Arizona Wildcats Depth Chart Update for Week 3
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After dominating Hawaii and Weber State in their first two games, scoring a total of 88 points and allowing just nine, the Arizona Wildcats football team is now gearing up to take on Kansas State this Friday at 6 p.m.
- "We are definitely excited for Friday night," Head coach Brent Brennan said.
- "What an incredible way for our fans and our students to start their weekend. Big time college football at Arizona Stadium... This is a big opportunity for us, obviously. This is a big game. We're playing an excellent opponent. They've got great players, they're extremely well-coached and so we know we've got an incredible big-time battle coming on Friday night."
Despite Kansas State's rough 1-2 start, this week's match-up will be the first real test that Arizona faces this season in the eyes of many and will show whether or not the Wildcats have truly improved since the offseason.
The official depth chart for the week three game was released earlier this Monday. showing what the starting lineup may look like, given that everything goes right throughout the four days leading up.
Who might be sitting out?
Kedrick Reescano was seen in a walking boot during warm-ups before the start of Saturday's game against Weber State. As far as an update goes for the junior running back, there has been none yet.
Tre Smith suffered an injury during the game and it is unknown whether or not he will be suiting up either.
Jabari Mann was flagged for a targeting foul on quarterback Jackson Gilkey and was subsequently ejected for it. By the rules of the NCAA, he will have to sit out for the first half of the next game.
Treydan Stukes has yet to suit up for a game, as the coaching staff is being cautious with the injury that he suffered last season.
Who is returning?
Linebacker Riley Wilson saw his first snaps on Saturday after an injury kept him out of the last half of training camp. He is expected to see even more snaps now that he is healthy.
Rhino Tapa'atoutai played a couple of drives after rehabbing a knee injury during all of spring and fall training camp. Michigan transfer Tristan Bounds has fulfilled starting duties at right tackle in Tapa'atoutai's place.
Wide receiver Chris Hunter is back in the starting lineup after playing just six snaps against Hawaii. Kris Hutson was also in the mix after sitting out the first game due to an injury that was suffered in fall camp.
Tight end Keyan Burnett saw snaps with Sam Olson. Burnett was kept out of Week One with a leg injury.
Noah Fifita, of course, will be taking snaps as the starting quarterback after a 17-for-23 night that saw him throw for 273 yards and five touchdowns.
The projected depth chart
The wide receiver corps was unstoppable in week two and is looking to be the same way against Kansas State. The first four to take the field will be Kris Hutson, Javin Whatley, Luke Wysong and Chris Hunter. Tre Spivey is a close second option behind Hunter, along with Brandon Phelps, who caught his first touchdown of his career. Isaiah Mizell and Gio Richardson saw action in the blowout win as well.
Junior Kedrick Reescano is still listed as the starting running back, while Transfers Ismail Mahdi and Quincy Craig will be the second options. They are not second stringers, but rather what running back coach Alonzo Carter calls "1a and 1b."
Sam Olson will be the starting tight end as a redshirt senior in his second year with the Wildcats, having transferred from San Jose State. Cameron Barmore and senior Keyan Burnett are listed as the co-starters after Powell went down with the season-ending leg injury.
Ty Buchanan and Tristan Bounds will be the starting tackles. Rhino Tapa'atoutai is listed as the co-starter at right tackle and will possibly be getting more reps than he did last week after making his long-awaited return from the knee injury that ended his 2024 campaign.
Center Ka'ena Decambra anchored the offensive line for most of the game on Saturday and will do so again against Kansas State. The two guards who are projected to start are Alexander Doost and Michael Wooten, who have been walls in the interior so far this season.
Matthew Lado is projected to be the backup at tackle. Chubba Ma'ae and Ise Mautautia will be the backup guards and Grayson Stovall will be behind Decambra at center.
On the defensive side of the ball, nothing has changed in the safety room as redshirt senior Dalton Johnson and junior Genesis Smith will be the two starting safeties. Freshman Coleman Patmon will serve as Johnson's backup and transfer redshirt sophomore Jack Luttrell will be Smith's.
Redshirt senior Treydan Stukes will be the nickel back with redshirt sophomore Gavin Hunter at the second-string spot. Hunter started last Saturday's game in place of Stukes again and was just as impactful as he was against Hawaii.
Marquis Groves-Killebrew and Ayden Garnes are going to be the two co-starters on one side at cornerback, with Michael Dansby on the other.
Taye Brown, Max Harris, and Chase Kennedy will be the three starting linebackers. Jabari Mann, Leviticus Su'a, and Riley Wilson are to serve in the backup role. Wilson will most likely see an extended amount of snaps after making his debut last Saturday. Mann will be sitting out for a half after a targeting foul got him ejected.
The edge rushers are slated to be Tre Smith and Dominic Lolesio, with Mays Pese and Malachi Bailey in the second string spot. Smith will be the starter until an official update is made on his injury.
At nose tackle, Tiaoalii Savea is likely to be at that spot. Julian Savaiinaea and Chancellor Owens will be the backups.
Michael Salgado-Medina will be the field goal kicker and punter for the third week in a row after earning both duties in fall camp, keeping a hold of it over an impressive two weeks of play. Illinois State transfer Ian Wagner will serve as the kickoff kicker and as a place holder.
Mahdi will still be fielding kickoff return duties and Jeremiah Patterson at punt return.
All positions are not solidified and are subject to change.
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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.