The 2015 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It marked the Wildcats's 116th overall season, 38th as a member of the Pac-12 Conference and its 5th within the Pac-12 South Division. The team was led by head coach Rich Rodriguez, in his fourth year, and played its home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, AZ for the 87th straight year. They finished the season 7–6, 3–6 in Pac-12 play to finish in fifth place in the South Division. They were invited to the New Mexico Bowl where they defeated New Mexico.
Before the season
Recruiting class The Wildcats would go on to land another top 10 recruiting class in 2015 (#41 by Scout, #41 by Rivals, #39 by ESPN, and #41 by 247).
The Wildcats would also add two transfer players: graduate student David Catalano (OL) from San José State who is able to play immediately, as well as John Kenny (LB) from Iowa who sit out two years to satisfy the NCAA's transfer rule.
Grayshirt
Early Enrollees
Returning starters Returning players that started all or a significant number of games in the 2014 season. Arizona returns 30 starters (including fifteen on offense, twelve on defense, and three on special teams).
Offense
Player Class Position Anu Solomon (12) rsSO QB Nick Wilson (28) S0 RB Cayleb Jones (1) rsJR WR Tyrell Johnson (2) SO WR David Richards (4) rsSR WR Trey Griffey (5) rsJR WR Nate Phillips (6) JR WR Samajie Grant (10) JR WR Layth Friekh (58) SO OL Cayman Bundage (61) SR OL Carter Wood (66) † SR OL T.D. Gross (70) rsJR OL Jacob Alsadek (78) rsSO OL Lene Maiva (77) rsJR OL Freddie Tagaloa (72) rsJR OL
Defense Player Class Position Tellas Jones (1) rsJR S Cam Denson (3) SO CB Jamar Allah (7) SR S Reggie Gilbert (8) rsSR DB Will Parks (11) SR S Devin Holiday (13) JR CB DaVonte' Neal (19) JR CB Anthony Lopez (28) SR S Jarvis McCall Jr. (29) rsSO CB Scooby Wright (33) JR LB Derrick Turituri (45) JR LB Jake Matthews (47) JR LB Jeff Worthy (55) rsSR DL Cody Ippolito (57) † rsJR LB Parker Zellers (93) rsSO DL Calvin Allen (94) rsSO DL
Special teams Player Class Position Casey Skoworon (41) SR K Drew Riggleman (39) SR P
† Indicates player was a starter in 2014 but missed all of 2015 due to injury and Carter Wood will end of his career of the season due to injury.
Departures The Wildcats would lose 20 seniors to graduation as well as no juniors who would choose to forgo their senior season in pursuit of an earlier NFL career. The Wildcats would lose five more players from the 2014 team due to various reasons.
Name Position Year Reason Austin Hill WR rsSR Graduation/NFL (New York Jets—UFA) Blair Tushaus TE rsSR Graduation Jared Tevis S rsSR Graduation Adonis Smith RB rsSR Graduation Jesse Scroggins QB rsSR Graduation Jonathan McKnight CB rsSR Graduation Dan Pettinato DL rsSR Graduation Brendan Murphy CB rsSR Graduation Ethan Keyserling PK/P rsSR Graduation Terris Jones-Grigsby RB rsSR Graduation Jourdon Grandon FS rsSR Graduation Mickey Bacus C SR Graduation/NFL (forced him to end career from NFL) Blake Brady S rsSR Graduation Fabbians Ebbele OL rsSR Graduation Chase Gorham LS SR Graduation Hank Hobson LB SR Graduation Tra'Mayne Bondurant S SR Graduation Carter Wood OL rsSR Graduation (injury forced him to end career) Yamen Sanders S SO Transferred to Montana Timmy Hamilton DE JR Transferred to Kansas Trevor Ermisch S SR Graduation Steven Gurrola OL SR Graduation Jordan Poland OL rsFR Transferred to Arizona Western CC (after he arrest for trafficking) Connor Brewer QB rsSO Transferred to NAU and then to Virginia Kaelin Deboskie WR rsFR Transferred
Transfers David Catalano (from San José State) John Kenny (from Iowa) Jarek Hilgers (from Arizona State) Jack Kness-Knezinskis (from Scottsdale CC)
Offense Connor Brewer (to Virginia) Jordan Poland (to Arizona Western CC) Kaelin DeBoskie
Defense Yamen Sanders (to Montana) Timmy Hamilton (to Kansas)
Spring football
Winter/Spring 2015 "way-too-early" pre-season rankings from most major sports news outlets, issued after the end of the 2014 season tabbed the 2015 Arizona Wildcats at No. 13 (ESPN-Martin Rickman), #14 (Sports Illustrated), #17 (CBSSports), and #13 (ESPN-Mark Schlabach).
Fall Camp In July, the defending Pac-12 South champions Arizona Wildcats were picked to finish at fourth place in the Pac-12 preseason polls. Arizona was ranked No. 22 in both the preseason Amway (USA Today) Coaches Poll and the preseason AP Poll., with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 5. Camp practices are generally closed to the media and public, unless otherwise announced.
Depth chart
Depth Chart Source: 2015 Arizona Wildcats Football Fact Book
Personnel
Coaching staff Name Position Seasons atArizona Alma mater Rich Rodriguez Head coach 4 West Virginia (1986) Calvin Magee Associate head coach, Co-offensive coordinator, Running backs 4 South Florida (1990) Rod Smith Co-offensive coordinator, Quarterbacks 4 Glenville State (1997) Jeff Casteel Defensive coordinator, Linebackers 4 CALU (1993) Matt Caponi Assistant coach/safeties 4 Mount Union (2005) Tony Dews Assistant coach/wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator 4 Liberty (1996) Bill Kirelawich Assistant coach/defensive line 4 Salem (1969) David Lockwood Assistant coach/cornerbacks 4 West Virginia (1989) Jim Michalczik Assistant coach/offensive line 2 Washington State (1988) Charlie Ragle Assistant coach/tight ends/special teams 4 Eastern New Mexico (1998) Matt Dudek Director of On-Campus Recruiting and Player Personnel 4 Pittsburgh (2003) Mike Parrish Assistant Athletic Director, football operations 4 West Virginia (2006) Billy Kirelawich Director of Football Operations 4 West Virginia (2008) Jahmile Addae Football analyst 3 West Virginia (2005) Dusty Rutledge Operations Coordinator 1 Fairmont State (1991) Chris Allen Associate Athletic Director, strength and conditioning 4 West Virginia (2000) Parker Whiteman Director of Skill Development 4 Shepherd (2006) Vincent Amey Football analyst 3 Arizona State (1998) Wendell Neal Associate AD of Equipment Operations 18 Arizona (1998) Michael Barnett Assistant director of Equipment Operations 3 Arizona (2013) Troy Ramsey Assistant coach/Strength and Conditioning 2 North Texas (2007) Ovid Goulbourne Assistant coach/Strength and Conditioning 3 West Virginia (2009) Miek DiAngelo Defensive graduate assistant 3 Baldwin Wallace (2006) Kylan Butler Offensive graduate assistant 2 Arizona (2013) Kyle Quinn Offensive graduate assistant 1 Arizona (2012) Brett Gerch Assistant coach/Strength and Conditioning 2 Appalachian State (2000) Miguel Reveles Football analyst 3 La Verne (2010) Tim Cummins Video Coordinator 11 Arizona (2004) Brian Riden Assistant Video Coordinator 5 Arizona (2011)Coaching Staff Sources: ArizonaWildcats.com
Roster Offense
Quarterbacks 8 Jerrard Randall (C) - RS senior 12 Anu Solomon (C) – RS sophomore 13 Brandon Dawkins – RS freshman 14 Zach Werlinger – RS freshman
Wide receivers 1 Cayleb Jones - RS junior 2 Tyrell Johnson – Sophomore 4 David Richards (C) – RS senior 5 Trey Griffey – RS junior 10 Samajie Grant – Junior 16 Shun Brown – Freshman 18 Cedric Peterson – Freshman 24 Darick Holmes Jr. – Freshman 30 Johnny Jackson (C) – RS senior 39 Tony Ellison – RS freshman 81 Mo Mohamed - Freshman 82 Bryant O'Georgia - Sophomore 84 Abraham Mendivil – RS sophomore 87 Jordan Morgan - Freshman 89 Gabe Vasquez - Junior Running backs 5 Jamardre Cobb – RS freshman 7 Jonathan Haden – RS freshman 21 Orlando Bradford – Freshman 23 Jared Baker (C) – RS senior 28 Nick Wilson – Sophomore 31 Weston Barlow - Freshman 32 Khaylub Thompson - Freshman 34 Zach Green – RS sophomore 38 Branden Leon – Freshman 40 Jarett Mitchell – RS freshman
Offensive lineman 53 Chase Hanlon – RS junior 55 Levi Walton – RS freshman 58 Layth Friekh – RS freshman 59 Christian Lopez – Freshman 61 Cayman Bundage – Senior 62 Aiulua Fanene – RS junior 64 Nathan Elridge – Freshman 65 Zach Hemmila – RS junior 67 Gerhard de Beer – RS sophomore 68 David Catalano – RS senior 69 Christian Boettcher – Senior 70 T.D. Gross – RS junior 72 Freddie Tagaloa – RS junior 73 Jack Knees-Knezinskis – Junior 74 Alex Kosinski – Freshman 75 Kaige Lawrence (C) – RS senior 76 Cody Creason – Freshman 77 Lene Maiava (C) – RS senior 78 Jacob Alsadek – RS sophomore Tight ends 15 Matt Morin – Junior 17 Josh Kern – RS junior 48 Brian Anduze – Freshman 88 Trevor Wood – Sophomore
Defense
Defensive lineman 8 Reggie Gilbert (C) – RS senior 42 Anthony Fotu – Junior 55 Jeff Worthy (C) – Senior 60 Luca Bruno – RS sophomore 86 Justin Belknap - Junior 90 Shariff Williams – Freshman 91 Finton Connolly – Freshman 92 Jack Banda – RS sophomore 93 Parker Zellers – RS sophomore 94 Calvin Allen – RS sophomore 96 Marcus Griffin – RS freshman 98 Roc Russell – RS sophomore 99 Sani Fuimaono – Junior
Linebackers 2 Marquis Ware - RS freshman 4 Antonio Smothers – Senior 18 Brandon Rutt – RS freshman 24 RJ Morgan – RS sophomore 32 DeAndre' Miller – RS sophomore 33 Scooby Wright – Junior 43 Kendal Franklin – Freshman 45 Derrick Turituri – Junior 47 Jake Matthews - Junior 48 Kevin Hamlett Jr. - RS freshman 49 Hayden Gregory- RS senior 50 Carrington Vaughn – Freshman 51 Jason Sweet - RS junior 52 Alex King - RS junior 53 Sir Thomas Jackson – RS senior 54 Rob Kleifield - Freshman 57 Coy Ippolito - RS junior 58 Tre Taylor - Sophomore 59 Matthew Stagg - RS junior Cornerbacks 3 Cam Denson – Sophomore 9 Dane Cruikshank – Junior 10 Malcolm Holland – Freshman 13 Devin Holiday – Junior 15 Kwesi Mashack - RS freshman 17 Jace Whittaker – Freshman 19 DaVonte' Neal – RS junior 23 Devon Brewer – Freshman 27 Samuel Morrison – Freshman 29 Jarvis McCall Jr. – RS sophomore 35 Isaiah Strong - RS sophomore 40 Malik Moody – Freshman 44 Aaron Almond - Freshman
Safeties 1 Tellas Jones - RS junior 7 Jamar Allah (C) - Senior 11 Will Parks (C) – Senior 12 Demetrius Flanigan-Fowles - Freshman 14 Paul Magloire – Junior 20 Jared Hilgers – RS sophomore 25 Anthony Mariscal – Freshman 26 Nick Fadelli – Freshman 28 Anthony Lopez (C) – Senior 31 Patrick Stevens - Freshman 34 Thomas Sawyer - Freshman 36 Samir Hinn - Freshman 37 Carter Hehr - RS sophomore 38 Trevor Niemann – RS senior 41 Francisco Diochea III - Freshman 46 Albert Green – Freshman
Special teams
Punters 26 Matt Aragon - Freshman 39 Drew Riggleman (C) – RS senior
Kickers 9 Josh Pollack – Sophomore 36 Oliver Graybar – Freshman 41 Casey Skowron (C) – RS senior
Long snappers 54 Jose Romero – RS senior 56 Nick Reinhardt – RS freshman 63 Griffin Goudreau - SeniorSources: 2015 Arizona Wildcats roster
Regular season
Schedule The 2015 Pac-12 schedule was officially released on September 16, 2014. On April 10, 2015, the Wildcats will play the White and Navy Blue game, the program's annual spring game. Arizona Wildcats will play four of nine games, against all four North Division schools: Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington State. They will also play against five South Division opponents: Arizona State, Colorado, USC, UCLA and Utah. For their non-conference slate the Wildcats will play two of three games against UTSA of the Conference USA, Nevada of the Mountain West Conference and Northern Arizona of the FCS' Big Sky Conference. For the first year, the Cats face neither California and Oregon. The Wildcats will play all twelve games without a bye week for first time ever.
The Wildcats opened the 2015 season with a non-conference trip to Reno, Nevada, to face Nevada, its first since 1921, and is the return game in a home-and-home series that brought the Wolf Pack to Tucson in 2014. In other non-conference action, Arizona hosted in-state foe: Northern Arizona.
Schedule source: FBschedules.com
Legend Arizona win Arizona loss
Game summaries
vs UTSA
Statistics UTSA ARIZ First downs 2925 Total yards 525329 Rushing yards 50–19338–163 Passing yards 332229 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–45–122–36–0 Time of possession 35:0924:51