Arizona Wildcats See Two Players Land on PFF's Conference Team of the Week
The Arizona Wildcats earned a huge 23-10 victory over the formerly ranked No. 10 Utah Utes over the weekend in Salt Lake City to get off to a 1-0 start in Big 12 conference play.
It wasn't pretty the entire game for Arizona, but they will take the win any day of the week. The usually unstoppable Tetairoa McMillan was held to just 50 receiving yards on six catches and others needed to step up. That's exactly what happened, with tight end Keyan Burnett catching 76 yards and his first career touchdown and as a result, being named to PFF's Big 12 Conference Team of the Week.
Burnett's touchdown came in an absolutely massive moment as well, putting the Wildcats up by two scores in the middle of the fourth quarter on what was one of the best throws Noah Fifita has ever made:
🗣️ THAT'S OUR QUARTERBACK!!!
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 29, 2024
And the first career touchdown for Keyan Burnett!
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/9cjCqZ5otU
It was truly a career game for the tight end who had just six career receptions heading into the 2024 season and has already eclipsed that total with eight in the first four games this year. Here was the entire Big 12 Conference Offense of the Week, per PFF:
QB: Jake Retzlaff, BYU
RB: DJ Giddens, Kansas State
WR: De'Zhaun Stribling, Oklahoma State
WR: Dorian Singer. Utah
TE: Keyan Burnett, Arizona
Flex: WR Jack Bech, TCU
LT: Bryce Cabeldue, Kansas
LG: Hadley Panzer, Kansas State
C: Bryce Foster, Kansas
RG: Austin Leausa, BYU
RT: Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
Burnett was not the only Wildcat to receive the honor, with redshirt junior transfer edge rusher Tre Smith being named as well following a four-tackle performance including a tackle for loss. Smith transferred over from San Jose State, following head coach Brent Brennan into the portal and arriving in Tucson as a result. Thus far this season, Smith has 17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack after a stellar career with the Spartans. Here was the entire Big 12 Defensive Team of the Week, per PFF:
EDGE: Tyler Batty, BYU
EDGE: Tre Smith, Arizona
DL: Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
DL: J.R. Singleton, Iowa State
LB: Hershey McLaurin, Houston
LB: Austin Romaine, Kansas State
CB: Korie Black, Oklahoma State
CB: Cobee Bryant, Kansas
S: Devin Lemear, Baylor
S: Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State
Flex: CB Jontez Williams, Iowa State
Both Burnett and Smith will be huge down the stretch in order for the Wildcats to be able to accomplish the goal of competing for a Big 12 title.
