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CATCH UP ON THE COUNTDOWN BY VISITING: ARIZONA’S TOP 100 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Only 97 days separate us from the start of Rich Rodriguez’s fifth season at Arizona, when the Wildcats play Brigham Young on Sept. 3 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
As is customary on this Web site we will count down the days with an interesting element associated with each day. This year the topic is the top 100 individual records in Arizona’s storied football past.
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Nick Foles led the Pac-12 with 4,231 total yards (passing, rushing and receiving) as a senior in 2011.
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Compiling the list was no easy task, but it was feasible to do with the information provided in the record books by the Arizona media relations department, and we appreciate that.
In past years, we have counted down the top games and highlighted players and some of the top plays in Wildcat history. A couple of years ago in our top 100 countdown, we showcased the 1914 team that was responsible for Arizona becoming the “Wildcats”.
Back to this year’s countdown of the top 100 individual records in the 117 years of Arizona football:
No. 97
Total offense in career — 9,712 yards, Nick Foles, 2009-11 (10,111 passing/-290 rushing/-9 receiving)
Prolific passer Nick Foles’ name is all over the Arizona record book. Expect him to be listed much higher in this daily ranking in other categories. This record is impressive but it factors noticeable negative yardage with his career rushing and receiving totals. His incredible passing output earned him the career total offense record. He also owns the season record with 4,231 total yards (4,334 passing/-103 rushing) in 2011, also leading the Pac-12 in that category that season.
Foles, more of a pocket passer who could roll out and throw on the run if necessary, had only one rushing touchdown in his last two seasons at Arizona.
Perhaps the biggest question of this listing: How does Foles have minus-9 yards receiving? It happened in a 2009 game at Cal, which derailed Arizona’s Rose Bowl hopes with a 24-16 victory. The Wildcats entered that game 6-2 overall and 4-1 in Pac-10 play.
On third-and-3 and Arizona driving late in the fourth quarter at the Cal 25, Foles’ pass was batted by defensive lineman Tyson Alualu. The ball went right back to Foles, who caught it at the Cal 34 and mistakenly tried to throw again. An illegal forward pass penalty was called and Foles’ pass attempt on the next play fell incomplete to end the scoring threat.
Record watch in 2016: Anu Solomon is on pace to break Foles’ career mark with 6,962 career total yards (6,448 passing/489 rushing/25 receiving). Solomon, a redshirt junior in 2016, needs only 2,750 yards to catch Foles.
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
