Tony Ellison's three touchdown catches lead Arizona receivers.

Key numbers then:Β Through their first two games, the Wildcats averaged .243 points per playΒ β€”Β exacerbated by the Houston game, in which they ran 100 plays but scored only 18 points (including a safety). Arizona averaged .591 points per play in 2017. The national average last season for FBS teams was .412.

What’s happened since: In the four subsequent games, the Wildcats have scored at a rate closer to what they did last year. They have run 257 plays and have 141 points. That equates to .549 points per play.

For the purpose of simplicity, we did not include defensive or special-teams touchdowns when examining points-per-play percentages in the original piece. The Wildcats’ percentage would be lower, of course, if their kickoff-return touchdown against Southern Utah and their pair of defensive scores against Cal were excluded from the equation.

Keeping all that stuff in, here are Arizona’s points per play for the past four games:

  • vs. Southern Utah: 1.033
  • vs. Oregon State: .515
  • vs. USC: .286
  • vs. Cal: .407

Overall, Arizona is averaging .423 points per play. The national average for FBS teams so far is .444.

In Pac-12 play, the Wildcats are averaging .399 points per play. In league games last year, their average was .580.

So while they have improved in this area, the Cats’ efficiency remains well below the standard they set in 2017.

Progress made?Β Yes.

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