2024 Season Thread

[Ghost]

We will all find out tomorrow.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Don't recall if I've seen this elsewhere, but here's some scheduling info beyond this coming season:

[AzCatFan2]

We picked up a 6' 2" 260 lb freshman transfer from Memphis (https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... commitment). Could use a few more pounds, but only a freshman, and played 11 games last year.

As for playing in the BIG12, count me as not excited. But what's done is done, the BIG12 was the best landing spot for us at this time, and no use in crying over spilled milk. Best we can do now is Bear Down and make the best of it.

[Postmaster]

Game thread?

[Fishclamps]

Was a fun spring game. Not sure why near the end a 3rd string db and wr tried to fight each other though

[wyo-cat]

Was a fun spring game. Not sure why near the end a 3rd string db and wr tried to fight each other though

Because football

[FreeSpiritCat]

I hope Tecario Davis stays. I can't even give it odds because I have no idea. He seems to love it here, but the bag may rule. We won't know the team makeup until the end of May.

[Chicat]

9. WR TETAIROA MCMILLAN, ARIZONA

If you throw it McMillan’s way, there’s a very good chance he’ll come down with it. There are two main reasons for that. The first is that he presents a massive target to throw to at 6-foot-5, giving him a larger catch radius than anyone on this list. His 17 contested catches in 2023 were second among FBS receivers to only Rome Odunze. The second is that he also has excellent hands, finishing with the lowest drop rate among Power Five receivers with at least 100 targets this past season (2.1%).

Only Malik Nabers and Odunze finished with more receiving yards than McMillan this year in the Power Five (1,396), and those two were the only FBS receivers who had more receiving first downs/touchdowns than the Arizona sophomore (63). Both Nabers and Odunze are projected top-10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, a feat McMillan should accomplish in 2025 if he maintains this pace.

15. CB TACARIO DAVIS, ARIZONA

The first thing you notice about Davis is his freakish size at 6-foot-4. That length allows him to significantly bother receivers at the catch point. The sophomore posted a 27.8% forced incompletion rate in 2023, fifth among Power Five corners. In single coverage, Davis forced more incompletions (14) than he allowed catches (11).

He moves very well for a corner his size which makes it very difficult for receivers to beat him. Davis entered the transfer portal back in January but is still listed on Arizona’s roster and was recently participating in team workouts, making it likely that he’ll be returning to Tucson for his junior campaign.

Jonah Savainaea comes in at #30.

[azcat49]

Have to give the previous staff a ton of credit as they nailed that 22 recruiting class. Three probable first round draft choices and guys like Moe, Coleman, Prysocks and a few others

[dmjcat]

[wyo-cat]

Brennan is leaving it up to the individual players.

[Fishclamps]

Texas fans seem convinced he's going. Really hope he ends up staying.

[Ghost]

Texas fans seem convinced he's going. Really hope he ends up staying.

It isn’t looking good. If we lose him, it’s a huge blow to the CB position.

[tgrumpy2]

Come on Umberto. Pony up and lets keep him.

[Chicat]

Come on Umberto. Pony up and lets keep him.

From what I heard from a friend it’s a bidding war. But the bright lights of UT might be too hard to pass up.

[Ghost]

Come on Umberto. Pony up and lets keep him.

From what I heard from a friend it’s a bidding war. But the bright lights of UT might be too hard to pass up.

Do you think it might be a NIL issue?

[Chicat]

Come on Umberto. Pony up and lets keep him.

From what I heard from a friend it’s a bidding war. But the bright lights of UT might be too hard to pass up.

Do you think it might be a NIL issue?

From what my friend said UA is willing to match UT on money but the exposure at UT might put them over the top.

[Fishclamps]

He's already projected as like a top 15 pick, what more exposure does he need?

[Fishclamps]

FUCK YES

[UAEebs86]

BOOM!

[Chicat]

He's already projected as like a top 15 pick, what more exposure does he need?

Apparently none.

[Fishclamps]

Been waiting for episode 2

[wyo-cat]

This one goes to the staff.

Biggest recruit of the year.

[AzCatFan2]

Bear Down! We have two, potential top 20 NFL draft choices on the roster with Davis and TMac! Maybe even higher for both. Have we ever had two football 1st rounders before?

[UAEebs86]

Bear Down! We have two, potential top 20 NFL draft choices on the roster with Davis and TMac! Maybe even higher for both. Have we ever had two football 1st rounders before?

One time: 1990

8 Chris Singleton New England

11 Anthony Smith Raiders



Could be 3 next year - OL Jonah Savaiinaea is projected late first.

[cerec_cat]

Bear Down! We have two, potential top 20 NFL draft choices on the roster with Davis and TMac! Maybe even higher for both. Have we ever had two football 1st rounders before?

One time: 1990

8 Chris Singleton New England

11 Anthony Smith Raiders



Could be 3 next year - OL Jonah Savaiinaea is projected late first.

I would rather hang out with Chris Singleton than ANthony Smith!

[MrKyle]

Big time pickup/retention - glad to see him staying!

[UAEebs86]

Bear Down! We have two, potential top 20 NFL draft choices on the roster with Davis and TMac! Maybe even higher for both. Have we ever had two football 1st rounders before?

One time: 1990

8 Chris Singleton New England

11 Anthony Smith Raiders



Could be 3 next year - OL Jonah Savaiinaea is projected late first.

I would rather hang out with Chris Singleton than ANthony Smith!

Can't hang out with Anthony Smith now unless you are wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Did you know he was married to Vanity (RIP, singer in Vanity 6, actress in Action Jackson, one of Prince's ex's)? Only for a year though.

[azgreg]

https://theathletic.com/5465059/2024/05 ... hio-state/

19. Arizona
Could you imagine this Arizona team if Jedd Fisch stayed another year in Tucson? Still, the Wildcats held onto quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan, which should form one of the best connections through the air in the sport. Arizona also held onto defensive back Tacario Davis despite his lengthy stay in the portal. This team, despite its personnel losses, could compete for a conference title in Year 1 in the Big 12 under new head coach Brent Brennan.

[Ghost]

https://theathletic.com/5465059/2024/05 ... hio-state/

19. Arizona
Could you imagine this Arizona team if Jedd Fisch stayed another year in Tucson? Still, the Wildcats held onto quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan, which should form one of the best connections through the air in the sport. Arizona also held onto defensive back Tacario Davis despite his lengthy stay in the portal. This team, despite its personnel losses, could compete for a conference title in Year 1 in the Big 12 under new head coach Brent Brennan.

I wouldn’t want to imagine anything regarding Jedd. He was a bad coach. On to the next one.

[KaibabKat]

Going into the 2024 season here is how the "new Big 12" football programs rank based on the average of the last 10 years of Massey Composite Rankings (# of top 25 season ending rankings in ().

24 Utah (5)
27 Oklahoma State (5)
33 TCU (5)
36 Kansas State (4)
42 West Virginia (2)
49 UCF (3)
50 Baylor (3)
50 Iowa State (1)
51 BYU (1)
52 Cincinnati (3)
57 Texas Tech (1)
59 Houston (2)
61Tempe Normal (0)
71 THE University of Arizona (2)
76 Colorado (1)
96 Kansas (0)

Any surprises?

[Merkin]

#15

Quarterback Noah Fifita is Big 12 Player of the Year material. Tetairoa McMillan is the leading returning Power Four receiver

[84Cat]

Wait, I can watch a game on a nat'l channel and not have to stay up past midnight??

[wyo-cat]

That’s gonna be quite the measuring stick for this group.

[RichardCranium]

Wait, I can watch a game on a nat'l channel and not have to stay up past midnight??

[tweet]https:
//twitter.com/ArizonaFBall/status/1793356884738818514[/tweet]

Depends on how many commercials they put in.

[wyo-cat]

We never had a game like this last year.

It was all late night P12N bullshit.

[Merkin]

Wait, I can watch a game on a nat'l channel and not have to stay up past midnight??

[tweet]https:
//twitter.com/ArizonaFBall/status/1793356884738818514[/tweet]

Depends on how many commercials they put in.

Good article here on the new clock rules and more commercials.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/488345 ... ame-times/

[azgreg]

[84Cat]

[Merkin]

Welp, not really pleased with late night games again.

The NAU game is streaming only?

[PHXCATS]

Welp, not really pleased with late night games again.

The NAU game is streaming only?

You thought it would be different?

[azcat49]

So we only have three TV games or are the other games on a wait and see basis?

[AZCatGirl]

I get the first two games being late, but not a fan of FS1 giving us Pac 12 after dark times in November. And yeah, sucks we need ESPN+ but that's the price we pay for being in the Big 12.

Kansas State is the perfect time for a Friday game IMO.

[Fishclamps]

As long as it's not a home game I'll always be available to stream it for those who need it

[AZCatGirl]

We're in much better shape TV wise than the Huskies!

[Carcassdragger]

As long as it's not a home game I'll always be available to stream it for those who need it

Fish. Such a nice gesture.....And for no reason except just to be cool to us. This really is an awesome thing.

Thanks for what you did last season and thanks for stepping up for this season.

Appreciate you man.

[Merkin]

As long as it's not a home game I'll always be available to stream it for those who need it

Thanks Fish.

I will actually miss the PAC12 channel. I could set my VPN to England and stream all the games on that network for free.

[azgreg]

Arizona 13th.

[azgreg]

13. Arizona (Previous: 13)
New coach Brent Brennan managed to retain most of the Wildcats’ key cogs, including quarterback Noah Fifita, wideout Tetairoa McMillan and four offensive line starters. Running back remains a question. Standout cornerback Tacario Davis, who withdrew from the portal after spring ball, joins Gunner Maldonado and Dalton Johnson in a strong secondary. Arizona will count on linebackers Jacob Manu and Justin Flowe, but its defensive line may be light on experience.

[BBQ wildcat]

I am getting excited for the season. I think we will be pretty good. And fun to watch.