Michael Lev: 5 takeaways on Arizona’s 31-10 victory over UTEP to close nonconference play

Jedd Fisch called Arizona’s 31-10 victory over UTEP on Saturday night “the best team win that I can remember that we’ve had.”

I wouldn’t go that far; last year’s triumph over UCLA was more impressive when you factor in the quality of the opponent and the venue.

But Saturday’s performance was sound in just about every way and an encouraging next step in the program’s progression with Pac-12 play fast approaching.

Here are my top five takeaways on the Wildcats’ nonconference finale:

1. ‘Next level’ on defense

Entering the season, I said Arizona’s defense didn’t necessarily need to be good to end the program’s bowl drought but “good enough.” Thus far, it’s been great.

Arizona has allowed only 44 points in three games, an average of 14.7 — which would have ranked sixth nationally last season. Do you know where the Wildcats actually ranked? Try 125th, at 36.4 points per game.

The numbers are going to get worse when Arizona enters the meat of its schedule. That might not be next week against Stanford, which just lost at home to Sacramento State. But then comes Washington, which is averaging 46.7 points per game; USC, which is averaging 59.3; and the rest of the high-scoring, high-flying Pac-12.

Those are all “you can’t stop them, you can only hope to contain them” games. But don’t you feel much better about the Wildcats’ ability to do that after these first three performances?

They didn’t do anything spectacular against UTEP. Aside from a handful of plays, they just played solid ball.

“The communication seemed to be at an all-time high,” Fisch said. “It didn’t ever feel we were not in the right position to make the play. And that comes down to communication, that comes down to the amount of time they spend walking through plays, practicing, the preparation involved.

“We’re now just going to assume we’re going to play with great effort and ... that we’re going to always run to the ball. But then when you can become gap sound and fundamentally sound, that’s when you can really take that defense to the next level.”

2. De Laura defers, thrives

UA quarterback Jayden de Laura did not commit a turnover for the first time since the aforementioned UCLA game. He played smart, efficient football and thrived in a game plan that set him up for success.

We saw little if any of the recklessness that undermined Arizona the previous week at Mississippi State — a vulnerable opponent that the Wildcats almost defeated despite de Laura’s four interceptions (and five turnovers overall).

De Laura clearly got the message from Fisch and quarterbacks coach Jimmie Daugherty during film review: You don’t have to do it all out there. You have good players around you. Let them make plays.

“I wish we went over this topic earlier, before the year,” de Laura said.

It’s hard to believe it hasn’t come up before. Regardless, he continued:

“But it was good. I had to heard it. I feel like today, I really kept that in the back of my head. When I had to run, I ran. When I had to throw it away, I threw it away.”

Fisch also dialed up a bunch of short, quick passes to the perimeter that got the ball out of de Laura’s hand and took advantage of Arizona’s improved blocking and the athleticism of left tackle Jordan Morgan. The Wildcats unofficially had 224 yards after the catch out of 300 total passing yards.

3. Fits at the start

Although de Laura played well and the run game finally got going, Arizona still left points on the field. The Wildcats haven’t approached their peak offensively.

Arizona had 544 yards of offense, averaged 8.5 yards per play, converted 5 of 10 third downs ... yet scored only 31 points. Those numbers don’t add up.

So what’s going on? A few things.

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First of all, the Wildcats are struggling in the first quarter. They have just seven points in the opening period through three weeks. They weren’t sharp at the start against the Miners, especially up front, where a holding penalty against Morgan derailed their first possession.

The second drive ended with a turnover as Tetairoa McMillan coughed up the ball after a reception.

Arizona scored on the first play of the second quarter, completing a possession that began in the first, then came up empty as Tyler Loop’s 45-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

The Wildcats had 12 possessions in all, and they either scored or had a chance to score on half of them. It’s more like six out of 10 if you toss out the end of the first half, when they didn’t have enough time or timeouts to get into scoring range, and the end of the game, when they were running out the clock.

If you’re giving yourself a chance to score on 60% of your drives, that’s pretty good. But there’s more in the tank than Arizona has shown thus far.

4. One for the ages

When we asked Fisch and his players about McMillan’s incredible one-handed catch in the second quarter, they basically shrugged. They’ve been there and witnessed that.

“I’ve seen it a lot at this point,” said Fisch.

“That’s an everyday thing,” said de Laura, who at least conceded that McMillan is “probably the most athletic person I’ve ever been around.”

It is true that McMillan making one-handed grabs is nothing new. But this was different in a couple of ways.

For one, it happened on a pass up the seam. Usually, you see those types of plays along the sideline.

Second, there were two defenders in the vicinity when McMillan soared into the air to snag the ball.

It was an extraordinary play even by T-Mac’s standards. Even members of the notoriously snarky, skeptical media were oohing and aahing in the press box. The catch was that good.

5. Gunner’s redemption

No UA player has been more maligned by media and message-board posters than safety Gunner Maldonado, who struggled through the first two weeks. Maldonado had the lowest Pro Football Focus grade of any Wildcat on either side of the ball, got ejected for targeting in Week 1 and surrendered a touchdown in Week 2.

In Week 3, Maldonado redeemed himself.

He remained aggressive against the run but played more under control, doing enough to send ball-carriers to the turf.

Early in the fourth quarter, when the game wasn’t quite out of reach, Maldonado forced a fumble, recovered the ball and returned it 22 yards. Three plays later, Montana Lemonious-Craig scored his first touchdown as a Wildcat to make the score 31-3.

Finally, after UTEP’s garbage-time touchdown, Maldonado recovered a high-bouncing onside kick in traffic.

Asked what he’s learned over the first three weeks, Maldonado echoed de Laura’s declaration: Sometimes less is more.

“Don’t try to do too much,” Maldonado said. “Just do my job. Gotta trust the other 10 guys.”

Teamwork was the theme of the night.

Photos: Arizona takes down UTEP 31-10, NCAA football