Senior moments
Khalil Tate came to Arizona as a 17-year-old. In his four years, he racked up numerous records but struggled with injuries and expectations.
Several Wildcats took the field at Arizona Stadium on Saturday night for the last time. UA running back J.J. Taylor is a redshirt junior, but will enter his name in the 2020 NFL Draft.
He participated in Senior Night festivities before the game. Cornerback Lorenzo Burns is a redshirt junior and was a part of Senior Night, but still plans on returning to Arizona in 2020.
Senior quarterback Khalil Tate, cornerback Jace Whittaker, safety Chaco Ulloa, linebacker Lee Anderson, punter Matt Aragon, defensive end Justin Belknap, defensive tackle Finton Connolly, safety Tristan Cooper, offensive lineman Cody Creason, cornerback Malcolm Holland, wide receiver Terrence Johnson, linebacker Richard Merritt, wide receiver Cedric Peterson and long snapper Donald Reiter were also recognized before the game.
Recruits visiting
Saturday marked the final opportunity for Arizona to showcase a game-day atmosphere to recruits in 2019. Coaches made sure to focus on the defensive side of the ball. Arizona hosted three-star linebackers Mason Cobb and Jamoi Hodge along with three-star defensive ends Regen Terry and DeVere Levelston.
Four-star Phoenix-area defensive end Jason Harris, brother of current UA edge rusher Jalen Harris and son of “Desert Swarm” linebacker Sean Harris, also stood on the sidelines.
Cobb is a 6-foot-1-inch, 220-pound linebacker from Provo, Utah, who is expected to choose between Arizona, Oklahoma State and Utah State, among other schools. Hodge and Levelston are both junior college prospects, which checks off the size and experience boxes that has been a priority for Kevin Sumlin’s staff over the last two seasons.
The 6-2, 225-pound Hodge is rated as the third-best JuCo outside linebacker, per 247sports.com. He plays at Independence, the college featured in two seasons of “Last Chance U” on Netflix.
Levelston is a 6-4, 255-pound edge rusher from DeSoto, Texas; he plays at Tyler College. He’s considering the UA, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Arizona faces some challenges with Terry considering his father, Reggie Terry, is a director of football operations at Boston College and Iona Uiagalelei, who was fired as the UA’s defensive line coach this week, was Terry’s primary recruiter. Colorado and Texas A&M have made late pushes to recruit Harris.
Three-star Detroit offensive tackle Jeremy Flax and Gilbert High School quarterback Will Plummer, who has committed to Arizona, was also in attendance for UA-Utah.
Jase or Jace?
During Senior Night ceremonies, the video board at Arizona misspelled Whittaker’s entire name, which read “Jase Whitaker.”
We all need a copy editor sometimes.
Military Appreciation Night
Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin, left, and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham talk before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats celebrated Military Appreciation Night by wearing Operation Hat Trick decals on their helmets. All week long, the UA bookstore sold olive green Arizona merchandise, with all the proceeds helping veterans.
The UA coaching staff wore camouflage shirts on the sidelines.
Pac-12’s disaster scenario takes shape
An Oregon fan reacts during the final seconds of the team’s loss to ASU on Saturday.
The Pac-12 was this close to having a showdown between two top-10 teams, Oregon and Utah, in the conference title game with the winner having a legitimate shot at making the College Football Playoff.
That won’t happen now. No. 6 Oregon’s nine-game win streak came to a screeching half Saturday night in Tempe, as ASU pulled off a stunner by a final of 31-28. The Ducks will still make the conference title game to represent the North division, but it appears their playoff chances are slim to none.
Utah likely remains the Pac-12’s lone hope of getting a team to the CFP for the first time since Washington made it in 2016-17.
Can these guys still play defense?
Earl Mitchell, Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed in the house! pic.twitter.com/01m32TR19j
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) November 24, 2019
A few former UA defensive players made their way back to Arizona Stadium on Saturday. Earl Mitchell, Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed were introduced on the sidelines during a TV timeout.
Mitchell, a defensive standout at UA from 2006-2009, recently announced his retirement from the NFL after nine seasons. Reed had been playing for the Arizona Cardinals, but was put on injured reserve earlier this month.
He is a Sabino High School product and a second-round draft pick by the Houston Texans in 2011. Elmore, a defensive end, played at UA from 2007-2010 and racked up 128 tackles.
