Arizona Wildcats Football

Arizona Wildcats coach Chuck Cecil revealed he "didn't even know (he) was bleeding" after head-butting—or "love-tapping"—one of his players to fire him up.

Arizona Sr. Defensive assistant Chuck Cecil head-butted a player with a helmet on and starting bleeding from his forehead 😱 pic.twitter.com/lYLqXy3VUC

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024

Thanks for all the support and check-in’s but I’m not entirely sure what all the fuss is about; I didn’t even notice I was bleeding, and it was a love tap, not a head butt! Clearly, turning 60 means I need to be a bit more careful with the thin skin, 🤦🏻‍♂️and maybe we should issue a…

— Chuck Cecil (@chuckcecil26) December 1, 2024

The 60-year-old defensive assistant coach assured fans on social media that he was fine following Arizona's 49-7 loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

"Thanks for all the support and check-in's but I'm not entirely sure what all the fuss is about," Cecil shared on social media. "I didn't even notice I was bleeding, and it was a love tap, not a head butt! Clearly, turning 60 means I need to be a bit more careful with the thin skin, and maybe we should issue a disclaimer: 'Kids, don't try this at home; leave it to the professionals!"

Cecil, a former safety for the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Wildcats, played for the Packers from 1988 to 1992, recording 13 interceptions and 340 tackles during that span.

At Arizona, he finished with 21 interceptions over three years and won the 1987 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

buddy, chuck cecil was doing this because this is what chuck cecil has done for 35 years. https://t.co/AiLX9CqOhC

— bomani (@bomani_jones) December 1, 2024

Needless to say, the former Wildcat quite literally bleeds cardinal red and navy blue.

"Seriously, there's nothing that I love more (aside from my wife and daughter) than the University of Arizona, our players, and the incredible Wildcat community," Cecil wrote. "We need to come together, rally around our team/kids and work towards building a championship-winning program. That's my sole focus and the reason I returned from the NFL—to contribute in any way I can. Let's bear down and make it happen!"

Cecil has coached at Arizona since 2018, following a lengthy NFL coaching career with the Tennessee Titans, St. Louis Rams and Los Angeles Rams before returning to Tucson.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 324

HAND: 10¼"

ARM: 33⅞"

WINGSPAN: 82¼"

40-YARD DASH: 4.95

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: 4.66

VERTICAL: 29"

BROAD: 8'10"

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POSITIVES

— Wide-bodied frame with thick limbs and a barrel chest

— Solid initial burst out of his stance to get to his spots in pass protection and line up targets as a puller

— Delivers a good amount of shock and jolt from his hands on contact to snap rushers' head back and displace/feed defensive tackles over on double-teams.

— Has an effective snatch-trap technique to defeat the long-arm, steal leverage and end reps quickly in pass protection.

— Shows good spatial awareness, timing and feel when uncovered in the pass and run game to know when to man his gap or release to the most dangerous man.

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NEGATIVES

— Below average recovery skills.

— Struggles to effectively brace, root his feet and transition into his anchor when rushers convert speed to power.

— Has a bad habit of drifting and opening his hips early in his angled set against wide rush alignments that creates a soft inside shoulder.

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NOTES

— 3-star recruit from the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 36 career starts at left tackle (five), right guard (15) and right tackle (16)

— Team captain

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OVERALL

Jonah Savaiinaea is a three-year starter inside Arizona's 55-45 pass-run split, shotgun, zone-based run scheme with counter/power concepts sprinkled in. Savaiinaea has a dense, thick build with solid arm length, play strength and athletic ability.

Savaiinaea is a solid overall run blocker using his wide-bodied frame, sound footwork and good spatial awareness to hit his aiming points with jolt on zone combinations, overtakes and backside cut-offs with enough burst to line up targets as a puller in Arizona's pin-pull series. He is proficient at knowing when to help, overtake, or release to the most dangerous man when uncovered, but his middling redirect skills sap his ability to consistently line up, scraping backers on climbs.

In pass protection, Savaiinaea is a functional right tackle with heavy hands to snap rushers' heads back when his timing is right before quickly engulfing them or using his signature snatch-trap technique to end the rep quickly. He has a bad habit of drifting into oversets and opening his hips early against widely aligned rushers when he's on an island, creating a soft inside shoulder. Savaiinaea has shaky footwork when transitioning into his anchor, which can get him pressed on his heels and pried open against speed to power.

Overall, Savaiinaea is best suited inside at guard in the NFL, where his starter-level size, square power, and initial quicks can earn him a starting role early in his rookie contract.

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GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 59

POSITION RANK: IOL7

PRO COMPARISON: Matthew Bergeron

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 190

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POSITIVES

— Athlete with rare length and size, combined with the movement skills necessary to get in and out of breaks.

— Has quick feet, a good burst out of breaks, and the ability to close ground when balanced.

— Likes to get his hands on in press, riding the receiver and disrupting timing. This allows him to get into phase and control the route.

— Very physical player in the run game. Does a great job using his length to his advantage quickly, shedding blocks on the edge.

— Secure tackler who wraps up and runs his feet through contact. Imposing his size.

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NEGATIVES

— Inconsistent sinking his hips and breaking, leading to separation. Can be slow transitioning, raising up when working downfield when in off coverage, leading him to be a step behind and handsy.

— Long strider who takes time to get to top speed. He opens the gate in press at times, allowing twitchier receivers to run right past him.

— Trouble with changing direction and flipping hips when open, leading him to make wide turns.

— Although he typically has the length advantage, receivers can get into him and push him around.

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NOTES

— Born Aug. 17, 2024

— 3-Star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247 Sports

— 2023 2nd AP Team All-Pac-12

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OVERALL

Tacario Davis is an intriguing cornerback prospect with rare length and size—at 6'4" and 195 pounds, he brings a unique profile to the position. His combination of height and movement skills allows him to compete in press coverage, and his physicality in both coverage and run defense stands out. Davis offers a unique blend of athleticism and physical play, making him a potential second-round pick with the ability to impact at the next level.

Davis thrives in press coverage, using his length and physicality to disrupt the timing of routes. He stays sticky in coverage, getting into receivers' hip pockets and showing good anticipation as they work downfield. His quick feet and burst out of breaks help him close ground effectively when balanced. However, Davis struggles with sinking his hips, which can lead to separation, particularly in off coverage. His long strides can also take time to reach top speed, making him vulnerable to faster, twitchier receivers who can run past him. His ball skills and awareness downfield are also areas of concern, as he sometimes struggles to locate and play the ball while engaging the receiver.

Davis is a very physical run defender who excels at using his length to shed blocks on the edge. He's a willing and aggressive tackler, seeking out big hits and consistently wrapping up to secure his tackles. His size allows him to impose himself on ball carriers, and he takes pride in contributing to the run defense. However, he occasionally gambles by sitting on routes, leading to poor positioning and missed opportunities in coverage.

Tacario Davis projects as an early-round pick with the potential to become an impact player, especially in schemes that prioritize his length and physicality. His rare combination of length and athleticism makes him a standout, but his inconsistency in transitions and his struggles in off coverage and ball awareness will need refinement. If he can improve his technique, particularly in coverage transitions and ball skills, Davis has the potential to develop into one of the top cornerbacks at the next level.

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GRADE: 7.8 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 29

POSITION RANK: CB5

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin King

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 219

HAND: 10"

ARM: 31½"

WINGSPAN: 77⅞"

40-YARD DASH: 4.53"

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POSITIVES

— Big-frame pass-catcher with traditional NFL size, weight, and arm length.

— Smooth and fluid-moving athlete for his size.

— A great run-after-catch option, wins with strength, agility, and elusiveness in the open field.

— Outstanding catch radius to win contested catches, red-zone targets, and back-shoulder fades.

— Mismatch playmaker due to alignment/positional versatility.

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NEGATIVES

— Route tempo needs more urgency at the snap.

— Route salesmanship is a little inconsistent from play-to-play.

— Ability to consistently defeat press alignment and physical corners.

— Questionable top-end speed to threaten defenses vertically when aligned outside.

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NOTES

— Born April 5, 2003

— 4-star recruit in the 2022 class per 247Sports

— 2024: First-team All-American; First-team All-Big 12

— 2023: Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Finalist, All-Pac-12 Second Team, AP Third-Team All-American

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OVERALL

Tetairoa McMillan is an uber-versatile and talented high-volume passing target suited to funnel the passing game through.

The versatility he offers is a strength of McMillan's draft profile. He aligns all over the Wildcats' offensive formation—X, Z, and the slot. McMillan's ability to win from multiple alignments creates mismatches for the defense. Not many taller outside corners can play in the nickel, and most nickel corners have to deal with McMillan's size/frame advantage. He is more fluid and agile than expected for a receiver of his size. McMillan runs whip routes, crossers, and in-cuts—separating well and working across the field.

He works the short to intermediate routes well—comfortable in the middle of the field. McMillan is a stellar run-after-catch receiver who has spatial awareness, stop/start ability, and elusiveness to make defenders miss after he secures the ball. His play strength allows him room to work through arm tackles for more YAC. With his size advantage, McMillan converts contested catches well. He is an area code extender for the quarterback to throw "trust balls" down the field with confidence he can out-position the defensive back to make a play. Whether high-pointing down the field or back shoulder fades, McMillan wins the catch point in multiple ways.

However, questions about consistent vertical separation are fair. McMillan would not be described as an explosive or dynamic receiver with top-end speed to put defensive backs on their heels. This leads to more press alignment and disruptive coverage when aligned on the outside to throw off timing between the receiver and quarterback. Adding to his release package and the use of his hands to quickly win the contact window will help his effectiveness against this type of alignment.

McMillan will benefit from adding more snap and urgency in his get-off at the snap to apply more pressure on his defender. He does not explode off the ball to sell vertical routes enough or give the illusion that he is going to run by his opponent. McMillan telegraphs his breaks against off-coverage defenders; this creates opportunities to be undercut or the route to be jumped by said defender.

In conclusion, Tetairoa McMillan is a fantastic receiving threat who brings a ton to the table. NFL offensive coordinators will appreciate his versatility and the litany of ways he can win in their offensive structure. He projects as a No. 1 wide receiver who you pepper with a high amount of targets per game.

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GRADE: 8.4 (Impact Player — 1st Round)

OVERALL RANK: 8

POSITION RANK: WR1

PRO COMPARISON: Tee Higgins or Mike Evans

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson

Arizona will wear its new red helmet when it hits the road to play No. 14 Kansas State on Friday.

The helmet will accompany the Wildcats' usual white away jersey along with red pants. The program rolled out a white alternate helmet with the script "Cats" design in July.

New combo unlocked 🔓

Tucson Threads vs Kansas State pic.twitter.com/lVUeB6AQMg

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 9, 2024

Our red "Cats" script helmet makes its debut this Friday, under the lights in Manhattan, Kansas pic.twitter.com/LCr37sEhay

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 9, 2024

Despite starting with a pair of home games, Week 3 will be the second time Arizona has had to wear its traditional road jersey. The team was forced to don an all-white look for its home opener because its opponent, New Mexico, experienced logistical problems that disrupted the shipment of their uniforms.

The Wildcats are coming off one of the best seasons in their history. They hit 10 wins for the first time since 2014 and finished 11th in the final AP Top 25 poll. The sudden departure of head coach Jedd Fisch dampened expectations somewhat heading into 2024, though.

After rolling over the Lobos to the tune of 61 points and 627 yards, Arizona had a hard time putting away Northern Arizona in Week 2. The Lumberjacks led 10-3 in the first half and were down just three points entering the fourth quarter. A safety for the NAU offense and a 56-yard touchdown run by Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano spared the hosts from an embarrassing upset.

A top-25 clash with Kansas State in Manhattan will provide a good barometer for the true level of Brent Brennan's squad.

Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan had himself a day in the Wildcats' season-opening 61-39 win against New Mexico on Saturday, catching 10 passes for 304 yards and four scores.

But for McMillan—who missed the offseason with a lower leg injury—just being back on the field was special enough.

"These last four months, I've been grinding and ready to get back on the field," he told reporters after his ridiculous performance. "Being able to just play with my brothers again, it's just a true blessing. Regardless of the records, I'm just happy to be back on the field with my brothers."

It isn't a huge surprise that he dominated, as he showed flashes of brilliance last season after catching 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. The bigger surprise was that he returned to Arizona at all after Jedd Fisch and his staff left the school to take over at Washington, replaced by Brent Brennan. Both McMillan and quarterback Noah Fifita chose to stay, however.

"Everybody in this building, the brotherhood we already had, the culture we had set in here, we just didn't want to leave this building," the wideout said. "The legacy that we already had began over here, we wanted to continue this legacy. At the end of the day, we came to Tucson to be program changers. Hopefully, Tucson, y'all can find pride in our play."

The Arizona duo of quarterback Noah Fifita and wideout Tetairoa McMillan have signed an NIL deal with private jet charter and aircraft management company Alerion Aviation, according to Pete Nakos of On3.

The duo starred in a commercial for the company, and in exchange "the athletes will be allotted a set number of hours on Alerion's jets for philanthropic use along with personal and team use, the company told On3."

NEW: Arizona QB Noah Fifita & WR Tetairoa McMillan are the latest College Football players to ink a private jet NIL deal🔥

The duo will have a set number of travel hours for philanthropic, personal, and team use, @PeteNakos_ reports. https://t.co/kR0ahEDS7E pic.twitter.com/Qen65ElJCe

— On3 (@On3sports) August 19, 2024

They'll join Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers and Jaxson Dart as prominent college athletes to sign deals with private jet companies.

Arizona OC Dino Babers said quarterback Noah Fifita is as good as anyone he’s ever coached. “Noah is not normal. He’s different. Thank god for that.”

Also said TMac is in the same category as Larry Fitzgerald when it comes to the best receivers he’s ever coached.

— Matt Reynoldson (@Matt_Reynoldson) August 19, 2024

Fifita and McMillan were an explosive pair in 2023, with the former throwing for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns despite making just nine starts, while the latter hauled in 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 scores.

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 175

HAND:

ARM:

WINGSPAN:

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40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

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POSITIVES

— Good speed. Can separate from defenders with and without the ball.

— Very good acceleration. Snaps into his top speed in a hurry.

— Very good change of direction and explosiveness. Quick, agile mover in space.

— Above-average route-running tools. Quickness and flexibility serve him well.

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NEGATIVES

— Small frame; terribly light and lacks length.

— Poor strength and ability to fight off DBs, both at the line and throughout routes.

— Struggles with concentration and technique as a pass-catcher. Has issues both in traffic and with random drops.

— Poor ability to break tackles. Lacks balance and power.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 90 REC, 848 YDS (9.4 AVG), 13 TD

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NOTES

— Born Feb. 4, 2001

— 2-star recruit in UTEP's 2019 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from UTEP to Arizona in 2022

— 52 career starts

— 2021 first-team All-C-USA

— 2023 All-Pac-12 honorable mention

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OVERALL

Jacob Cowing was asked to be two different receiver archetypes over his college career, with both revolving around his speed.

Cowing was a vertical receiver for his first three seasons at UTEP. He's twitchy off the line of scrimmage and attacks defensive backs quickly. Though he isn't an elite burner, Cowing brings threatening speed that forces defenses to respect him down the field. One free step of separation can become a touchdown.

At Arizona, however, Cowing was asked to be more of an underneath yards-after-the-catch earner. His quick feet and effortless change of direction made it an easy transition. Aside from screens and simple shallow crossers, Cowing showed flashes of impressive route-running ability on speed outs, curls and slants. He really explodes and accelerates out of his breaks.

The catch with Cowing is that he's limited to being sort of a gimmick receiver either way. Though Cowing's speed and quickness are threatening, he lacks size, length and strength.

Cowing struggles with contact as a route-runner. He can be swallowed up at the line of scrimmage, and he loses a lot of his juice when trying to fight through contact during routes. The same is true when Cowing needs to earn 50-50 balls.

Cowing also battles concentration issues. He shows random flashes of being able to find the ball outside his frame, but he too often loses the ball in traffic. His catching technique fails him at times as well, showing too many moments of "clapping" the ball as it comes in.

Cowing's speed and explosiveness make him a worthwhile Day 3 bet. Even at his size, it's hard to find players with that kind of twitch. With that said, Cowing's lack of size, strength and polish will be limiting, both early on and down the road. Cowing needs a spread-out passing offense that can give him space.

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GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 139

POSITION RANK: WR23

PRO COMPARISON: Calvin Austin

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

The Arizona Wildcats reportedly lost nine players to the transfer portal Wednesday, according to Pete Nakos of On3 and Tom VanHaaren of ESPN, including star running back Jonah Coleman.

NEWS: 9 Arizona football players have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in the past 30 minutes, per @PeteNakos_.

Among the group is RB Jonah Coleman, who totaled 1,154 yards and 6 TDs this season👀https://t.co/g4KkQwNNVh pic.twitter.com/hZrdKT8s5N

— On3 (@On3sports) January 18, 2024

CB Jordan Shaw, who just transferred to Arizona this offseason, is also back in the portal.

WR Audric Harris, who just signed in December is also in the portal for Arizona

Freshman OL Raymond Pulido, who signed in 2023, is in the portal.

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) January 18, 2024

The exodus comes in the wake of former head coach Jedd Fisch departing for Washington, where he replaced Alabama-bound Kalen DeBoer.

Hayes Fawcett of On3 reported Monday that the running back planned on hitting the transfer portal, and Coleman added his own semi-cryptic tweet to the fray:

i love you tucson forever ❤️

— Jonah Coleman (@jonahcoleman8) January 15, 2024

It apparently didn't become official until Wednesday, however:

officially in the portal 🤦🏾‍♂️

— Jonah Coleman (@jonahcoleman8) January 17, 2024

Coleman rushed for 871 yards and five touchdowns this past season as a sophomore after contributing 372 yards and four scores on the ground in 2022. He also improved as a receiver in 2023, pulling in 25 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown.

One of the big losses appeared to be freshman quarterback Brayden Dorman, who announced on Monday that he would be hitting the transfer portal.

However, he backtracked on that decision Wednesday, saying he would stick around under new head coach Brent Brennan:

https://twitter.com/brayden_dorman/status/1747736641907876123

However, Jayden de Laura has already transferred to Texas State and Demond Williams Jr. hit the transfer portal as well, leaving the Wildcats down two quarterbacks. However, last year's breakout star at the position, Noah Fifita, is reportedly sticking around.

Hearing that Noah Fafita and Tetairoa McMillan are staying at @ArizonaFBall. WR coach Kevin Cummings would be key to that effort.

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) January 16, 2024

Fifita threw for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season, completing an impressive 72.4 percent of his passes while leading the Wildcats to an Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma. And Tetairoa McMillan was superb, catching 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Getting both back would be huge for Brennan as he looks to keep Arizona on the positive path that Fisch had forged. The Wildcats will head to the Big 12 next season alongside Arizona State, Utah and Colorado from the now-defunct Pac-12.