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Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars attempts to tackle Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) during the second quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Evaluating Arizona’s Running Back Room Entering the Bye

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Nathaniel Martinez | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Arizona Wildcats are now 4-3 following a two-game skid, dropping heartbreaking one-possession matchups to BYU 33-27 in double overtime and Houston 31-28 on a walk-off field goal with seconds remaining.

With those losses comes the bitter pain of being so close to a win, but not doing enough to get the job done. Head coach Brent Brennan knows all too well what that feels like and will do whatever it takes to make sure his team does not feel that pain again for the remainder of the 2025 season.

"When you lose two games that way and it's so hard and it's so challenging, the thing that we talk about with the players is what choice do you have," Brennan said. "

"You want to choose to believe you can or you can't. And so with this team, this team believes they can. And that's the way they showed up for work yesterday and that's the way they'll show up for work tomorrow."

... Helping our players navigate that and doing those things the right way and continuing to live redline and continuing to dive into our process is what's given us a chance to play better football. And if we stay the course, we will get it. Keep We have to keep pounding the rock. Eventually, it's going to break."

With the Wildcats heading into the bye week, they will have plenty of time to correct any blemishes they have had so far.

Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

A part of the reason why the Arizona offense has been so successful is that the running back room has improved significantly compared to a season ago, when it finished as the 15th-ranked rushing offense in the Big 12.

New faces

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With former running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Quali Conley in the NFL, and Rayshon Luke now at Fresno State, the Wildcats' staff had to turn to the transfer portal and the recruiting trail to rebuild that squad.

Kedrick Reescano is one of the only running backs from last year, as Arizona has added Ismail Mahdi out of Texas State and Quincy Craig from Portland State to fill the room. Freshmen Wesley Yarbrough and Cornelius Warren have been signed and have gotten some valuable carries in the season.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Although there is still plenty of work to do before Arizona is considered one of the top rushing teams in the Big 12, it is still levels above what it was last season.

Grade: B+

The Arizona running backs room has received a B+ for its improvement in the rushing attack and for how it has utilized all three players in the rotation to the best of their abilities.

Kedrick Reescano had a big game against Hawaii and BYU. Against the Rainbow Warriors, he had 50 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Against BYU, he had 91 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Craig also had a stellar game against Hawaii when he ran for 125 yards on seven carries, making the most of the opportunities he was given.

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mahdi has been the workhorse for the bulk of the season, racking up 445 yards on 77 carries. His biggest game was against Kansas State, when he ran for 189 yards on 22 carries and scored a receiving touchdown. His efforts in that game awarded him the Big 12’s Offensive Co-player of the Week honors.

The only thing holding Arizona’s group of rushers from receiving a higher grade is that they have not all been healthy at the same time throughout the season. Reescano missed three games due to a foot injury, while Craig also had to battle through a shoulder issue.

Despite all that, the Arizona running backs committee is still one to be feared as they are all now healthy and will be going back to giving opposing teams grief, much like they did against Houston.

This article first appeared on Arizona Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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