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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Arizona star quarterback Jayden de Laura will be a game-time decision against No. 9 USC Saturday night but he remains “unlikely” to play, according to an ESPN source.
After suffering a significant lower leg injury against Stanford in Week 4, de Laura missed Arizona’s 31-24 loss to No. 7 Washington last week. A source told ESPN that Arizona’s game at Washington State on Oct. 14 would be a more realistic target for him to return.
Wildcat tailback Michael Wiley missed that Washington game as well with a lower leg injury and will also be a game-time decision on Saturday night against USC.
Arizona is expected to start redshirt freshman Noah Fifita again at quarterback. He shined against Washington, going 27-for-39 with three touchdowns. At tailback, Jonah Coleman projects to start in Wiley’s place if he’s unable to go.
De Laura is one of the most established quarterbacks in college football, as he’s thrown for 8,438 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career. Those numbers span two seasons at Washington State and the last two at Arizona. So far this year, he’s completed 69.6-percent of his passes for nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Arizona is 3-2, with an overtime loss at Mississippi State and the hard-fought loss to Washington last week. They have wins over Northern Arizona, Stanford and UTEP, and are halfway to the school’s first bowl bid since 2017.
Arizona carried the momentum from a strong finish last year, which included an upset of No. 9 UCLA and a win over rival Arizona State to close the year at 5-7.