It was lost amid all of Khalil Tate’s highlights, but freshman tight end Bryce Wolma made as important a play as any in the Arizona Wildcats’ victory at Colorado last week.
Nursing a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter and facing third-and-4 from its 31, Arizona dialed up an RPO pass for Wolma. Tate hit him in the right flat. Taking advantage of blocks by receivers Tony Ellison and Cedric Peterson, Wolma turned upfield and gained 8 yards. The Wildcats never gave the ball back to the Buffaloes and won 45-42.
That Rich Rodriguez entrusted Wolma in that critical moment tells you how he and his staff feel about the Saline, Michigan, product.
“He’s very coachable,” tight ends coach Calvin Magee said. “He’s a tough kid. He’s got some very good ball skills. He understands football, and he loves football.”
Wolma wasn’t expected to have this big a role. But he capitalized on injuries to fellow tight ends Trevor Wood and Jamie Nunley and has emerged as one of Arizona’s steadiest pass catchers. Wolma has yet to start a game but ranks second on the team with 17 receptions.
“I think I’ve progressed a lot,” Wolma said. “At the beginning of the year I was kind of worried about my blocking, my adjustment into college football, especially in the Pac-12. Non-conference is a lot different than Pac-12. Guys are faster and bigger. I think after two games, I’m kind of getting the hang of it.”
Wolma credits Magee for getting the tight ends more involved in the passing game — something that largely has been missing from Rodriguez’s offense since he came to Tucson. Magee, Arizona’s associated head coach and co-offensive coordinator, added tight ends to his running back duties this past offseason.
“It’s obviously worked in the game plan so far,” Wolma said. “Hopefully it keeps going.”
