‘Finally’: Tyler Powell’s first touchdown at Arizona caps comeback for tight end

The fifth-year tight end from Phoenix suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first play from scrimmage in Arizona’s season opener against Hawaii last season — Powell’s first start at the UA.

Powell ran a drag route on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line and caught the pass to give the Wildcats a 35-10 lead over Northern Illinois in the third quarter, the second-to-last touchdown scored by Arizona in its 42-17 win over the Huskies.

“I was so happy for him to get that touchdown,” said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. “Just to see the smile on his face and how incredibly rewarding it must’ve been for him.”

Just over a year after getting sidelined for the entire season and missing parts of the offseason, Powell found the end zone — and it was the first of his career since signing with the Wildcats’ 2022 recruiting class.

“The energy he had when he caught that ball, it was like, ‘Finally. I finally got here and finally got in the end zone,’” said Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege. “It was a long time coming. I’ve been super excited about how he attacked the process, because he’s such a good kid. He has bought into everything we preach when it comes to redline, our culture and our belief in the program. He exemplifies everything we want in a tight end. I’m just excited he’s healthy and playing well.”

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita said Powell’s “story and his testimony is amazing because of how he has been tested.”

“The things he has been through, he has continued to be patient and continued to work,” Fifita added. “Obviously, last year didn’t go how he wanted, getting injured on the first play. But the way he has attacked the process and attacked the rehab, it’s been special to see. When those guys get rewarded in that way, it’s super special.”

Powell caught the touchdown on the same drive UA starting tight end Cole Rusk exited the game with an undisclosed leg injury. Rusk, a sixth-year transfer from Illinois, played the majority of Arizona’s offensive snaps at tight end with 95.

Southern Miss transfer Shane King, who caught a touchdown in the first half of Arizona’s loss to BYU, is second with 69 snaps, and Powell is third with 49 snaps.

Rusk leads Arizona’s tight ends with six catches for 86 yards this season. King and Powell have a combined five catches for 32 yards and two touchdowns this season.

If Rusk is unable to play on Saturday afternoon against Washington State in Pullman, the rest of Arizona’s tight ends “are all capable for what we do,” said Doege, who noted Rusk as “a dynamic pass catcher.”

“There’s some stuff that Cole has a little bit more savviness to him, but it doesn’t mean T.P. can’t do that,” Doege said. “T.P. runs just as well and is just as big. That group is capable of a lot of things.”

King “is getting better and better and better and is going to be a problem for people,” Doege said.

Another tight end who could move up a spot on the UA depth chart, with Rusk’s status in doubt, is freshman Henry Gabalis, a four-star Seattle-area native and one of the Wildcats’ top recruits for 2026. Gabalis has been primarily used on Arizona’s kickoff coverage.

“If you watch Henry on special teams, you’re like, ‘That dude is redline to the max.’ That dude will run through somebody’s soul — and he’s super athletic,” Doege said. “I’m excited about those young ones, but I think TP and Cole can do everything we want them to do.

“If Cole is able to go, that gives us some flexibility. If not, I think one of those other guys will step up and handle that real well.”