TUCSON, Ariz.—Arizona’s David Douglas turned to the inside, saw the ball to the outside and swiveled his head around. Leaping as he reached, Douglas snared the ball and just got his foot down for a spectacular 23-yard touchdown against Utah.
After all the hard work he’s put it, it was a nice reward for the senior receiver.
Also a gifted basketball player, Douglas has displayed his versatility by playing several receiver positions in his college career. He averages 58.9 yards receiving per game, second on the team behind Juron Criner, and has become a big weapon in a passing game that ranks fourth nationally and leads the Pac-12 at 370.1 yards per game.
Douglas finished with two touchdowns and a career-high 156 yards on 10 catches in the Wildcats’ 34-21 loss to the Utes last week, including the highlight-reel grab that wasn’t a surprise to his coaches and teammates.
“NFL people will be surprised how fast he is, how much he lifts,” receivers coach Dave Nichol said. “He hasn’t always played as athletic as he is. That first touchdown (against Utah) was pretty impressive. He’s got to keep doing stuff like that these last three games.”
Douglas moved to outside receiver against Utah and was able to get open against the man defense, adding a 42-yard touchdown reception from Nick Foles in the loss. Foles and Douglas have a strong connection; they’re roommates, and Foles said he regards him as a brother.
“I’ve known he can do it forever,” Foles said. “He’s shown glimpses of it. The big thing was getting him in positions to make plays. Most of the time, he’s a guy who’s crafty over the middle, and it’s hard to get the ball in there. He was outside. He was able to go one on one a lot more.”
At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Douglas also shows his athletic skills on the basketball court —outside of the football season.
Growing up, he was a point guard in the Dallas area. He could have possibly played basketball at a smaller school, but he generated Division I attention for football.
“This is a kid that can windmill, between the legs,” said Arizona receiver Dan Buckner, who played on the same AAU team with Douglas in Texas. “Just fast, one of the strongest guys on the team, and he’s a worker.”
Despite all his work, Douglas hadn’t scored a touchdown in Arizona’s first eight games. He made up for it with his career day against Utah, including his acrobatic TD catch that made highlight shows all across the country.
“Those were his first two touchdowns of the season,” Buckner said. “For him to be working that hard and not seeing the end zone, I’m glad he got there, and hopefully it pays off.”
Douglas shifted to outside receiver against Utah after the Wildcats dropped some passes and dealt with injuries. He’s used to moving. He started at the inside “H” position as a sophomore, played at the “Z” flanker position last season, and moved back to the “Y” slot receiver position this season. Nichol said Douglas is sharp enough to play various spots, though he’s probably the best inside.
“They’ve been able to use me wherever they need me,” Douglas said. “Earlier in my career, they told me, ‘If you want to play a lot, the best thing for you to do is learn every position.’ It’s been positive. Whatever’s best for the team.”
The Wildcats hope Douglas can keep it up over the final three games of the season, starting Saturday against Colorado.
