Arizona football opens 2023 season with breezy win over Northern Arizona
To kick off the highly anticipated Arizona football season in head coach Jedd Fisch's third season at the helm — and the program's last season as a Pac-12 member — the Wildcats cruised past Northern Arizona 38-3 Saturday night at Arizona Stadium.
In front of an announced attendance of 48,195, the most attended season opener at Arizona Stadium since the BYU game in 2018, the Wildcats avenged the historic loss to the Lumberjacks from the 2021 season — and won their second straight season opener for the first time since the 2014 and '15 seasons.
The last time Arizona surrendered fewer than 10 points was the win over Cal in 2021 that snapped the Wildcats' 20-game losing streak. It's also the fewest points Arizona has allowed in a season opener since its 35-0 win over the Lumberjacks in 2013.
Arizona had 478 yards of total offense and averaged 9 yards per play — 14.6 per completion and 6.9 per rush; the Lumberjacks were limited to 264 yards of total and offense and averaged 3.8 per play.
The Wildcats set the tone with a seven-play, 65-yard drive, with de Laura completing all four of his passes, including a 37-yard completion to running back Jonah Coleman down to the 4-yard line. De Laura subsequently connected with defending Pac-12 receptions leader Jacob Cowing for the first touchdown of the season.
Coleman's 7-yard touchdown in the second quarter lifted the Wildcats to a 14-0 lead. Coleman concluded the first half with three catches for 59 yards.
De Laura, who nearly threw his first interception of the season, exited the game for a suspected head injury in the second quarter after tucking for a run inside the red zone and colliding with an NAU defender. De Laura fumbled on the play.
Arizona freshman right guard Raymond Pulido did not start on Saturday for undisclosed reasons; backup right tackle Sam Langi started in place of Pulido. Left tackle Jordan Morgan made his first appearance since suffering an ACL injury in November, but didn't play after the first possession of the second half
Arizona modified its Desert Swarm-style uniforms and added an extra red stripe to the shoulders and changed the number font, akin to the New England Patriots' navy blue "color rush" uniforms, when ex-Wildcat Rob Gronkowski played for the Pats.
Besides Arizona's updated threads, the new-look defense, which defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen dubbed the "Sand Storm," played nine defensive linemen in the first half. With defensive tackle Tiaoalii Savea suspended for the first half due to his ejection in the Territorial Cup game last season, UCLA transfer Tyler Manoa started in his place. Manoa started alongside Georgia transfer defensive tackle Bill Norton, Michigan transfer defensive end Taylor Upshaw and redshirt freshman Isaiah Ward, who recorded a pass breakup.
The "Sand Storm" collected eight tackles for loss — six in the first half, including two from nickel back Treydan Stukes and 1.5 from Upshaw in the first half. Arizona safety Dalton Johnson, who made his first career start, forced a fumble, with Washington transfer Daniel Heimuli falling on the loose ball for the Wildcats' first takeaway of the season; the Wildcats had 12 fumble recoveries in 2022. NAU kicker Marcus Lye made a 48-yard field goal at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 14-3 at halftime.
In the second half, Stukes was replaced by former UCLA transfer Martell Irby, who is the only newcomer out of the Wildcats' eight team captains this season.
Co-captain and junior free safety Gunner Maldonado was ejected in the third quarter for targeting. Four plays later, Arizona defensive tackle Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei blocked Lye's 26-yard field goal attempt, and cornerback Tacario Davis scooped up the loose ball and returned it 85 yards for the first touchdown of the second half. It's the Wildcats' first blocked field goal returned for a touchdown since 2002.
Facing a fourth-and-2 on NAU's 37-yard line, Lumberjacks running back TJ McDaniel was stuffed for no gain by second-year linebacker Jacob Manu and former Cal edge rusher Orin Patu.
Arizona started its first offensive possession of the second half at the 9:36 mark in the third quarter. Following a trio of runs by Coleman and DJ Williams, de Laura threw a 5-yard slant pass to Tetairoa McMillan to extend Arizona's lead to 28-3.
To start the fourth quarter, the Wildcats had a goal-line stance and stopped NAU running back Draycen Hall for a 1-yard touchdown. With just over two minutes left in the third quarter, de Laura bursted for a 53-yard touchdown run on a run-pass-option (RPO) play — the longest run of his career.
Up next
Arizona (1-0) will travel to Mississippi State (1-0), which beat SE Louisiana 48-7 on Saturday and rushed for 298 yards, for the first road trip against an SEC opponent since 2006.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona football opens 2023 season with breezy win over Northern Arizona
