Houston's Run Defense Faces Major Test Against Arizona

Throughout the season, one of the defining factors of this Houston Cougars team has been the defense's ability to stop the run. With a very balanced Arizona Wildcats offense coming to town, defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong may have his hands full stopping the Wildcats' rushing attack this Saturday.

In their 39-17 win over Oklahoma State last weekend, the Cougars dominated the line of scrimmage as they held the Cowboys to just under 3.2 yards per carry on 23 rushing attempts. If you can hold your opponent to under 50 total rushing yards, your defensive line is obviously doing something right.

With the weekend behind them, Houston will now prepare for one of the most dynamic run games they've faced so far this season. With multiple running backs averaging over 5.5 yards per carry on 25 or more attempts, the Cougars will need to play sound defense since Arizona can beat you both in the air, and on the ground.

Does Arizona have a Three-Headed Dragon in the Backfield?

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) runs a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The lead back for the Wildcats, Ismail Mahdi, has totaled over 400 yards and a touchdown on only 71 rushing attempts. Averaging 5.7 yards per carry this season, Mahdi is likely to get the brunt of the work against the Houston defense this weekend.

Behind Mahdi on the depth chart is Quincey Craig, a junior who spent three years at Portland State before transferring to Arizona after the 2024 season. Craig has totaled 207 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 rushing attempts and has quickly become an explosive running back for the Wildcats.

̶F̶o̶u̶r̶t̶h̶ ̶D̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶C̶o̶n̶v̶e̶r̶s̶i̶o̶n̶

TOUCHDOWN ✅

Kedrick Reescano puts Arizona up 10.
pic.twitter.com/TN29Rz7sXH
— PHNX Wildcats (@PHNX_Wildcats) October 12, 2025

Kedrick Reescano has also gotten quality time in the backfield with 5.8 yards per carry with 145 rushing yards total. The junior from New Caney, Texas, has found the endzone twice within 25 total rushing attempts this season.

Offensive coordinator Seth Doege has shown that he's comfortable with any of the running backs listed above being the lead back. Because Arizona's passing offense has been so efficient this season, there's been less emphasis on stopping the run from opposing defenses.

Houston's Ability to Stop the Run Game

Through the first six games of the season, the Cougars have been efficient in stopping the run, allowing 125.5 rushing yards per game. After giving up over 200 yards on the ground to No.7 Texas Tech, the Houston defensive line responded by limiting Oklahoma State to just 45 total rushing yards.

As always, the Cougars' success on Saturday will likely depend on players like Carlos Allen and Jalen Garner, who have been extremely efficient at filling in running lanes this season.

So far this season, Allen Jr has been a premier run stopper in the Big 12 with 43 total tackles along with 2.5 tackles for a loss. Garner has excelled in creating chaos for opposing offenses with his ability to rush the quarterback at a high level. The linebacker has totaled 42 tackles through six games while recording 2.0 sacks for a loss of 17 yards.

With how talented Coach Willie Fritz's secondary is, the Cougars can likely focus on stopping the run if they want to find a win over the Wildcats on Saturday.