Arizona Football: 5 reasons Wildcats will beat Hawaii in Week 0
By Dante Pryor
3. Arizona can win a shootout with Hawaii
Hawaii isn’t the only program coming into this game with a below average defense. Arizona was ranked 98th in the country in scoring defense and 120th in pass yards allowed. Hawaii finished 76th in pass yards allowed. In the Wildcats defense — pun intended — their defense has improved over the last three years.
They don’t remind anyone of Dick Tomey’s “Desert Swarm” defense from the early 1990s, but they’ve gone from 119th to 102nd to 92nd. They have size but lack depth, so that might become an issue if Arizona scores quickly.
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Also, the run-and-shoot is a difficult offense to defend. The goal is to distribute the ball all over the field without keying in on one receiver, and the Rainbow Warriors had four receivers with at least 50 receptions last season.
They also have a fantastic trigger man for this system. Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald threw for almost 4,000 yards and 36 touchdowns last season, so he’s no slouch. You’ll see the typical stuff from the run-and-shoot; the slot chain mover receiver, and the big play guy, and Hawaii has both. Cedric Byrd is the possession guy, and JoJo Ward is the big play guy.
The lack of depth along Arizona’s defensive line might give McDonald time to pick apart the Wildcats’ secondary. That’s where Arizona has to be careful not to give up the big play over the top.
We know what Arizona can do on offense, and if it wants to slow down Hawaii and keep guys fresh, the Wildcats may want to run it — a lot.