Six players to watch in Arizona’s season opener vs. NAU

For Tucson football fans, Arizona’s season opener brings a familiar in state matchup to Casino Del Sol Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5. The Wildcats will begin their third season under coach Brent Brennan against Northern Arizona, giving local fans their first chance to see Arizona’s revamped roster in a game setting after a month of training camp. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MST. The game will not be available on traditional television, with ESPN+ carrying the broadcast. Chris Sylvester will handle play by play, and Jordan Reid will provide analysis.

Arizona enters the matchup after going 9-4 in 2025, while NAU finished 7-5 last season. The Lumberjacks already have one game under their belts this year, beating Eastern Washington 34-27 on Aug. 29. NAU produced 201 rushing yards in that victory, and running back Quran Gossett supplied 103 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Arizona, meanwhile, has spent the past month preparing internally, and the opener should offer an early look at quarterback Noah Fifita and a new secondary that has drawn much of the preseason attention.

Gossett is one of the most important players for Arizona’s defense to monitor. His performance against Eastern Washington established him as a central part of the Lumberjacks’ ground attack, particularly with NAU coming off a game in which its running game consistently moved the ball. Gossett also has a Tucson area connection through Arizona defensive lineman Mays Pese. The two played together at Bishop Garcia Diego High School in Santa Barbara, California, with Pese two classes behind Gossett. Their shared background adds a personal element to one of the matchup’s key individual battles.

Another NAU player with Arizona ties is defensive tackle Jackson Murray. The Scottsdale native transferred to NAU from Colorado State and made four solo tackles in his Lumberjacks debut. Murray stands 6 feet 1 inch and weighs 285 pounds. During his high school career at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, he recorded 144 tackles, including 19 for loss, and 11 sacks. He has also faced several current Wildcats in high school, including Arizona receivers Giovanni Richardson and Brandon Phelps. His work in the middle of the NAU defense could help determine how much room Arizona’s running game has to operate.

Special teams could provide one of the most explosive threats in the game, thanks to NAU freshman Lindsey Graves. The running back from Clovis, California, returned two kickoffs for 116 yards against Eastern Washington. One of those returns covered 100 yards for a touchdown. Arizona’s coverage units will have to account for Graves every time the ball is kicked his way, since one mistake could immediately change field position or put points on the scoreboard. His debut also gives NAU another way to pressure the Wildcats beyond its running game.

For Arizona, Richardson enters the opener as one of the offense’s most intriguing players. The second year slot receiver from Chandler emerged during training camp as Fifita’s leading target. His position requires quickness, precision and the ability to find openings underneath, and Fifita has indicated that he views Richardson as the kind of receiver he will seek when Arizona needs a key play. Richardson’s chemistry with the quarterback could be especially important as the Wildcats work to establish their passing attack early in the season. A strong performance would confirm the progress he made during camp and give Arizona a reliable option from the slot.

On defense, Tre Smith will be watched closely in his return to game action. The sixth year defensive end has not played since suffering a season ending shoulder injury 11 months ago. Smith is in his third season with Arizona and has become a leader along the defensive front. He is also known by the nickname “Mr. Redline.” His comeback comes against an NAU offensive line that allowed only one sack in its opening win, setting up a direct test of Smith’s health, pass rushing ability and influence on the Wildcats’ front seven. His return could give Arizona experience and leadership at a position where disruptive plays matter immediately.

The sixth player to watch is Arizona punter Chase Ridley, a first year Australian who has impressed during training camp with both distance and control. Ridley produced multiple punts in the 50 to 60 yard range while maintaining strong hang time. He also showed accuracy during coffin corner work, with several kicks landing inside the 10 yard line. Those skills could become important if Arizona’s offense struggles to finish drives or if the Wildcats need to pin NAU deep. The staff has seen enough leg strength and touch from the 22 year old freshman to consider him a potential All Big 12 level punter.

Although Fifita and the rebuilt secondary will receive much of the attention, Saturday’s game will reveal how Arizona’s supporting pieces perform under real pressure. The Wildcats must contend with an NAU team that already has a win, a productive rushing attack and a dangerous returner. Arizona’s answers may come from Richardson’s connection with Fifita, Smith’s return, Ridley’s field position work and the defense’s ability to contain Gossett and Murray. For Tucson fans, the opener offers the first meaningful measure of how the Wildcats’ offseason preparation translates when the opponent is wearing a different uniform.