Rich Rodriguez was Arizona’s coach for only six seasons, from 2012 to 2017, but his impact on the program is everlasting.
He was the head coach of two of the top players on each side of the ball in school history — Arizona career rushing leader Ka’Deem Carey and the Wildcats’ sixth unanimous All-American, linebacker great Scooby Wright III.
He coached Arizona to a conference-related title for the first time in the modern era when the Wildcats won the Pac-12 South championship in 2014.
His son Rhett broke records at Catalina Foothills as a quarterback before playing the position for his dad’s spread-option offense with the Wildcats.
His daughter Raquel was a senior captain for Arizona’s cheerleaders.
She is now working with her dad as West Virginia’s Assistant Athletics Director/Football Management and Strategy. Rhett is also with his father as the Mountaineers’ quarterbacks coach.
The past meets the present when Arizona plays at Morgantown, W. Va., on Saturday at 9 a.m. Rodriguez will try to beat his former school while coaching where his career began.
The experience will undoubtedly be mixed with emotions.
“I enjoyed my time there,” Rodriguez said during his weekly press conference. “We had some really good players and got some big ranked wins. Our daughter was the captain of the cheerleading squad, and our son was a quarterback there, so it was some good times.”
The following is a look at some of those “really good players” compiled as the Arizona All-Rich Rod Team.
ARIZONA ALL-RICH ROD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB — Khalil Tate
Tate exploded onto the national scene in 2017, Rodriguez’s last year at Arizona, rushing for 1,411 yards and 12 touchdowns while passing for 1,591 yards and 14 TDs. His 327 rushing yards against Colorado set an FBS record for a quarterback in a single game at the time, and he became the first Pac-12 quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. He earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week four consecutive weeks in October 2017 and finished the season with 26 total touchdowns.
RB — Ka’Deem Carey
The centerpiece of Rodriguez’s first two offenses, Carey, a Canyon del Oro High School star, became one of the greatest running backs in Arizona history. He was a consensus All-American in both 2012 and 2013, won 2013 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year honors and was a Doak Walker Award finalist. His 2012 season produced 1,929 rushing yards and 24 TDs, while he followed with 1,885 yards and 19 TDs in 2013. He finished his career as Arizona’s all-time rushing leader with 4,239 yards and all-time all-purpose leader with 5,483 yards.
RB — Nick Wilson
Wilson immediately became a star as a freshman in 2014, rushing for an Arizona freshman-record 1,375 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention and helped Arizona reach the Pac-12 South championship and Fiesta Bowl. Wilson later topped 3,000 career rushing yards, becoming only the seventh player in Arizona history to reach that mark.
WR — Austin Hill
Hill’s 2012 season was one of the great single-season receiving performances in Arizona history. He caught 81 passes for 1,364 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors and becoming a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. His 1,364 yards ranked second in the Pac-12, and he had a spectacular 259-yard, 10-catch performance in Arizona’s 39-36 upset of No. 10 USC. He was also the recipient of the “Hill Mary” pass that beat Cal 49-45 to conclude a wild game in 2012 at Arizona Stadium. Hill caught a 47-yard pass in the back of the end zone from Anu Solomon as time expired to cap a 22-point comeback against the Golden Bears.
WR — Cayleb Jones
Jones was Arizona’s leading receiver on the 2014 Pac-12 South championship team, catching 73 passes for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns. He followed with 55 catches for 904 yards and five TDs in 2015. In two seasons at Arizona, he totaled 128 receptions, 1,923 yards and 14 touchdowns, finishing his career among the school’s top 10 in receptions and receiving yards.
WR — Samajie Grant
Grant was one of Rodriguez’s most versatile players. He was primarily a receiver before being moved to running back late in 2016. That season he earned Pac-12 honorable mention, serving as one of Arizona’s four senior captains. He caught 22 passes for 247 yards and three TDs while rushing for 461 yards and six TDs on 74 carries. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry and produced his first 100-yard rushing game against Colorado.
TE — Terrence Miller
Miller was a versatile receiver/tight-end hybrid who gave Rodriguez another big target. In 2012, he caught 13 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns despite being limited to four games by injury. He had previously been a productive contributor in Arizona’s offense, including a seven-catch, 116-yard game against USC in 2010.
LT — Mickey Baucus
Baucus was the starting left tackle for the first two Rodriguez seasons. He started all 13 games in 2012 and all 13 in 2013, anchoring an offensive line that helped Carey produce consecutive elite seasons. In 2013, Arizona averaged 264.9 rushing yards per game and allowed only 1.31 sacks per game, both second in the Pac-12.
LG — Steven Gurrola
Gurrola was the starting center on the 2013 team and a key member of the line that powered Carey’s 1,885-yard season. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2014. The 2014 offensive line helped Arizona average 463.6 yards and 34.5 points per game as the Wildcats went 10-4 and won the Pac-12 South.
C — Kyle Quinn
Quinn was the veteran anchor of the interior line in 2012. He entered the season having already played in 33 games with 13 starts and was coming off honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in 2011. As a senior, he helped anchor an offensive line that allowed Arizona to feature Matt Scott’s 3,620 passing yards, Carey’s 1,929 rushing yards and Hill’s 1,364 receiving yards.
RG — Jacob Alsadek
Alsadek became an important piece of the final Rodriguez offensive line. In 2017, he started all 13 games at right guard, served as one of the team’s four captains and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention. Arizona led the Pac-12 and ranked third nationally with 309.3 rushing yards per game during the regular season, while allowing the fewest sacks in the conference.
RT — Lene Maiava
Maiava developed into a starting-caliber lineman during Rodriguez’s tenure. He started all 13 games at right tackle in 2015, helping Arizona average 222 rushing yards per game, third in the Pac-12. He also contributed to the lines that blocked for Carey in 2013 and Wilson and Anu Solomon during their record-setting 2014 freshman seasons.
DEFENSE
DE — Reggie Gilbert
Gilbert was one of the most durable and productive defensive linemen of the Rodriguez era. He played in 57 career games, appearing in four bowl games, and finished with 143 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. In 2015, he was a team captain and All-Pac-12 honorable mention after leading Arizona with 8.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks.
DT — Dan Pettinato
Pettinato was a versatile interior lineman who played both defensive end and tackle. In 2012, he started nine games, four at defensive end and five at defensive tackle, recording 34 tackles and a fumble recovery. He was later part of Arizona’s 2014 Pac-12 South championship defense and received All-Pac-12 honorable mention that season.
DT — Tevin Hood
Hood was a nose guard who provided valuable interior size and strength. In 2012, he played in all 13 games and started three, recording 26 tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. A former Duke and San Diego player, Hood was also a standout Arizona high school athlete at Chandler Hamilton, where he was a heavyweight state wrestling champion.
DE — Sione Tuihalamaka
Tuihalamaka was a veteran defensive lineman who started 10 games at nose guard in 2012. He recorded 29 tackles, two TFL and a half-sack that season. He finished his Arizona career with 71 tackles, 6.5 TFL and two sacks, providing experience on the interior of the early Rodriguez defenses.
LB — Marquis Flowers
Flowers made one of the most interesting transitions of the Rodriguez era, moving from safety to linebacker. In 2012, he became an immediate playmaker, finishing second on the team with 100 tackles, while leading Arizona with 13 TFL and 5.5 sacks. He also had three interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
LB — Scooby Wright III
The centerpiece of this Arizona All-Rich Rod Team. In 2014, Wright produced 163 tackles, 29 TFL, 14 sacks and six forced fumbles and won virtually every major defensive award: the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award, along with Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. He became Arizona’s sixth unanimous All-American.
LB — Jake Fischer
Fischer was the tackle machine of Rodriguez’s first Arizona defense. In 2012, he led the Wildcats with 119 tackles, including 76 solo stops, while adding 6.5 TFL, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against Toledo.
CB — Shaquille Richardson
Richardson was one of Arizona’s most productive cover men early in the Rodriguez era. In 2012, he led the Wildcats with 14 pass breakups, ranking 16th nationally, while recording 58 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He finished his Arizona career with 134 tackles, seven interceptions and 26 pass breakups.
CB — Dane Cruikshank
Cruikshank became a starter at boundary corner in 2016 before moving to the spur safety position in 2017. In 2016, he had 60 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups. As a senior, he recorded 75 tackles, three interceptions and five PBUs and picked off future first-round quarterbacks Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and Justin Herbert during the season.
S — Will Parks
Parks was one of the leaders of Rodriguez’s first four teams and played in 53 games with 31 starts. He finished his career with 197 tackles, 20.5 TFL, 20 pass breakups and four interceptions. He was a four-year letterman, four-time bowl participant and the 2013 AdvoCare V100 Bowl defensive MVP.
S — Jared Tevis
The Tucson product from Canyon del Oro was a key defensive leader from the beginning of the Rodriguez era. In 2012, he had 82 tackles, two interceptions, six PBUs and four forced fumbles, including two interceptions against Oklahoma State. In 2013, he added 83 tackles and an interception and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK — Casey Skowron
Skowron’s 2014 season was outstanding. He made 20 of 28 field goals, converted all 57 PAT attempts, scored 123 points and led the Pac-12 in scoring while ranking 16th nationally. His biggest kick came when he hit a 47-yard game-winner against Washington.
P — Drew Riggleman
The Sahuaro High School product had an elite 2014 season. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 and SI.com honorable mention All-American honors after averaging 46.1 yards on 76 punts, fourth nationally. He put 23 punts inside the 20 and had 30 punts of 50-plus yards.
KR/PR — Shun Brown
Brown was one of the most explosive return specialists of the late Rodriguez era. In 2017, he earned Pac-12 honorable mention and had two punt-return touchdowns, including returns of 63 and 66 yards. He also caught 43 passes for 573 yards and six receiving TDs and finished with 805 all-purpose yards.
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