PJ Johnson and Derrick Boles Jr. Both Players were anchors on the defensive line and their absence will be felt this season.

Key Newcomer Offense:

With Arizona’s receiving corps being an unknown, look for freshman Boobie Curry to make his name known. Curry is a 4-star recruit out of Texas and will give Khalil Tate a big, fast and physical receiver to throw the ball to.

Key Newcomer Defense:

At another position of need, Arizona added a big body up front in defensive tackle Myles Tapusoa. Tapusoa was recently playing JUCO football, but now has a chance to make an immediate impact on a defensive line that is hurting for size and athleticism.

Wins the Pac-12 If:

Arizona will be much better than the team they put on the field last season if Khalil Tate can return to his Heisman form from 2017 and the coaching staff can put the pieces on defense together. However, it would take a miracle for Arizona to realistically compete for a conference title in 2019.

Circle This Game: @ Arizona State 11/30/19

With all due respect to the Arizona Cardinals, this is the biggest football game that takes place in the state of Arizona each season. This is one of the most underrated rivalries in college football. The cities hate each other, the schools hate each other, the teams hate each other and the fans definitely hate each other. Arizona will be looking for redemption after last season’s catastrophe in Tucson and they will have to go through the Herm Edwards train in Tempe in order to get a win. Sounds like a great game to me.

2019 Season Outlook:

There are not many expectations for Arizona Wildcats football heading into the 2019 season. This team figures to be average, but they could very well exceed or fall below expectations. It will be interesting to see how Khalil Tate performs this season, but look for others to shine as well. If Arizona can beat ASU and go to a bowl game the season will be considered a success for the Wildcats. Anything less than that and the fans in Tucson will already be looking ahead towards basketball season.