Top Matchups to Watch For Against Hawaii
In this story:
The Arizona Wildcats football season officially starts in just one day and they are fully prepared to show that they are a different team than what they were a year ago when they went 4-8 and were among the bottom of the Big 12.
Arizona will have the opportunity to show that they are a much-improved team and has corrected the many problems from 2024, a year that saw it go 4-8 and rank among the bottom of the Big 12 in a handful of categories.
Hawaii comes to Tucson riding a huge confidence wave after beating the Stanford Cardinal in the final seconds of the game at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, thanks to place kicker Kansei Matsuzawa nailing a field goal that split the uprights, giving the Rainbow Warriors a 23-20 win after being down 10-0 in the first half.
Saturday's game presents itself to be a challenge, but the revamped Arizona Wildcats have a bit of confidence of their own after a productive fall training camp and a week of preparation under their belt.
Despite that, Arizona will still come out hungry and ready to prove itself as a legitimate contender in the Big 12 with a reloaded roster and new mindset.
Some interesting matchups seem to be exciting on paper. We have broken down three of them as we draw closer to kickoff, which is at 7:30 p.m. (MST).
Taye Brown and Micah Alejado
Alejado was highly effective against Stanford, utilizing the quick routes and improvisation that head coach Timmy Chang's run & shoot offense is known for. Taye Brown, on the other hand, is known for his sideline-to-sideline ability and has the skills to disrupt those passes and nullify the mobility of the redshirt freshman. Brown started in 11 of 12 football games last year and ended the season with 70 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. Alejado was injured in the third quarter last week, so his mobility may be compromised when rolling out of the pocket or improvising on a broken play. Brown could have a game where he takes advantage of that as well as disrupting a lot of horizontal routes.
Tiaoalii Savea and the interior of Hawaii
The Hawaii offense gave up four sacks against Stanford, two of which were from a single lineman throughout last Saturday's game. Savea recorded just four tackles during the 2024 season when he was with Texas. Savea improved heavily while working with defensive line coach Joe Salave'a and has shown that he can disrupt the line with his size and frame, paired with the skills he worked on over the offseason and practices. Center Ethan Spencer could have a long night against Savea if he has truly improved on the things he needed to.
Marquis Groves-Killebrew against Pofele Ashlock
Groves-Killebrew showed strong improvement from last year to now in the fall camp, showing off his skills in a stacked room filled with veteran defensive backs. He has shown that he can be a physical cornerback who that close the window on a fast wide out like Ashlock when the ball comes out quickly. Groves-Killebrew posted 26 tackles in the 10 games he appeared in, 22 of those being solo. Ashlock had nine receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown against Stanford. It will be a fun matchup to watch and see how much Groves-Killebrew has improved through camp against a speedy receiver who may have solidified himself as Alejado's favorite target.
All starters are projected, so some may change for the game.
Please find us on X by clicking the link. Be sure to follow us for more storie on the Arizona Wildcats.
Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.