Star reporter Michael Lev breaks down key matchups, strategy and starters for both Arizona and Houston, and offers a prediction for Saturday's game.
Khalil Tate scoots away from Houston's Matthew Adams to avoid a sack when the teams met in Tucson a season ago.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily StarWho: Arizona Wildcats (0-1) at Houston Cougars (1-0)
Where: TDECU Stadium, Houston, Texas
When: 9 a.m. Saturday
Watch: Ch. 9 (Tucson) or ESPN2
Listen: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM
Follow: @TheWildcaster on Twitter / TheWildcaster on Facebook
The true freshman acquitted himself well in his first college start. It’ll only get harder in Week 2. Because of the presence of Ed Oliver in the middle of Houston’s defense, Laie likely won’t get much double-team help from LG Tshiyombu Lukusa.
Chambers also made his college debut last week after redshirting at TCU in 2016 and sitting out ’17 as a transfer. All he did was record three sacks off the bench. Chambers was the No. 7 strong-side defensive end in the class of ’16, per 247Sports.com.
Burns recorded a career-high three pass breakups vs. BYU. Burns’ coverage was sticky all night. He had trouble at times last season against bigger receivers. Every wideout in Houston’s two-deep is listed at 6 feet or taller.
Stevenson isn’t the biggest UH receiver, but he might be the most explosive. After missing most of his first two seasons because of injuries, Stevenson caught five passes for 107 yards, including a 57-yard TD, against Rice.
The Wildcats need to find a rhythm early and sustain it. The offense was choppy against BYU, unable to establish the run and relying far too much on low-percentage passes. It won’t be easy against a Houston defense anchored by Oliver, who might be the most disruptive player in America. Arizona will try to offset him with quick passes, screens and draws. But at some point, Khalil Tate will have to use his athleticism to make plays.
Houston quarterback D'Eriq King has been a dual threat at receiver and QB.
New coordinator Kendal Briles directed some of the most prolific offenses in the country over the past three seasons at Florida Atlantic and Baylor. Houston will play fast, spread the field and take shots. D’Eriq King, who split time between receiver and QB the past two years, averaged 13.3 yards per attempt and threw three TD passes vs. Rice. UA’s secondary, even with Jace Whittaker and Scottie Young Jr. back, will be tested.
After losing to BYU, Arizona is unquestionably the more desperate team. Houston struggled at times against Rice, which had a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter. So it’s not hard to see the path to a UA victory. Unfortunately, that road goes through Oliver and his D-line mates. If the Cougars control that matchup, the Wildcats will struggle to beat them.
J.J. Taylor goes over the line to break the plane late in the Wildcats' opener against BYU.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily StarWR 18 Cedric Peterson 5-11 193 Junior
SLOT 6 Shun Brown 5-10 188 Senior
LT 78 Donovan Laie 6-4 318 Freshman
LG 70 Tshiyombu Lukusa 6-5 308 Sophomore
C 50 Josh McCauley 6-3 292 Sophomore
RG 54 Bryson Cain 6-4 306 Sophomore
RT 76 Cody Creason 6-4 294 Junior
TE 81 Bryce Wolma 6-3 252 Sophomore
WR 19 Shawn Poindexter 6-5 218 Senior
RB 21 J.J. Taylor 5-6 184 Sophomore
DE 86 Justin Belknap 6-3 259 Junior
NT 99 Dereck Boles 6-2 306 Senior
DT 52 PJ Johnson 6-4 335 Junior
STUD 14 Kylan Wilborn 6-2 248 Sophomore
MLB 7 Colin Schooler 6-0 236 Sophomore
WLB 1 Tony Fields II 6-1 230 Sophomore
SPUR 19 Scottie Young Jr. 5-11 195 Sophomore
BANDIT 6 D. Flannigan-Fowles 6-2 209 Senior
BC 2 Lorenzo Burns 5-10 181 Sophomore
FC 17 Jace Whittaker 5-11 189 Senior
FS 21 Isaiah Hayes 6-0 191 Sophomore
Patrick Carr drags Rice defenders with him into the end zone in the teams' season opener.
Michael Wyke / AP PhotoWR 9 Courtney Lark 6-2 200 Junior
WR 5 Marquez Stevenson 6-0 190 Sophomore
LT 74 Josh Jones 6-7 310 Junior
LG 72 Mason Denley 6-5 310 Senior
C 69 Will Noble 6-5 295 Senior
RG 52 Braylon Jones 6-4 315 Junior
RT 62 Jarrid Williams 6-7 305 Junior
TE 82 Romello Brooker 6-5 253 Senior
WR 15 Raelon Singleton 6-3 215 Senior
QB 4 D’Eriq King 5-11 195 Junior
RB 21 Patrick Carr 5-10 205 Junior
DE 94 Isaiah Chambers 6-5 265 Sophomore
DT 10 Ed Oliver 6-3 292 Junior
DE 52 Jerard Carter 6-3 295 Senior
OLB 8 Emeke Egbule 6-4 240 Senior
ILB 20 Roman Brown 6-2 230 Senior
ILB 22 Austin Robinson 6-3 240 Senior
OLB 4 Leroy Godfrey 6-3 240 Junior
CB 14 Isaiah Johnson 6-4 203 Senior
S 1 Garrett Davis 6-2 210 Senior
S 2 Deontay Anderson 6-2 217 Sophomore
CB 9 Nick Watkins 6-1 205 Senior
Passing
Tate 17-34-1 Cmp-Att-Int, 198 Yds, 1 TD, 33 Lg
Rushing
Taylor 1 game, 18 Car., 85 Yds, 1 TD, 4.7 Avg
Brightwell 1 game, 9 Car., 30 Yds, 0 TD, 3.3 Avg
Tate 1 game, 8 Car., 14 Yds, 0 TD, 1.8 Avg
Receiving
Poindexter 1 game, 4 Rec., 68 Yds, 0 TD, 17.0 Avg
Ellison 1 game, 4 Rec., 45 Yds, 1 TD, 11.2 Avg
Taylor 1 game, 4 Rec., 27 Yds, 0 TD, 6.8 Avg
Peterson 1 game, 2 Rec., 24 Yds, 0 TD, 12.0 Avg
Defense
Schooler 16 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 Int, 0 FR
Hayes 13 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 Int, 0 FR
Flannigan-Fowles 12 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 Int, 0 FR
Fields II 11 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 Int, 0 FR
Passing
King 17-24-0 Cmp-Att-Int, 320 Yds, 3 TD, 57 Lg
Smith 1-1-0 Cmp-Att-Int, 0 Yds, 0 TD, 0 Lg
Rushing
Carr 1 game, 8 Car., 74 Yds, 1 TD, 9.2 Avg
Stevenson 1 game, 2 Car., 60 Yds, 1 TD, 30.0 Avg
Car 1 game, 7 Car., 41 Yds, 0 TD, 4.9 Avg
King 1 game, 7 Car., 33 Yds, 1 TD, 4.7 Avg
Smith 1 game, 4 Car., 23 Yds, 0 TD, 5.8 Avg
Williams 1 game, 7 Car., 16 Yds, 0 TD, 2.3 Avg
Receiving
Stevenson 1 game, 5 Rec., 107 Yds, 1 TD, 21.4 Avg
Lark 1 game, 4 Rec., 82 Yds, 2 TD, 20.5 Avg
Corbin 1 game, 3 Rec., 93 Yds, 0 TD, 31.0 Avg
Defense
Oliver 13 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 Int, 0 FR
Brown 11 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 INT, 0 FR
Robinson 9 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 INT, 0 FR
Anderson 8 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 INT, 0 FR
Johnson 8 Tk, 0 Sk, 0 INT, 0 FR
Star reporter Michael Lev is focusing on these five things as the Wildcats and Cougars prepare for Saturday morning's game.
For Arizona Wildcats, desperate times call for a measured approach. The Wildcats face Houston at 9 a.m. Saturday in a game shown locally on Ch. 9.
The Star's columnist checks in from Houston with a look at 9 a.m. starts, a nod to history — and, of course, a prediction.
Ryan Finley and Michael Lev preview Arizona's road opener against the Houston Cougars. Kevin Sumlin returns to Houston for the first time sinc…
The UA offense — like many others before it at other schools — is most effective when the dual-threat quarterback’s full skill set is on display.
Four O-linemen started for first time in UA's loss to BYU in opener.
The redshirt sophomore from Traverse City, Michigan, learned to love the game again while taking an extended break from it.
After an uneven opener, Sumlin said he and his staff have a better feel for their personnel, including QB Khalil Tate.
Three things to keep an eye on when the Cats face the Cougars, plus a score prediction and preview links.
Observations from warmups before the Arizona Wildcats’ game at Houston on Saturday morning at TDECU Stadium (9 a.m., ABC/ESPN2):
Khalil Tate, hampered by injury, struggles in first half of loss to Cougars.
Follow The Wildcaster's live coverage from TDECU Stadium in Houston as the Arizona Wildcats search for their first win of the new season.
Sumlin on Tate’s injury, his fourth-down decision and where Cats go from here (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
Tate discusses his ankle injury, how it affected him and how the offense can get back on track (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
The Star’s Michael Lev and Greg Hansen discuss what went wrong for the 0-2 Wildcats and what can be salvaged this season.
The receiver and linebacker discuss the Cats’ 45-18 setback against the Cougars.
Arizona won't truly improve until coach Kevin Sumlin has time to recruit.
The UA is 0-2 for the first time since 1981, and a banged-up Khalil Tate has yet to get untracked under Kevin Sumlin and his staff.
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