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FRESHMAN PASSING YARDS
NR — National rank
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RUSHING YARDS
NR — National rank. FR — Freshman rank
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Anu Solomon is on pace to rewrite a few impressive records in Arizona’s record book
Only four games into the season, Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon is closing in on long-standing freshman marks for the Wildcats in their Pac-10/12 years (1978 to this season).
Solomon is only 207 yards shy of breaking Ortege Jenkins’ top freshman passing yardage mark of 1,660 in 1997. Kris Heavner is presently second with 1,501 yards in 2003. Solomon has 1,454 with potentially nine more games left this season if the Wildcats qualify for a bowl game.
Solomon is averaging a phenomenal 363.5 passing yards a game after throwing for an Arizona-record 520 yards against Cal (capped by a 47-yard Hail Mary completion) two weeks ago. At his current pace, Solomon will throw for 4,362 yards if the Wildcats play 12 games. If Arizona goes to a bowl and plays 13 games that total increases to a rate of about 4,726.
Nick Foles holds the school record of 4,334 yards passing as a senior in 2011.
Solomon’s 13 touchdown passes are only six shy of Jenkins’ freshman mark in 1997.
Arizona’s tandem of Anu Solomon and Nick Wilson pose challenge for Oregon Ducks’ defense http://t.co/UgpPzXAdB1
— Duck Sports Now (@DuckSportsNow) September 29, 2014
Foles (2011) and Willie Tuitama (2007) share the season record of 28 touchdown passes. Solomon is on pace to throw 39 in a 12-game schedule (about 42 if the Wildcats go to a bowl).
Solomon and true freshman running back Nick Wilson are significant parts of an offense that ranks sixth nationally in yards per game (593.8 per game), 16th in scoring (42.0) and eighth in turnovers lost (just three).
“(Solomon) is in a system where the system takes advantage of his abilities,” Oregon first-year defensive coordinator Don Pellum told the Oregonian today. “He moves the pocket, he escapes, the receivers keep working and he completes balls downfield.”
Wilson, who is 283 yards shy of breaking Nic Grigsby’s school freshman rushing mark of 702 yards in the Pac-10/12 years, did not play in the fourth quarter against Cal because of an injury and senior Terris Jones-Grigsby finished the game. Arizona caoch Rich Rodriguez has told the Tucson media that Wilson will be ready to play at Oregon on Thursday.
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Note: Ronald Veal highlighted in red because he led Arizona in passing and rushing as a freshman in 1987.
MOST YARDS BY ARIZONA WILDCATS FRESHMAN QB IN PAC-10/12 ERA
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TOP ARIZONA FRESHMAN RUSHERS
*Quarterbacks
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RUSHING YARDS PER CARRY
NR — National rank. FR — Freshman rank
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RUSHING YARDS PER GAME
NR — National rank. FR — Freshman rank
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RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
NR — National rank. FR — Freshman rank
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FRESHMAN PASS EFFICIENCY
NR — National rank
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FRESHMAN PASSING TDs
NR — National rank
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FRESHMAN PASSING YARDS PER COMPLETION
NR — National rank
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
