Arizona's rotation at wide receiver 'will be a constant, fluid situation'

Arizona could play four wide receivers in a game. Or it could play nine.

UA head coach Brent Brennan has been in both positions over the course of his nearly three-decade coaching career.

“It just depends on the effort and production you’re getting out of whoever you got out there,” Brennan said.

Arizona receivers coach Bobby Wade said “whoever is ready to play, will play” and the UA receiver rotation “will be a constant, fluid situation from week to week.”

The UA coaches “have an idea of who the top six are” at wide receiver and the seventh, eighth and ninth wide receivers “might have an opportunity and will come in and play in spots,” Wade said.

Between the spring and fall training camp, it’s clear who are Arizona’s top five wide receivers: returning redshirt junior Chris Hunter, along with transfers Kris Hutson (Washington State), Javin Whatley (Chattanooga), Tre Spivey III (Kansas State) and Luke Wysong (New Mexico).

Wade said the 6-4, 212-pound Spivey “is hard to cover.” Spivey displayed that on Monday when he high-pointed a ball over cornerback Johno Price — also known as “Mossed” — for one of the most impressive catches of training camp. Whatley said Spivey’s grab was “one of the best catches I’ve ever seen.”

“It looked like we were playing basketball on the football field,” added Whatley.

Arizona’s expectations for Hutson, a former highly-touted recruit entering his sixth season after stops at Oregon and Washington, “are really high,” Brennan said. Hutson has been arguably Arizona’s top pass-catcher in training camp so far.

“He’s a young man that has played a lot of football,” Brennan said. “He matches high-level talent with a lot of experience. He plays with a lot of confidence out there and I think that’s one of those things that’s a lot of fun. He’s a technically sound receiver. Technically, he’s fantastic. ... It’s fun to see him make plays. Him and Noah are building some good chemistry and I’m excited to see the things he’s going to do this fall.”

Whatley’s “speed is very elite and definitely next-level,” Wade said

“He has a high football IQ, as well, so he has the ability to play inside and out. His experience and having played so much football really lets him settle into any offense,” said Wade. “He’s not pinned down at being good at one thing, but he’s really good at multiple things. It’s great to have him in the room. He’s a great leader. He’s kind of quiet in the room, but he leads by example by the way he goes about his business every day.”

Wysong, who had eight catches for 129 yards and a touchdown last season against Arizona in Tucson, “is a warrior” at slot receiver. Wysong is also expected to be heavily involved with Arizona’s special teams units as a returner and coverage player.

“His personality, his football IQ, it really gives him the ability to play anywhere on the football field,” Wade said of Wysong, who was named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list. “And then he’s just extremely unselfish as a player, so it makes him the ultimate team player. It’s great to be able to move him and play multiple positions on the field.

“On the receiver side of things, he’s an elite playmaker, very tough, great speed, everything we need in the room. Naturally, it’s going to give him his best opportunity to play on Sundays, the special teams part, as well as his skillset offensively. ... We need a lot of guys like Luke Wysong. ... His heart, his focus and his ability to be a team player, those are the guys you want on your football team.”

Beyond the aforementioned players, Arizona has several options to round out its receiver rotation.

Arizona freshman and Chandler Basha product Gio Richardson, who was one of the top in-state receivers last year, has emerged as a promising prospect in training camp and is “extremely smart.”

“One of the smartest in the room,” Wade said. “His ability to focus at his age, his ability to come in and ask extra questions — and then his on-field learning is extremely unique because he wants that teaching right away. ... I’m super pleased with his development and how fast he’s coming along.”

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Redshirt sophomore Devin Hyatt, a redshirt sophomore entering his third season with the program, has recovered from the horrifying leg injury he suffered in the Territorial Cup in November.

“That’s a tough journey that he has been on,” Wade said of Hyatt.

The 6-2, 192-pound Hyatt, the younger brother of New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, joined the Wildcats as a walk-on after a career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Wade “was adamant about putting him on scholarship” last spring, said the UA receivers coach.

“He deserved that, he earned that,” Wade said. “Last year, being a spot player, he came in and made some big plays for us.”

One of those plays was a crucial third-down conversion in Arizona’s Big 12-opening win at No. 10 Utah. Hyatt caught a 41-yard pass from quarterback Noah Fifita on third down in the fourth quarter, which set up a game-sealing touchdown throw to tight end Keyan Burnett.

Even though Hyatt has contributed in a limited fashion, “his experience is valuable,” Wade said.

“Late in the season, for that injury to happen, it was unfortunate,” added Wade. “But his focus and the way he responded to that injury and coming back to work and believing in himself, having confidence in his ability to come back and be better, it really shows.

“Even in camp, there were some lows in camp that we had with him, but his ability to stand up and come back, it really says a lot of about his character. I’m excited for him. He’s a year older. He brings valuable experience to the room and he has a skillset that is unique, as well, so I’m excited to see how he can help us.”

After an impressive spring, redshirt freshman Brandon Phelps — who had a historic career at American Leadership Academy — Gilbert North, setting records for career receiving yards (4,475), touchdowns (60) and receptions (271) — is expected to be “a big part of this offense,” Wade said.

“He’s consistent, he’s a hard worker and he’s very smart, highly intelligent, so it’s great to have him in the room,” Wade said. “His consistency not only on the field, but even with his demeanor and how he carries himself, it’s a joy to have in the room.”

Other receivers that could find their way into Arizona’s receiver rotation are redshirt senior slot receiver Jeremiah Patterson, walk-on Rex Haynes and freshman Isaiah Mizell, who Wade dubbed the fastest player on the team, albeit the 6-1, 164-pound Mizell could likely be a redshirt candidate who could benefit from a full year in Arizona’s strength program.

Whether it’s four or nine receivers in rotation, Arizona values “quality over quantity when it comes to receiver play,” Wade said, which is a stark contrast to the Wildcats’ Tetairoa McMillan-centric offense last season.

“You don’t have to be on the field for 80 plays for you to get 10 catches,” he added. “We want to make sure guys are fresh, guys understand the offense, guys understand their roles.

“Obviously, the guys that are playing at a high level, that are consistent, that are available are continuously getting it done day in and day out, they will carry the bulk of the load. But I anticipate all of our guys having a real opportunity to play this year and catch footballs in a game. Not just play, but actually catch balls.”

Extra points

– Wade, on the connection between Fifita and Arizona’s receivers: “Spring gave us a real opportunity to not only time it up with the quarterback, but with the room. In return, working with Noah and other quarterbacks throughout the spring (and) the summer really gave them a lot of time to get to know each other. There’s a lot of different personalities in the room. There’s a lot of different backgrounds and there’s a lot of different styles of play.”

– Wade said Arizona’s receivers excelling at blocking “is an important part of our offense.” Added Wade: “We put a lot of emphasis on that. We practice that and the boys are taking it personal. It’s really about the willingness and the want-to on the perimeter when it comes to blocking. There is some skill and some technique, but at the end of the day, it’s about getting the job done.”

– Mizell is “doing a great job of adapting to the change culturally being far away from home and leaning on the guys within the room.” Added Wade: “My hats off to the older players for taking him under their wing and having those private talks about progression. ‘You’re not going to experience the success right away and it’s not an overnight situation that you’re going to be able to get to where you want to go.’ I think he struggled with that early in camp.”

– Wade, on Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege: “That’s my guy. Seth is fantastic. He’s a great leader, he always has a plan, he believes in these boys, he believes in the coaches and I’m excited to work with him.”