With all of the huge numbers that Arizona’s offense put up on Saturday night, it may have been hard to notice that a staple of that unit for the past year and a half was absent.
Turns out that wasn’t a one-time thing.
UA coach Jedd Fisch confirmed after the 43-20 win over Colorado that tight end Alex Lines had left the program. Fisch declined to give a reason for Lines’ departure, saying it was up to Lines to disclose that.
“He chose no longer to be on the team,” Fisch said.
Lines, a third-year sophomore who transferred from UNLV in January 2021, had started 15 of 16 games for Arizona including the previous 14. But after catching 10 passes for 138 yards last season he’d logged only one reception for eight yards in 2022.
Though Lines had started the first four games, against North Dakota State and at Cal the Wildcats started both he and Tanner McLachlan. McLachlan, a redshirt junior transfer from Southern Utah, has become the primary receiving tight end and has 17 catches for 216 yards including two for 17 yards and his first touchdown against Colorado.
McLachlan and true freshman Keyan Burnett started against the Buffaloes, with Burnett serving mostly as a blocking tight end.
By leaving the team after four games, Lines retains this season of eligibility. If he enters the NCAA transfer portal he’d have three years to play at another school.