Ex-UA standout T-Mac putting up Rookie of the Year numbers

– If the NFL season ended today, former Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers would likely be the Rookie of the Year. He has the highest per-play ranking of all active rookies, 80.4, by Pro Football Focus. The only other rookies with a ranking of more than 75% effectiveness are Dallas defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (79.7), Philadelphia linebacker Jihaad Campbell (78.1) and offensive tackle Armand Membou of the New York Jets (75.3). T-Mac is sixth overall in NFL receiving with 54 catches, for 748 yards, entering Sunday’s game at San Francisco.

– Arizona’s 2017 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Lauri Markkanen, is averaging 30.6 points for the Utah Jazz. That’s No. 5 in the NBA through games as of Thursday. Markkanen has had games of 51 and 47 points. The highest single-season NBA scoring average by an ex-Wildcat is 29.3, set by Gilbert Arenas in 2005-06. The only NBA players to outscore Markkanen this year are Luka Doncic, 34.4; Tyrese Maxey, 32.8; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 32.6; and Giannis Antetokounmpo, 32.2. Talk about elite company.

– Someone suggested last week that Arizona QB Noah Fifita should be honored with a statue. Maybe it’s best to pump the brakes on that suggestion. True, Fifita set the UA career touchdown-passes record (68), but here’s some perspective: The Big 12 record is 134, set by Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell, followed by Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield at 131. In the old Pac-12, WSU’s Luke Falk threw a record 119 TD passes, followed by USC’s Matt Barkley at 116. At Oregon, Bo Nix threw 74 touchdown passes in just two seasons. Overall, 26 Pac-12 quarterbacks threw 70 or more TD passes. If and when Fifita passes ASU record holder Andrew Walter, 85 TD passes, Fifita will deserve historical praise.

– Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno attended last week’s Pima County Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet. Moreno was Tucson High school buddies with Class of 2025 inductees Steve Owen and Dan Noli, both of whom became world-class judo performers in the 1970s. “Dan and Steve went to judo and I went to the track team,” Moreno told me. One highlight from the Hall of Fame ceremony was when ex-Sahuaro High and Pima College baseball pitcher Marc Barcelo ended his emotional speech by saying “Go Sun Devils, forks up.” Barcelo became the Pac-10’s 1993 Pitcher of the Year at ASU before becoming a first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins. “Actually, I wanted to go to the UA,” said Barcelo, “but that didn’t work out and going to ASU was a tremendous experience.”

– Adia Barnes‘ debut at SMU hasn’t gone without difficulty. Her Mustangs lost to Grand Canyon 76-60 last week while shooting 1 for 17 from 3-point distance. No power, Grand Canyon had earlier lost to Idaho State by 12 points. Barnes’ first season at Arizona, 2015-16, had a similar embarrassment when the Wildcats lost 57-55 to Florida Gulf Coast. Barnes’ Mustangs also lost 46-44 at home against Kansas State. A small crowd of 1,233 attended. Long season ahead.