This Arizona Position Room Poised For Impressive Season
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Spring practice is fully underway, and the Arizona Wildcats are looking to build off of a successful season that saw them go 9-4, finish among the top of the Big 12, and appear in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.
Arizona attempted to make a comeback on the ACC's SMU Mustangs, but could not muster up enough points by the end of the fourth quarter, losing the game by a 24-19 score. Nonetheless, the season was an absolute far cry from 2024. where Arizona went 4-8 in its inaugural season in the Big 12.
Among the many changes during the offseason, one position group has remained mostly the same. Arizona's running back room has four players returning and is hungry to develop even further into a fearsome group.
Although Ismail Mahdi, the Wildcats' leading rusher, has left, Kedrick Reescano and Quincy Craig are returning for one more year. Sophomores Wesley Yarbrough and Cornelius Warren are coming back and are expected to see an increased workload. A lot is expected of Arizona's
Arizona Running Backs Looking to Keep Improving
Reescano and Craig were a part of a three running back system that scorched the opposing defense when given just a little bit of room. Mahdi was the feature back and totaled 859 yards and four touchdowns, but the duo got plenty of meaningful carries as well.
Reescano finished the season with 396 yards and nine touchdowns, five of them coming in the final four games. Craig had 264 yards and two touchdowns. His elusiveness and power got Arizona many if the tough yards needed to move the chains.
With two sophomores and a senior transer in the mix, Reescano and Craig were challenged to become the vocal leaders of the running back room..
"It's just finding when to speak, that's more to the issue and you know what to say," Reescano said on the challenges of stepping into a leader role. "When you speak from the heart and you've already earned the respect of your teammates, they'll get behind you. Just knowing when to say something, how to say it and you know who you're talking to. That's also a big thing. It's a challenge, but you know, I'm here for it."
"I think our coaching staff does a really good job at just letting us talk, letting us have the opportunity to talk and and speak out about it," Craig said. "I don't know about Ked, but I'm definitely taking this role of trying to, 'how can I be of value?'"
Wildcats' Sophomores and Transfers Receive Praise From Vets
With Mahdi being the only running back to depart, Arizona has the benefit of returning three of its players to the room. Yarbrough and Warren are slated to make a leap in their production, given their elevated skill set.
Roberts, the transfer out of Marshall, is also poised to have a solid year with Arizona. Their efforts in practice have not gone unnoticed to Reescano.
"I know he's played in an offense like this before, but he's picking up our offense really fast," Reescano said of Roberts. "He's getting all the small details and running routes the right way."
Reescano also had plenty of good things to say about Yarbrough and Warren as well. He added, "With the other two guys, they've been in the system, so now it's just exciting to see them flourish. They didn't have that opportunity last year, so seeing them break long runs, or catch passes, or even just understanding where to pick up a protection, it's amazing to see."
Arizona's Lyle Moevao New Coach of Running Backs
While the Wildcats retained most of their running backs, they did lose Alonzo Carter, who is now the head coach at Sacramento State. Lyle Moevao, who was one of the offensive assistant coaches, is now the leader of the group and will look to continue the improvement of the squad.
I think with coach Lyle, having his quarterback background, he's very smart, very direct in what he does," Craig said. "He does also bring that family aspect in it as well. I think that's part of his culture, with him being um Polynesian. So, I think that's what he does a really good job at."
Reescano and Craig are spending the better part of spring practice rehabbing their injuries obtained from the prior season. Once they reach 100%, they will return to fully practicing and demonstrating the skills that made them a dangerous group.
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.