Arizona football training camp notes, practice 16: Ismail Mahdi, Max Harris take team reps

As the countdown to kickoff continues, the Wildcats are implementing game-planning periods. Therefore, our notes and observations are light, because we can't share the game-prep goods. 

The most notable part of Arizona's latest training camp practice: running back Ismail Mahdi and linebacker Max Harris continued to take reps during team periods on Tuesday. 

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted a stay request in the Wisne v. NCAA class-action lawsuit in Colorado, pausing the preliminary injunction that allows high school athletes from the 2022 recruiting class — like Mahdi and Harris — the ability to participate this season.

The stay, for the moment, pauses Harris and Mahdi’s eligibility to play in games this upcoming season. 

The decision to stay the preliminary injunction will only lead to further lawsuits and restraining order requests for the student-athletes who successfully filed restraining orders against the NCAA following the federal ruling in Colorado.

With the college football season kicking off this week, and the Wildcats kicking off in just over a week, it’s uncertain when Mahdi and Harris will be eligible to play this season.

If Harris and Mahdi are ruled ineligible for the season, it’s likely they’ll still be a part of the program and practice with the team, similar to former UA running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA but practiced with the team in front of NFL scouts throughout the season and was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders.

Arizona Athletics said Mahdi and Harris “remain eligible” and “will continue to practice with our football team as we continue to monitor the judicial process.”

Mahdi took second-team reps at running back and nearly caught a pass over the middle from backup quarterback Sawyer Anderson, but the pass was broken up by Arizona safety Quinn Olson. 

"The team loves Mahdi," said Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege. "Our guys love Mahdi, the running backs room loves Mahdi, the coaches love Mahdi, the O-Linemen love Mahdi, Noah (Fifita) loves Mahdi, so having Mahdi around has been valuable for us.

"Obviously I can't predict the future nor get into what's going on with the appeals and the court rulings. I love having him here, he's having a great time and he looks really good. Hopefully it all works out for him." 

Harris, who had the third-most tackles for the Wildcats last season, took first-team reps at linebacker on Tuesday. 

Here are other notes and observations from Arizona's 16th training camp practice: 

* Arizona wide receiver Chris Hunter caught a 30-yard (more or less) touchdown from Fifita in the first team period.  

* Former Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan spoke to the team following practice. McLachlan played at Arizona from 2022-23 and had 1,152 yards and eight touchdowns in his college career, the most productive UA tight end since Rob Gronkowski.