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CATCH UP ON THE COUNTDOWN BY VISITING: ARIZONA’S TOP 100 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Only 64 days separate us from the start of Rich Rodriguez’s fifth season, when the Arizona Wildcats football team plays 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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Theopolis “T” Bell established the record of 11 touchdown receptions in a season in 1974 and three others have tied that since
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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 Arizona Wildcats football 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. 64
Most Touchdown Passes Caught, Season: 11, Austin Hill, 2012; Mike Thomas, 2007; Theopolis Bell, 1974; Juron Criner, 2010 and 2011
NCAA record: 27, Troy Edwards, Louisiana Tech, 1998 (140 receptions)
As a sophomore in 2012, Austin Hill hauled in 11 touchdown receptions, tying three other Arizona receivers for the school record.
For 41 seasons, Theopolis “T” Bell’s Arizona season record of 11 touchdown receptions has withstood the efforts of Mike Thomas, Juron Criner and Austin Hill. That trio matched but could not pass Bell’s record.
Bell’s feat in 1974 broke the previous mark of eight touchdown receptions by Jim Greth in 1966. Keith Hartwig came close to the record in 1976 with 10, the last double-digit mark until Thomas’ 11 touchdown receptions in 2007.
From 2010 to 2012, Criner and Hill reached the 11 mark, with Criner achieving it twice (2010 and 2011).
The most touchdown receptions last season was only six by David Richards. Cayleb Jones tallied nine in 2014.
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.
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