TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona’s non-conference schedule revealed a potent rushing attack capable of adapting to personnel changes, but meaningful questions remain as the Wildcats prepare to enter Big 12 competition. While the team navigated the absence of starting running back jonah Reescano, Ismail Mahdi and Quincy Craig emerged as key contributors, demonstrating the depth of the Wildcats’ backfield.
The Wildcats’ success in the non-conference portion of the season-opening with a win and subsequent strong performances-has laid a foundation for their transition into a more challenging conference. However, the distribution of carries and defensive consistency will be critical factors as Arizona faces a new level of competition.
Reescano set the tone with an aggressive 51-yard, one-touchdown performance in the season opener. When Reescano was unavailable, Craig stepped up with a standout performance against Hawaii, rushing for 125 yards and a touchdown, including a 54-yard score.Last week, Mahdi carried the load, amassing 189 rushing yards and earning big 12 co-offensive player of the week honors.
“I’m so proud of that kid,” head coach Brent Brennan said after the Kansas State game. “What an awesome human being he is. I don’t no how much time you guys have spent with him, but just his energy, the smile on his face, the way he makes you feel when you’re around him, he’s really special.”
The question now is how carries will be allocated moving forward. Will Mahdi continue to receive the bulk of the workload, or will the carries be split between him and Craig? And when Reescano returns, how will the three running backs share the load?
The coaching staff has indicated a likely continuation of the “hot hand” approach, prioritizing whoever is performing best at the time. As long as the strategy leads to victories, the specific distribution of carries appears less critical.
