Offensive Players to Watch for Arizona Wildcats vs. Kansas State Wildcats
It’s the Big 12/non-Big 12 matchup everyone is waiting for this week, as the No. 20 Arizona Wildcats face the No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan, Kan., on Friday in a primetime showdown.
Yes, these pair of Wildcats are Big 12 mates now, but several years back the two schools agreed to a home-and-home game contract. That’s when Arizona (2-0) was still in the Pac-12.
Now that the two are in the same league, they decided it would be easier to just play this game as a non-conference affair.
So, Kansas State (2-0) hosts Arizona for the first time in their rivalry’s short history. Heck, the last time the two schools played was in the 1970s.
For each, it’s the start of a 10-game gauntlet as they move into Big 12 action in their next contests.
Here are three offensive players to watch for each team.
Arizona
QB Noah Fifita
The Northern Arizona game was not his best work.
He threw for 173 yards and a touchdown, but his play was uneven throughout the contest. He did help Arizona rally from a four-point halftime deficit to win, 22-10. Hopefully, that was their one game that every team plays each year leaving fans scratching their heads.
Also remember that after Fifita took over the starting job last season, he finished the year with 2,869 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions, led the Wildcats to seven straight wins to end the season and was named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
The redshirt sophomore should be fine.
WR Tetairoa McMillan
If Fifita’s night was perplexing, then McMillan’s game was stupefying.
After doing things rarely done by an FBS receiver in the season opener against New Mexico, he managed to catch just two passes against NAU. The old phrase “couldn’t catch a cold” almost applies here.
As a reminder, he had 10 receptions for 304 yards and four touchdowns against New Mexico. That’s an outlier, but it’s proof that what he did last season was the norm.
Last year he led the team with 1,402 receiving yards and was second on team with 10 touchdown grabs and, somehow, he only received All-Pac-12 second-team honors.
RB Quali Conley
Arizona’s depth charthas “or” next to four different running backs, but to be clear, Conley has established himself as the guy early on.
In two games he’s posted 202 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and his play against Northern Arizona was a saving grace as they worked to overcome that halftime deficit.
He didn’t score, but his 112 yards were pivotal. He’s also a solid receiver and has eight receptions in two games. Arizona will continue to use a few backs, but right now the rest are taking a back seat to Conley.
Kansas State
RB Dylan Edwards
Earlier this week K-State coach Chris Klieman admitted his coaching staff has to get the ball into the hands of the sophomore back more often.
He started his career at Colorado and transferred to Kansas State after one season. The Derby, Kan., native can rush, receive and return kicks. He already has three touchdowns this season, including a pivotal one against Tulane as a rusher.
He has speed to burn, and with the more seasoned D.J. Giddens as the starting running back, Kansas State can line Edwards up anywhere and make getting him the football a priority.
QB Avery Johnson
He might become the best quarterback in Kansas State history when his career is done. He has that much talent. Right now, the sophomore is still figuring some things out. Last week he put some accelerant on that progress against Tulane.
After struggling in the first half, he finished with 181 yards passing and two touchdowns, along with 40 rushing yards. He’s completed 66% of his passes this season, a clear improvement over what he did in part-time duty last year.
His value is in his ability to run and pass. His numbers through the air won’t look gaudy, but add that to his rushing and it's clear the type of the impact he can make.
WR Jayce Brown
The sophomore Wildcat is off to a slow start.
He’s only caught six passes for 88 yards (14.7 yards per catch) and doesn’t have a score. Some of that is tied to being the main target for a sophomore quarterback with just three collegiate starts under his belt. Some of that was a Tulane secondary that did a fine job defending down the field.
The good news is Brown and Johnson get to grow together.
Last year, with the veteran Will Howard behind center, Brown had 27 receptions for 437 receiving yards and three touchdowns His 16.2 yards per reception were the most among all true freshmen in 2023.
He can get down the field. The truly big plays are just a matter of time.
MATT POSTINS