大象APP

Sometimes it鈥檚 not just one player, it鈥檚 a group of players, and that鈥檚 how Arizona is navigating through the post-T-Mac era after the Wildcats lost star wide receiver and sure-fire first-round NFL Draft pick in Tetairoa McMillan.

McMillan made up 44% of Arizona鈥檚 passing attack last season and left 大象APPas arguably the best receiver in UA history. It鈥檚 鈥渋mpossible to fill those shoes,鈥� said Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade.

鈥淭-Mac is by far one of the best players I鈥檝e ever coached and probably ever will as an individual,鈥� Wade said. 鈥淲ith that said, the collective group will be better than we were last year. I will also say that there are kids in this group that can be as productive as T-Mac was. ... This offense is built to have a few different guys that can get over 1,000 yards (in a season) and be highly productive. Everyone is going to have a fair shot at it. The guys who take it personal and become a pro are going to be the ones that emerge.鈥�

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said replacing a dynamic playmaker like McMillan is 鈥済oing to be a little bit more by committee,鈥� so the Wildcats revamped their wide receiver corps with 鈥渞eal speed, which I think we were missing a year ago at that position,鈥� said Brennan.

鈥淚 think we answered that with how aggressively we attacked the portal in the offseason,鈥� Brennan said.

New Mexico transfer Luke Wysong, Washington State transfer Kris Hutson, Chattanooga transfer Javin Whatley, Kansas State transfer Tre Spivey III, Orlando product Isaiah Mizell and Chandler native Gio Richardson are the newcomers at receiver for Arizona this spring 鈥� and all of them hail from track and field backgrounds.

鈥淪peed was something we needed to address this offseason, especially in the receiver room,鈥� Wade said. 鈥淲e felt like the direction we were moving in offensively was going to require guys who can really stretch the football field, something we failed to do last year. I also think a lot had to do with personnel that we had. We went into the portal and focused on guys that can run, guys with experience.鈥�

Even redshirt junior Chris Hunter III, Arizona鈥檚 returning leader at receiver, has noticed the change in speed and said the UA is 鈥渄efinitely going to be taking the top off this year.鈥�

鈥淭he receiver room is so much faster now and it鈥檚 going to unlock a whole new route tree and concepts that we can run in the future,鈥� said Hunter. 鈥淓veryone who came in plays with high intensity, brings insane energy and competition into the receiver room. It has only elevated all of us. That鈥檚 something that鈥檚 not teachable.鈥�

After two years on Arizona鈥檚 scout team, Hunter emerged as the complementary receiver to McMillan in 2024 and had 35 catches for 323 yards and three touchdowns, including two acrobatic scores in the road finale against TCU.

鈥淎t that point of the season I was pretty comfortable,鈥� Hunter said of his performance against TCU. 鈥淚 just played like myself. I showed that I can make those plays and make those catches when needed.鈥�

Sometimes a rising player like Hunter will explore their options in the transfer portal to seek financial opportunities or playing time at other 鈥� sometimes more prominent 鈥� programs, but he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 have any thoughts on entering the portal,鈥� Hunter said.

鈥淚 just felt like there was no reason,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have everything I need here. It wasn鈥檛 even a thought for me honestly.鈥�

Last year at this time, Hunter wasn鈥檛 in line to be one of Arizona鈥檚 top pass-catchers. Now? Brennan and Wade have 鈥減ushed me to step out of my comfort zone and be a leader,鈥� said Hunter.

鈥淚 try to do my best and step into that leadership role and show these guys and teach them things I know,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e also great players, too, so they got some things to teach me. We bounce off each other and I just try to lead the way.鈥�

McMillan and former Arizona receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig, who Hunter replaced as the starter in the second half of the season, 鈥渢aught me the leadership role and it matured my game up to this point,鈥� Hunter said.

Hunter has become one of Wade鈥檚 favorite players, 鈥渂ecause he鈥檚 very coachable鈥� and has 鈥渢aken on the challenge of understanding where he started on the depth chart,鈥� said Arizona鈥檚 receivers coach.

When Wade was an assistant coach at Arizona State, he recruited Hunter from Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, where he was teammates with Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Hunter and Wade reuniting two years later at the UA 鈥渨as full-circle for me,鈥� said Wade.

鈥淚 was already well aware of Chris鈥� talents coming out of high school,鈥� said Wade. 鈥淚t was just a matter of getting him in a mind space of understanding that he鈥檚 capable and give him the confidence that he needed to play at a high level. It takes time, and you gotta have a plan for these kids. He trusted the plan that I put forward for him and he came to work every single day regardless of where he was on the depth chart. I thought it was a perfect time for him to make plays late in the year for us.

鈥淲ith that said, Chris also understands he needs to continue to get better. The development needs to continue to grow for him. He needs to be in a leadership role. I鈥檝e put a lot on him as far as expectations for him and him pushing the room and what to expect from me and my coaching style. I鈥檓 very pleased with Chris and I鈥檓 excited for what he鈥檚 going to be able do in this offense.鈥�

Added Wade: 鈥淗e understands the need for the collective group to be good. So he鈥檚 taken it upon himself to push the group, communicate clearly with the group, expectations, standards and lead by example.鈥�

Arizona鈥檚 passing offense dropped from eighth nationally in 2023, averaging 308.3 yards per game, to 42nd last season, with 247.9 yards per game. The Wildcats鈥� passing touchdown average dropped from fifth nationally to 65th.

Under new offensive coordinator Seth Doege, Arizona鈥檚 offense 鈥渋s more vertical, more stretched,鈥� and the Wildcats are 鈥減laying at a higher pace ... and stretching the field,鈥� Hunter said.

鈥淓veryone feels it, it just feels different,鈥� Hunter said. 鈥淚t feels way different. Brennan and his staff have done a tremendous job getting everybody all-in. ... I think it鈥檚 going to be a special year.鈥�

Extra points

鈥� Wade said Doege is 鈥�100% the right guy for the job鈥�: 鈥淗e鈥檚 right on time. He has direction. He knows what the offense needs to look like, he knows what he wants it to look like. He鈥檚 not afraid to push players. He鈥檚 very clear with his direction not only for the players, but for the coaches, as well. He brings an energy that is contagious. ... And he also has a unique ability to relate to the players, as well. We鈥檙e all looking forward to working with him.鈥�

鈥� Spivey, on Doege: 鈥淚 love this new offense that Coach Doege is bringing. It鈥檚 extremely versatile and we鈥檝e got a lot of versatile receivers that can move around anywhere on the field. With the talent that we bring in and the offense Coach Doege brings, we鈥檙e going to be explosive.鈥�

鈥� Wade, on Mizell: 鈥淚saiah is a very unique talent, as well. He is absolutely elite when it comes to his ability to run vertical. His speed is unmatched for high school kids from last year. He clearly plays at a high speed.鈥�

鈥� Hunter, Hutson and Spivey were Arizona鈥檚 starting receivers in the first 7-on-7 period during Thursday鈥檚 practice.