Arizona Football : Five Players Who Shined in Reno
By Brad Malone
The Arizona football team is looking to finish its fourth straight year of regular season non-conference perfection when it takes on NAU on Saturday evening.
Last Saturday the Arizona football team beat up defense delivered an exceptional performance while the offense got closer to looking more like the unit we were so used to seeing a score in bunches during much of last season.
Let’s take a look at five players who shined in Arizona’s 44-20 win over the Wolf Pack.
Nick Wilson
This guy is incredible.
When the Cats lost Ka’Deem Carey a year early to the NFL, I was quite distraught, and I sadly wasn’t overly impressed with Nick Wilson and his nearly 1400 yards.
Sep 12, 2015; Reno, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Nick Wilson (28) runs for a first down in front Nevada Wolf Pack defensive back Asauni Rufus (2) in the third quarter of their NCAA football game at MacKay Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
My loyalty to Ka’Deem made me accepting Wilson as a serviceable replacement pretty hard to swallow. It’s because they are probably different types of runners.
Ka’Deem was a mini tank that would run over anything in his path.
Wilson looks for space and uses his speed to his advantage. He may not be Ka’Deem, but he can still flatten guys when he wants to.
Whatever works and Wilson was working hard against Nevada.
I should have been on team Wilson a long time ago, but this idiot is on board now.
Wilson was more than impressive in the Cats win in Reno.
He ran downhill all day for 194 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
His second touchdown of the day is the one I found most memorable when late in the second quarter the Cats went to Wilson. I thought he was done for in the backfield, but he ran right, turned on the jets and cut left into the end zone untouched.
The Cats are 8-0 when Wilson runs for 100 yards or more in a game.
This guy is one of the reasons Wilson had such an epic day.
With Cayman Bundage taking over the center spot and Cal transfer Freddie Tagaloa injury updates taking most of the headlines for the Arizona offensive line, Jacob Alsadek has been flying under the radar.
Arizona Wildcats
But one guy who noticed Alsadek in the Nevada game was Rich Rodriguez.
“He played hard. He was physical, and that was key for us because Nevada is a physical football team and aggressive upfront. He played pretty solid.”, Rich Rod said.
Alsadek and company have only surrendered two sacks so far this season.
Jacob was injured early last season but came back strong. As a freshman, he started in eleven games and was named to the USA Today Freshman All-American team.
At 6’7 and nearly 300 pounds, he looks as if he might be one of the Cats on this squad that could be playing on Sundays shortly.
Another guy who looks like he could play on Sundays is redshirt junior Cayleb Jones.
He is another guy who has not been talked about much so far this season, but that has not stopped him from putting up decent numbers. Expect outstanding numbers by the time the season is over.
He leads the team in receiving yards so far in 2015, thanks mostly to his game in Reno.
Jones didn’t find the end zone like he did against UTSA, but his 41-yard reception in the third quarter gave the Cats a jolt that eventually led to a Casey Skowron field goal later in the drive.
Caleb finished with six receptions for 103 yards against the Wolf Pack.
Former Boise State Bronco Jeff Worthy made a statement on Saturday with his two huge tackles.
The ragtag Arizona defense recorded its first sack of the young season thanks to Worthy. In the second quarter, he nearly recorded a safety with the sack when he took down Nevada quarterback Tyler Stewart at the one-inch line.
Sep 12, 2015; Reno, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez calls out a play late into the fourth quarter of their NCAA football game with the Nevada Wolf Pack at MacKay Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
Later in the quarter, Worthy had another nice stop against Stewart for no gain.
He nearly got a second sack when he drilled Stewart just after he released a throw during a play in the second half.
The Arizona coaches gave defensive players of the week awards to senior defensive end Reggie Gilbert and safeties Will Parks and Jamar Allah.
Allah stood out by collecting his second turnover in as many games.
Against UTSA Allah picked up a fumble forced by Parks and ran it 22-yards for the touchdown.
In Reno, Allah intercepted a Stewart pass near the start of the fourth quarter, ending what little chance the Wolf Pack still had left.
Allah finished with four tackles against Nevada and made nine tackles so far in 2015.
Jamar Allah comes up with an interception! Arizona takes over at the 44. pic.twitter.com/PnEVEEi34O
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 13, 2015