Arizona came up short in its upset bid against USC in the season opener Saturday. The Wildcats looked better than anticipated but the team's losing streak is now at 8 games. There were a lot of new faces on the field for the Wildcats, some expected and some unexpected. As we take a look back on what took place inside Arizona Stadium I wanted to call some attention to some of the more intriguing stats and performers during Saturday's loss. With the help of PFF's grades and analytics, here is a look at some of my takeaways from UA's 34-30 loss to the Trojans.
📈 Top PFF performers (offense/min. 50 snaps)
📈 Top PFF performers (offense/min. 50 snaps)
1. RB Gary Brightwell (Grade: 75.9/Snaps: 63) – 21 carries, 112 rushing yards, 5.3 avg, 3 catches, 20 receiving yards
Arizona's senior running back performed well in his first game as the starter and there was one drive in the second half that was all him. The thought had been that the Wildcats would utilize the full group of running backs it has on the roster this season, but Brightwell had the hot hand and ended up with 18 more carries than backup Michael Wiley. Where PFF believes Brightwell struggled is in the pass protection area. It was clear that Arizona was having some issues with blitz pickups throughout the game and that is one of the biggest areas of drop off for UA in losing someone like JJ Taylor who was a standout pass protector. Brightwell's biggest run came on a 34-yard play up the sideline showcasing his ability to explode for big chunks of yardage at any time. He picked up 87 of his yards after contact showcasing his ability to play a physical game. According to PFF, Brightwell was best running to the right side but his most explosive plays came on the left side behind left guard Donovan Laie.
2. WR Stanley Berryhill III (Grade: 71.2/Snaps: 55) – 8 catches, 70 yards, 1 touchdown
The redshirt junior is not necessarily the first player that would have come to mind as the top receiver in Saturday's game going into the matchup with USC, but like he has always done the Tucson native found a way to make an impact once again. The Wildcats were missing some of their expected contributors at the position, including Brian Casteel, so Berryhill became Grant Gunnell's favorite target in the game. He had nine passes thrown his way Saturday and he made eight catches on those opportunities. His touchdown late in the game helped put the Wildcats ahead with under two minutes in the game and it came on a nice play that showcased his elusiveness and speed. PFF graded him lowest on his run blocking and that was something the Wildcats struggled with across the board at the receiver position. He was a perfect 5 for 5 on catches in the middle of the field in the game and that is where he had the most success in addition to catches made behind the line of scrimmage.
3. OL Donovan Laie (Grade: 67.5/Snaps: 78)
The junior left guard is going to find himself on top of the offensive list quite a bit this season. He is the team's most consistent and talented offensive lineman. He didn't have his best performance against USC but even when he's not at his total best he is still one of the top players on the team. Laie's run blocking was impressive in Saturday's game and as I mentioned above, some of Brightwell's most explosive plays came because of what Laie was able to do in front of him to clear some room. PFF rated him as the the run-blocking lineman for Arizona on Saturday. Where he struggled some is in pass protection. Laie allowed a couple quarterback pressures against the USC defensive line in Saturday's game. He was banged up at one point and missed a couple plays, but Laie is someone the Wildcats need on the field to have success as an offense. Despite missing a couple plays, Laie still remained on the field for most of the game and was one of eight players to log 75 snaps or more Saturday.
Others: WR Tayvian Cunningham (Grade: 76.2/Snaps: 31) – 5 catches, 110 yards, 154 all-purpose yards
The senior slot receiver is the player who received the highest grade from PFF on Arizona's side after Saturday's game. He obviously had the one big play on a deep ball in the loss to USC as he was on the receiving end of a throw from Gunnell that led to a 75-yard touchdown play. Cunningham only was on the field for 31 snaps so I didn't include him on the list above. However, he turned in an impressive performance and was another standout on the offensive side hauling in five of the six passes thrown his way.
📈 Top PFF performers (defense/min. 50 snaps)1. OLB Jalen Harris (Grade: 74.9/Snaps: 60) – 6 tackles (5 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup
The redshirt junior defender was playing a new role Saturday as he made his first start as Arizona's "BUCK" linebacker. It means he had some different responsibilities in the game against USC and hew as dropped into coverage more times than I can remember at any point in his career. He did a good job of making plays when in coverage including having an impressive pass breakup along the sideline on a play that took some real athleticism. He was also one of three players to have two tackles for loss. There were still moments when Harris was used as a defensive end with his hand in the ground, particularly on third down when the Wildcats went into their nickel package, but I liked what I saw from him. PFF did as well as he earned high marks in several areas with his tackling grade being somethign that stood out. Overall, the Wildcats looked like a better tackling team and Harris made some impressive tackles on his own with five of his six total tackles being of the solo variety.
2. OLB Rourke Freeburg (Grade: 73.1/Snaps: 62) – 5 tackles (3 solo), 2 tackles for loss
Arizona doesn't have a ton of options at the outside linebacker positions, so Saturday it turned to one of its walk-on players as the redshirt junior from Scottsdale made his first start. It was a bit of a surprise as Freeburg was listed behind redshirt freshman Kwabena Watson on the depth chart, but the veteran linebacker said he has been working with the first unit leading up to the opener. Freeburg has the right type of skill set for the SAM linebacker position and that helped him earn the job and succeed on Saturday. He was active at the linebacker spot and had an impressive tackle for loss late in the game on fourth down inside the 10-yard line. It is a performance he can build on and now the staff can feel a bit more comfortable about the situation at SAM moving forward this season. Like Harris, Freeburg's tackling was impressive and he received high marks from PFF for what he showed as a tackler. He also received a positive grade for his work against the run.
3. NT Roy Lopez (Grade: 71.3/Snaps: 56) – 3 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss
There has been a considerable amount of buzz over the last few weeks about the New Mexico State graduate transfer. He showed why against the Trojans on Saturday. Lopez accounted for some big stuffed runs early in the game and showed that he has the tenacity to make an impact in the middle of the UA defensive line. It was more about creating havoc and disruption than it was about pure stats for Lopez as he only collected three tackles on the day, but it will always be difficult for an interior lineman to leave a huge mark on the stat sheet. PFF liked what Lopez showed as a tackler and run stopper. Overall the Wildcats looked improved against the run and Lopez played a big part in that. Stan Eggen knows he has a reliable piece with Lopez and it gives him something to build on as he will be a key part of the defense this year.
Others: DE Aaron Blackwell (Grade: 72.1/Snaps: 34) – 3 tackles (2 solo), 2 tackles for loss
The other veteran newcomer to the team also received high marks as Blackwell was another important part of Arizona's revamped run defense on Saturday. The New Mexico graduate transfer is naturally more of an inside player, but he worked at defensive end for the Wildcats on Saturday and that is where will continue to play. He was one of the players that racked up two tackles for loss in the game and like Lopez he was able to be disruptive up front. He wasn't included on the list above because he only played 34 snaps, but he certainly made the most of his time on the field. Like the others on the list he received high marks for his ability to tackle and help against the run.
