What to watch for when the Arizona Wildcats visit SDSU in the season opener

Here are three things to watch in the Arizona Wildcats’ 2022 opener against San Diego State at Snapdragon Stadium (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., CBS), plus a score prediction and some pertinent preview links:

1. DE LAURA’S DEBUT

There were a lot of reasons Arizona went 1-11 last season. We detailed most of them here. Quarterback play, from start to finish, was an issue, whether it was injuries, inconsistency or lingering uncertainty. Enter Washington State transfer Jayden de Laura, who, in theory, should solve all those problems. De Laura has advantages that his predecessors didn’t. Not only did he commandeer the job early in spring practice, but de Laura has a proven track record against Pac-12 competition. We saw almost every snap he took during practice. Two things stood out most: (1) how much de Laura improved, especially over the back half of training camp; and (2) how willing he was to take shots down the field. Jedd Fisch knew he needed to create more explosive plays. De Laura and fellow newcomers such as Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan will give the Wildcats a chance to do that if – and it’s a big if – the offensive line does its job.

2. NANSEN’S NUANCES

Don’t underestimate the impact of Johnny Nansen, a newcomer who won’t play a single down for the Wildcats. Nansen is Arizona’s new defensive coordinator. We like his approach so far. He keeps it simple. He continually emphasizes the basics. He wants his defense to play smart and fast. He also seems more flexible than predecessor Don Brown. Brown is one of the most accomplished defensive coordinators of the past 20 years. He also has a particular style, and that style didn’t necessarily suit the 2021 Wildcats. Yes, Brown helped Arizona allow about 100 fewer yards per game. But the Wildcats gave up far too many big plays on the back end – especially by safeties playing man coverage against slot receivers. (See the Washington State game, in which de Laura threw a career-high four touchdown passes.) Nansen recently conceded that he had to alter his scheme a bit to fit the personnel he inherited. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?

3. SOMETHING SPECIAL

On paper, Arizona should have a substantial edge on special teams. UA punter Kyle Ostendorp made first-team All-Pac-12 last year. New full-time kicker Tyler Loop has attempted 24 kicks in college ... and has made all of them. San Diego State, meanwhile, must replace Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza, who also handled placements. The player taking over that job is Jack Browning, who has yet to attempt an extra point, field goal or punt in a game. Browning’s résumé is fascinating. He served as SDSU’s primary holder last season. He kicked off once – and it was returned 73 yards. He also scored a touchdown on a fake field goal. Arizona does have to be wary of SDSU’s Jordan Byrd, the preseason Special Teams Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. Byrd has returned a kickoff for a touchdown each of the past two seasons and has a 25.4-yard career average.