Arizona Tuesday Twitterbag: Are we losing sight of the Wildcats’ injuries?

How much of this year can be put on injuries?

Welcome back to another edition of our Arizona Wildcats Tuesday Twitterbag!

Each week, you ask us questions on Twitter, and we answer them here. So be sure to follow us @azdesertswarm, and get those questions in each Monday night and Tuesday morning to have them answered.

After a nightmare football game against Washington State, followed up by an underwhelming performance by the basketball team, morale seems low, so let’s try and figure out why.

@azdesertswarm A lot of people trying to downplay injuries as if they r not a major reason why this year and last were disappointments

— Ron Templeton (@Ron_Temple) November 8, 2016

@azdesertswarm Do u really believe that RR just became a bad coach after winning the south? Do u feel injuries r the main reason for woes?

— Ron Templeton (@Ron_Temple) November 8, 2016

No, I don’t believe that Rich Rodriguez just all of the sudden became a bad coach (I do think the playcalling this year has been suspect at best though), but there are a few things that caught up to him this year.

First off, yes, I believe some people are kind of forgetting not just the number of injuries, but where those injuries happened. This offense relies on its quarterback and running back, and at one point, the fourth string quarterback was starting a game with a wide receiver at running back. To believe this offense will succeed in that situation is crazy in my opinion.

Also, on defense, the loss of Michael Barton really showed this weekend. Without that healthy MIKE linebacker, this defense is nothing. Combine that with an apparently injured DeAndre’ Miller, and you don’t have much at the two most crucial positions in this defensive scheme.

What caught up to RichRod this year was his management of the football program over the past few years. The previous defensive staff did not recruit at the level needed to succeed in the Pac-12 South, so he made the change, but it came two years too late. This lack of quality depth is showing up not just on defense, but on special teams.

On offense, the offensive line has not developed the way it needed to. Freddie Tagaloa came to Tucson from Cal projected to be a stud at left tackle, but that hasn’t panned out. There hasn’t been proper development with just about everyone up front, and when you combine that with an inexperienced offensive backfield, you get what we have now.

@azdesertswarm is RR going to stick with one QB so they can develop comfort, confidence, & rhythm?

— ImUA (@MPShrike) November 8, 2016

Doesn’t seem like it, no. As of now, the odds of both Anu Solomon and Brandon Dawkins playing on Saturday are higher than it not happening.

@azdesertswarm prediction for Mich St game?

— Wildcat4Life (@nickgallego) November 8, 2016

I believe Michigan State will win. Even though Chance Comanche is expected back, and MSU is playing shorthanded as well, I just was not very impressed by Arizona on Sunday. This team’s only shooter is seven feet tall, and while Comanche’s return should help the rebounding situation, we’re still not entirely sure exactly how much better he is this year. In the Red-Blue Game, he wasn’t particularly impressive. That’s just a scrimmage, but that’s all we’ve seen of him since last March too.

@azdesertswarm Why do feel so sad?

— UALoco (@TheUALoco) November 8, 2016

It hasn’t been a great week. Here’s an epic video of an iguana set to music by NFL Films to cheer you up.

Set the Planet Earth iguana chase to the NFL Primetime music. Feel great about it. http://pic.twitter.com/Bug0Ej8bu2

— Brian Grubb (@briancgrubb) November 7, 2016

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