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UNLV vs. Arizona: Austin Hill regains confidence during long TD catch

It was THE play Austin Hill needed to feel he was back at full strength

It was the beginning of the second half. The Arizona Wildcats were getting the ball back after a late score in the second quarter because they won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.

A penalty on the kick return backed the offense to their own eight yard line.

But that was no problem.

"He kind of let it loose," Rich Rodriguez said. "He got a nice stiff arm and he showed a little bit of a burst there, so we can't tease him about being the slowest wideout anymore after he took that one for a touchdown."

"I just like to stiff arm people I guess," Hill joked afterwards. "I wasn't really expecting it to go that far, but once I got the man off me I showed a little speed that they didn't think I had, but it was fun."

"It was a great feeling getting in the endzone and hearing the crowd roar just like I used to."

That play sort of put the last year-plus behind Hill after recovering from that knee surgery in the spring of 2013.

"Just everything I had to go through kind of rushed through my head," he explained. "I've had a lot of ups and downs in my college career, and to be able to come back from such a rough injury and finally get in the endzone again and make a great play like that, especially for the team, to make Anu (Solomon) look great today, it's a good feeling."

The wide receivers as a whole showed the depth that's been talked about for so long now, but Hill is going to be a key piece in making it all work.

"It's good to have him back because he plays every position," Rodriguez added. "He's an experienced guy, and he's very reliable."

"It's a blessing to have such a talented wide receiving corps," Anu Solomon continued. "To have the ability to throw it to one guy, and then to another guy. Hopefully they'll just make a big play."

That 92 yard reception was the third-longest passing play in Arizona history. Just another one to add to the record books on a night of shattered records on the offensive side of the ball for this program.