How Star Arizona Wildcats Receiver Can Become Program’s All-Time Best
When one looks at the 2023 numbers of Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, one wonders how in the world he was just a third-team All-American?
His numbers were incredible — 90 receptions, 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns for a Wildcats squad that went 10-3 in its last season in the Pac-12 Conference.
No one is sleeping on him now. The Senior Bowl has him on its watch list and another big season probably means the NFL Draft-eligible junior could declare early and start his pro career.
But, could McMillan leave Arizona as an all-time program great? He has a ladder to climb, but the top is in sight.
In just two seasons the Waimanalo, Hawai'i, product has caught 129 passes for 2,104 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is already No. 8 on both Arizona’s all-time receiving yardage and all-time touchdowns list.
So, what would have to do to top both by season’s end?
Yardage might be the more possible chart to reach the pinnacle. The leader is the legendary Bobby Wade, who finished with 3,351 yards from 1999-2002. McMillan is 1,247 yards behind.
The Servite (Calif.) High School star has 12 games for sure. Divide the difference by 12 and he only needs 103.9 yards per game to catch Wade. McMillan averaged 107.8 yards per game a season ago. That was in 13 games.
The Wildcats are a contender to reach the Big 12 Championship game, which would give Arizona access to a 13th game. Whether the Wildcats win that game or not, they would play one more.
Touchdowns might be a taller order. McMillian has 18 and the leader is Juron Criner, who left Arizona in 2011 after a stellar four-year career with 32 receiving touchdowns. The difference is 14 scores. McMillan would have to average more than one touchdown per game in a 12-game season to catch Criner.
But the fact that a discussion could be had about the possibility shows just how much of an impact the junior has had on the Wildcats’ offense in just two years.
The accolades have rolled in the entire preseason for McMillian as the Wildcats enter their season opener with New Mexico on Saturday night.
Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Walter Camp named him a first-team preseason All-American. The coaches and media of the Big 12 named him preseason All-Big 12, as did Phil Steele and Athlon’s. He is also on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Biletnikoff Award and the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award.
MATT POSTINS