We are at 76 days until the Arizona Wildcats kick off their 2018 season under new coach Kevin Sumlin.
When Arizona hosts BYU on Sept. 1, it will mark the 40th anniversary since the Wildcats joined the Pac-12 (went from the Pac-8 to the Pac-10 then) and also the 20th anniversary of the 1998 team with the best record in school history, 12-1, and the 25th anniversary of the 1993 team that went 10-2 with a win over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
To get ready for the upcoming season, All Sports Tucson offers another countdown, which will include memories from former Wildcats, history notes and a look ahead to the season. Think of it as a way to keep Arizona football on the mind in the summer months leading up to fall camp in early August and then kickoff against the Cougars marking the start of the Sumlin Era.
To catch up on the countdown click on this: Arizona Wildcats 2018 countdown to kickoff.
A look back
— With it being the 76th day until kickoff, the best player to wear No. 76 for Arizona? That would be offensive lineman Bill Jensen, who played for the Wildcats from 1977 to 1980. He was a starter for more than three seasons who was a second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 1980.
Arizona Daily Star clipping of Bill Jensen when he was a senior in 1980.
A look ahead
Wearing No. 76 this season for Arizona is right tackle Cody Creason, a fourth-year junior who has played in 24 games the last two season, starting seven of them. He was part of the reason Arizona allowed fewest number of sacks in the Pac-12 in the regular season. The Wildcats rushed for at least 152 yards in all 12 games, including 10 performances with 200-plus yards, seven more than 300 yards, four more than 400 yards and a school-record 534 yards against Oregon State.
Right tackle Cody Creason is one of the most experienced offensive linemen returning in 2018
Fatherly help
On this Father’s Day, we recognize the fathers of some of Arizona’s players who were athletes themselves:
CB Lorenzo Burns — Father DeChon Burns played football and baseball at USC.
S Tristan Cooper — Father Michael Cooper played football at North Texas.
LB Richard Merritt — Father Rich Merritt played golf at San Jose State.
S Isaiah Hayes — Father Chris Hayes played football at Washington State and spent nine years in the NFL.
WR Shun Brown — Father Vyron Brown played football Grambling State.
CB Jace Whittaker — Father Jerry Whittaker played baseball for College World Series champion Oklahoma and also the Chicago White Sox.
CB Sammy Morrison — Father Darryl Morrison played for Arizona’s Desert Swarm defense and the Washington Redskins.
LS Nick Reinhardt — Father John Reinhardt played football at Nebraska.
WR Darick Holmes Jr. — Father Darick Holmes Sr. played football at Portland State and was in the NFL with Green Bay, Buffalo and Indianapolis.
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