WSU Football: Scouting The Arizona Wildcats

Nov 9, 2013; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback B.J. Denker (7) hands off to running back KaDeem Carey (25) during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Arizona Stadium. UCLA beat Arizona 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Wildcats (6-3, 3-3) will host the Washington State Cougars (4-5, 2-4) this weekend. The Cougars have played one game since October 19th, a Halloween loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Wildcats are coming off a close 31-26 loss to UCLA. The Wildcats’ 3 losses this season have come from then ranked #16 Washington, a USC team that found their groove, and 19th ranked UCLA.

Arizona is a very confusing team who has been inconsistent the past two years.

Offense

The Arizona offense is led by running back Ka’Deem Carey and quarterback B.J. Denker. The Wildcats are starting to find their passing game and starting to utilize it more. On the ground both Carey and Denker have 11 touchdowns each while Denker has 645 yards and Carey with 1221 yards.

Carey can be very dangerous on the ground and it is obvious as he has yet to have a rushing game under 100 yards dating back to November 3rd of last year, not including the Wildcats’ season opener against Northern Arizona where Carey didn’t see the field. Carey leads current FBS players with most consecutive 100-yard games. Carey leads the Wildcats and the 12th ranked rushing attack in the FBS and is 2nd in the PAC-12. Carey is also 6th among FBS players in rushing yards. He has yet to face Washington State in his career.

At quarterback the Wildcats have B.J. Denker who is 156/267 for 1688 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air this season. Denker, who is just starting to find his groove as the signal caller is also very capable of having himself a day. Denker has only given up 4 interceptions on the year and has thrown or ran for a touchdown in every game this season. Arizona averages 34.8 points per game and has yet to score below 30 points this season and has only allowed an opposing team to score more than 20 points just three times this season. Coincidentally those three games were the three games they lost.

Nate Phillips is Denker’s main target through the air. Phillips has hauled in 29 receptions for 409 yards and 6 touchdowns this season. The Wildcats third leading rusher, Carey and Denker are 1 and 2, is Daniel Jenkins who has 376 yards on 57 carries for 1 touchdown.

Defense

The Arizona defense is starting to find themselves in the backfield more and more this season. The Wildcat’s defense has three players with 7 tackles for a loss, linebackers Marquise Flowers and Scooby Wright and lineman Sione Tuihalamaka. The defense’s leading tacklers are also Scooby Wright (68) and Marquise Flowers (62) and both have over 35 solo tackles.

When it comes to interceptions the Wildcats are not lacking in that category. The team has totaled 12 interceptions and has three players with multiple interceptions, Tra’Mayne Bondurant with 3 and Shaquille Richardson and Jourdon Grandon both have 2 a piece. Two of Bondurant’s interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.

Tevin Hood and Jared Tevis have 2 forced fumbles each and are tied for the most on the team. The Wildcats also have 13 sacks for 73 yards.

The Wildcat’s defense is allowing 22 points a game.