Projecting Arizona Football's starting lineup in 2024
By Mason Duhon
Specialists
Tyler Loop. Tyler Loop. TL. . . . Senior. K. player. 511
When the kicking game isn't a concern, it's easy to underestimate the value of a reliable kicker. Make no mistake, Loop is one of the best in the business. In two seasons as the starting kicker and three seasons with him playing at the position, he hasn't missed a single extra point and is 103-103 in his career. He has had exactly one "bad" game in that time frame: against Utah where he missed from 37 yards and 50 yards. However, he also nailed his six PATs and set new career-longs twice in 2023 en route to second-team All-Pac-12 honors.
Loop, alongside Baker and Stukes, is one of the trio of fifth-year Wildcats who have spent their entire collegiate careers in Tucson.
511. Cash Peterman. . . RS Junior. P. player. CP. Cash Peterman.
Peterman has had a long road to becoming Arizona's starting punter. The Chandler, Arizona, native completed a Mission Trip for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before spending two seasons on BYU's roster as a kicker. He only took two kickoffs in 2021 before transferring following the 2022 season. He spent 2023 as Arizona's backup kicker behind Loop, before Kyle Ostendorp's graduation vacated the starting punter spot. Peterman's dearth of collegiate experience will give him the edge over incoming freshman kicker and punter Michael Salgado-Medina. Oh, and did we mention he's a social media sensation who could reel a whole new crop of Arizona fans in?
511. . Trey Naughton. LS. RS Sophomore. Trey Naughton. player. TN. .
Naughton is an incoming Western Kentucky transfer who started all 13 games for the Hilltoppers in 2023. The Tucson native played high school ball at local Salpointe Catholic High School before spending the last two seasons at Western Kentucky. He'll likely beat out Kameron Hawkins, who has backed up the outgoing Seth MacKellar for years, and already has more in-game experience in two years than Hawkins has in four.
ICYMI. Combine. Four Arizona Football alumni invited to 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. dark
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