Wednesday, October 31, 2018

How Arizona’s commits performed in Week 10

Let’s take a look at how the future Wildcats did last weekend

Grant Gunnell, QB, St. Pius X

Result: Bye

School Record: 7-1

Game Stats: 21 for 31, 487 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT; 4 car, 21 yds, 0 TD

Season Stats: 205 for 301, 3221 yds, 37 TD, 4 INT; 68 car, 433 yds, 7 TD

Game Notes: Gunnell and the Panthers had a bye week.

Next Game: vs. Antonian Prep, Nov. 2

Kwabena Watson, DE/OLB, Edison

Result: Neutral-site loss to Bullard, 42-7

School Record: 5-5

Game Stats: 5 tackles (Unconfirmed, based on clips)

Season Stats: Unknown tackles, 17.0 TFL, 10.0 sacks (confirmed through interview)

Game Notes: Edison did not have the game it had hoped, falling to conference rival Bullard 42-7. Watson had a good showing based off his game film. He showed off great eye discipline and his good tackling. He bounced around the defense and shows that he has more versatility than given credit for.

Next Game: neutral-site playoff game against Ridgeview, Nov. 2

Jaxen Turner, S, Rancho Verde

Result: Road victory against Heritage, 17-10

School Record: 10-0

Game Stats: 5 rec, 76 yds, 1 TD

Season Stats: 13 tackles, 1 INT, 2 PBU; 9 rec, 167 yds, 1 TD; 9 car, 72 yds, 3 TD (Incomplete stats)

Game Notes: Turner had himself a game. He called his own success before the game, and he called it spot on. He caught the game winning touchdown for Mustangs as they completed a perfect regular season. It is off the the playoffs for Turner and RVHS. There were no clips of Turner during the game, but there was this pretty cool interview with him afterward.

Next Game: home playoff game against Tesoro, Nov. 2

Maurice Gaines Jr., CB, St. Thomas More

Result: Home win over St. Joseph’s (Ottawa, Canada), 34-0

School Record: 4-2

Game Stats: Unknown

Season Stats: 3 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU (Unconfirmed, based off clips)

Game Notes: Gaines didn’t have much film from the game on Saturday with only one clip. It’s kind of tough to gauge how Gaines performed based off the clip.

Next Game: at Capital Prep Harbor, Nov. 3

Jalen Johnson, WR, Eleanor Roosevelt

Result: Away loss to Centennial, 84-14

School Record: 5-5

Game Stats: Unknown

Season Stats: 31 rec, 602 yds, 5 TD (Incomplete stats)

Game Notes: The game was one-sided but the bright spot for Roosevelt was no doubt Jalen Johnson. He was on point all night and the below highlights show that. He was a great deep threat option for the Mustangs and showed that he can also be a short crossing route threat, turning up the speed once he has the ball in his hands. He even shows great awareness of where the sideline is during a couple of plays. Johnson is someone who has taken a major step in his game from his junior season.

Next Game: neutral-site playoff game against Sierra Canyon, Nov. 2

Kane Bradford, DT, Skyline

Result: Away victory against Molina, 62-0

School Record: 5-2

Game Stats: Unknown

Season Stats: 10 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1.0 sack (Unconfirmed, based off clips)

Game Notes: There wasn’t any film or stats for Bradford in Skyline’s 62-0 stomping of Molina

Next Game: vs. Berkner, Nov. 1

Chris Roland, DB, William Knight

Result: Home victory against Palmdale, 42-21

School Record: 8-2

Game Stats: 2 tackles, 1.0 TFL, ; 9 rec, 98 yds, 2 TD

Season Stats: 46 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 5 INT, 2 PBU, 1 forced fumble; 64 rec, 1079 yds, 12 TD

Game Notes: Roland is still one of the funnest commits to watch. He started off with an impressive kickoff return for a touchdown after he caught a 10-yard backwards pitch from his teammate. He then proceeded to outrun everybody. He had his normal production offensively and also recorded his third tackle for a loss of the season as he blew through the O-line and dropped the ball carrier.

Next game: neutral-site playoff game against Polytechnic, Nov. 2

Derrion Clark, LB, South Oak Cliff

Result: Road victory against Seagoville, 56-0

School Record: 7-1

Game Stats: 16 tackles and 1.0 TFL

Season Stats: 68 tackles, 13.0 TFL, 1.0 sack (Incomplete, not all games have been updated)

Game Notes: Clark went off against Seagoville, there really isn’t another word to describe it. He is quickly climbing up the ladder of impressive players in the class and is someone I’m becoming more and more excited about. He plays a disciplined and patient style, and explodes once he diagnoses the play. A good example is around the 24-25 second mark in the highlights below. He is the player with pink cleats, just so you can spot him. He drops back in coverage and when he realizes that the QB is about to take off and that he can make the play, he covers 10 yards in about a second and drops the QB. Insane.

Next Game: at Kimball, Nov. 2

Michael Wiley, RB, Strake Jesuit

Result: Road victory against Brazoswood, 62-0

School Record: 7-1

Game Stats: 15 car, 160 yds, 3 TD

Season Stats: 115 car, 894 yds, 12 TD; 11 rec, 158 yds, 0 TD (Incomplete stats)

Game Notes: Below is a nice 45-yard touchdown run by Wiley, where he hits the hole and outruns the defense until about the end. The season stats above are incomplete and are missing a couple of games. But on Friday night, Wiley became the first Strake Jesuit player to ever rush for 1,000 yards in back to back seasons. Pretty cool accolade there.

Next Game: vs. George Ranch, Nov. 2

Jordan Morgan, OT, Marana

Result: Away victory against Nogales, 50-0

School Record: 7-3

Game Stats: N/A

Season Stats: N/A

Game Notes: Marana had itself a day against Nogales, winning 50-0. Wasn’t able to find any defensive stats for Nogales, so I don’t know if they had any tackles for loss or sacks. But Marana had 150 yards rushing on 21 carries and two touchdowns. That’s good for 7.1 yards per cary during the game. That is a great job run blocking for Morgan and the rest of the o-line. And after a dominating win, Morgan made his way to Arizona Stadium on an unofficial visit to watch UA kick the Ducks back to Eugene.

Next Game: road playoff game against Cienega, Nov. 2

Eddie Siaumau, OLB/DE, Leone

Result: Home loss to Samoana, 32-26

School Record: 2-4

Game Stats: N/A

Season Stats: N/A

Game Notes: Siaumau and Leone dropped their game to Samoana. Leone is sitting fourth out of five high schools in American Samoa.

Next Game: N/A

Kyle Ostendorp, P, Desert Vista

Result: Home victory against Queen Creek, 35-28

School Record: 9-1

Game Stats: 2 punts, 75 yards, 37.5 avg, 45-yd long, 1 Insid the 20

Season Stats: 28 punts, 1167 yds, 41.7 avg, 62 yd long, 12 Inside the 20

Game Notes: Desert Vista finished the season strong with a 7-point win over Queen Creek. Ostendorp booted two kicks down the field, averaging 37.5 yards per punt. He did have one downed inside the 20-yard line.

Next Game: home playoff game against Chaparral, Nov. 2

Ahina Aitogi, OL, Fort Scott CC

Result: Away loss to Iowa Western CC, 39-7

School Record: 2-6

Game Stats: N/A

Season Stats: N/A

Game Notes: Fort Scott continued its rough season, dropping its game against Iowa Western CC. I enjoy watching Aitogi play. He is aggressive and loves contact. He has a really nasty streak and I love that in offensive linemen. On one play, he engaged his man and slammed him to the ground. I love it.

Next Game: vs. Iowa Central CC, Nov. 3



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posted by Unknown @ 8:10 PM   0 Comments

3 up, 3 down in Arizona’s win vs. Western New Mexico

The Arizona Wildcats knocked off Western New Mexico 95-44 on Tuesday in their first of two exhibitions.

Our recap can be read here, some additional takeaways can be found here, a loaded postgame notebook can be seen here, and here are some other things we liked and didn’t like from UA’s performance.

3 up

The Brandons

I was convinced heading into the season that Brandon Randolph and Brandon Williams would be Arizona’s leading scorers and I am feeling even better about that prediction after Tuesday’s exhibition.

Randolph and Williams led the way with 20 and 14 points, respectively. Randolph only needed eight shots to reach that figure.

Williams was less efficient, but appears to be Arizona’s most talented player, in my opinion. He dazzles when the ball is in his hands and the way he finishes at the rim reminds me of Allonzo Trier. He is also surprisingly active on defense for a freshman.

Williams has turned the ball over a bit too much — he had four in 24 minutes in the exhibition and three in the Red-Blue Game — but for now we can chalk that up to him still learning the ropes of Arizona’s offense.

Meanwhile, Randolph is simply benefitting from being a year older and having a more prominent role. He will have plenty of opportunities to score this season, and he just has to knock down his open shots (easier said than done, of course).

We saw last year that Randolph has the talent to be a good scorer at this level — he once scored in double figures four times in a five-game stretch — so it comes down the execution.

3-point shooting

Miller said Arizona is going to shoot more 3s this year because of its personnel (more guards and wings, fewer big men) and Tuesday was a good start.

The Wildcats were 11-of-26 from 3, a 42-percent clip. Randolph going 5-for-5 inflates that number a bit, but Ryan Luther also went 2-for-5 and Emmanuel Akot went 2-for-2. All three of those guys will need to shoot well this season for UA to have success.

The downside is Justin Coleman, Brandon Williams, Devonaire Doutrive, Dylan Smith and Alex Barcello went a combined 2-for-13 from distance, but 42 percent is an impressive mark nonetheless, especially when you consider the volume of 3s Arizona took:

If the Wildcats are taking that many 3s and hitting at a high rate (42 percent over the course of the season is probably too much to ask), they have a chance to be a top-20 offense for the seventh straight year.

The frontcourt

Chase Jeter was out with an injury, but the rest of the frontcourt stepped up in his place.

Ira Lee (10), Luther (10), and Akot (10) all scored in double figures and former walk-on Jake DesJardins even had seven points and three rebounds in eight minutes, showing that he could be useful if/when Arizona is battling foul trouble, suspensions, or injuries during the regular season.

Allowing seven offensive rebounds wasn’t great, but Arizona still won the battle on the glass, 50-30.

Obviously the caveat here is Western New Mexico is far worse than any team Arizona will play in the regular season, so we cannot draw any conclusions about the frontcourt just yet.

Every single player still has a lot to prove.

3 down

The rest of the backcourt

Randolph and Williams were good, but the rest of the backcourt was nothing to write home about, though Doutrive did make some encouraging plays on both sides of the ball in limited minutes.

Even so, the non-Randolph and Williams guards combined for 21 points on 19 shots.

Coleman has a Parker Jackson-Cartwright feel to him in that he is easy to overlook sometimes. As a fifth-year senior, he doesn’t make a whole lot of mistakes — he had six assists to one turnover — but he has yet to make a single play that leaves you in awe.

Substance is more important than flash, but UA’s backcourt seems to be lacking the sheer talent that it had in years past, which isn’t unexpected.

This brings me to...

The star power

This is the first time since 2015-16 that Arizona has fielded a roster that does not include a surefire NBA player. Most of Miller’s squads, even dating back to his first couple years with the program, have had at least one or two if not more.

Some players on this team have a legit shot to make it to the next level — Williams has the strongest chance, in my opinion — but it does make you realize why expectations are where they are for this Arizona team and why being picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 isn’t that outlandish.

Talent isn’t the be-all, end-all, but Arizona will have to be extremely cohesive and smart as a unit to overcome its talent deficit, unlike the past two years when it was more about finding just enough synergy to prevent the team’s lack of cohesion from overshadowing its skill level.

McKale Center crowd

Nearly three whole sections of students were missing and there were plenty of open seats in the rest of the arena, which is fairly disappointing although not surprising.

Arizona is not ranked to begin a season for the first time in nearly a decade, Western New Mexico was the opponent (and they were even worse than advertised), and the game was on a Tuesday night. It was also an exhibition.

But it will be interesting to see what kind of support this team gets as the season wears on, as fans are well aware that this could be the worst Arizona team in quite some time.

It doesn’t help that UA’s home non-conference schedule only features one major-conference team. If the Wildcats turn out to be average and the teams they host are just as uninspiring, can you blame people for not showing up?



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posted by Unknown @ 4:25 PM   0 Comments

5 Colorado Buffaloes to Watch vs. Arizona

Who will make an impact on Friday night?

After a 5-0 start, the Colorado Buffaloes have dropped their last three heading into a Friday night game against the Arizona Wildcats. The line currently sits at -3 in favor of Arizona, making this game almost evenly matched when taking out home-field advantage.

With such a close game being expected, here are five players who will make or break Colorado on Friday.

Travon McMillian, RB

A Virginia Tech graduate transfer, McMillian has been vital in keeping the CU attack balanced.

McMillian came to Boulder after a solid career in Blacksburg, where he was one of Frank Beamer’s last recruits. He rushed for just over 2,000 yards in his three years as a Hokie, and now McMillian is currently leading the Buffaloes in rushing by more than 500 yards. He currently has 778 yards on 147 attempts, for a solid 5.3 yards per carry. That includes rushing for 100 yards five times in eight games, including 132 of them in last week’s stunning loss to Oregon State. I

f there is one knock against him, his performances are sometimes hit-or-miss, with the five 100-yard games being joined by two games where he rushed for just 57 yards combined.

If McMillian is clicking in Tucson, the Buffaloes offense will be even more dangerous than usual, and Colorado will have a chance for the slight upset.

Laviska Shenault, WR

Despite an injury that has sidelined him in two of Colorado’s recent losses, Shenault could play against Arizona, and if he does, the defense will face a steep challenge.

A high school and now college teammate of the much-more highly touted K.D. Nixon, Shenault has been in the shadows his whole career until this season. With only seven receptions in 2017, few knew about Shenault before this fall. Now, he’s close to a household name in the Pac-12 and would probably be the front-runner for the Biletnikoff Award if not for his injury.

In his first four games against FBS competition this year, Shenault gained an astonishing 641 yards through the air, adding 41 on the ground. His most amazing feat was in the Arizona State game, where he accounted for all four of the Buffs’ touchdowns in a 28-21 win.

Shenault injured his toe against USC, and it is not currently known if he will play on Friday. It seems that Colorado believes he’ll be on the field, and that presents a major problem, especially with depth issues in the secondary.

Nate Landman, LB

Another sophomore who has exploded onto the scene for Colorado this year, Landman will be one of the leaders in the effort to stop Khalil Tate.

Much like Shenault, Landman only played in a few games as a freshman, and was never a huge impact player when he was on the field. That has all changed in 2018. Landman leads the team with 75 tackles, a shocking 13 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage and three being sacks. On top of all those stops, Landman has two interceptions and a forced fumble to his name, and has proven himself one of the most versatile defenders in the conference. He’s wise beyond his years, and will be leading the Colorado defense in a hostile environment on Friday.

Rick Gamboa, LB

Landman’s partner in crime may not have the gaudy numbers, but his impact is undeniable for the Buffaloes.

While Landman is just a sophomore, Gamboa is a senior who has yet to miss a game in his Colorado career. He’s also one of the very few starters remaining from the 2016 Pac-12 South title team, and he’s proven that experience is invaluable in helping lead the defense. He’s second to Landman in tackles, with a still solid 43. He hasn’t been used in pressure as much as Landman, but he does have an interception as well.

Anytime you have a four-year starter patrolling the middle of the defense, and he’s only the second best linebacker on the field, it’s a problem for the offense.

Evan Price, K

In the early part of the season, Colorado had a different kicker; one who’s 12 years older than Price. Nevertheless, Price is ready to take up the mantle.

James Stefanou is the oldest player in FBS, at age 31. He’d performed quite well in the first few games of the season, but a hip injury has sidelined him during the Colorado losing streak. Enter Evan Price, who just recently turned 19, and is a true freshman out of Evergreen, Colo.. While there his been obvious pressure replacing Stefanou, Price has performed very well, making of four of five field goals, and he’s yet to miss an extra point.

It is unclear if Stefanou will be playing on Friday, but Price will be ready no matter what, and it’s clear he’ll be an asset to Colorado’s special teams in the future.



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posted by Unknown @ 1:55 PM   0 Comments

Breaking down the Buffs: Q&A with Ralphie Report

A Colorado expert discusses Friday’s matchup

The Arizona Wildcats (4-5, 3-3) are playing on Friday for the second and final time this season, this time hosting the Colorado Buffaloes (5-3, 2-3). CU started the season 5-0, but is now on a three-game losing streak, including a devastating collapse against Oregon State last week.

Before the two teams hit the field, we talked to Jack Barsch over at Ralphie Report to see what to expect from the Buffs. Here’s our Q&A.

What’s your assessment of this team thus far in the season?

You picked the wrong week to ask that question. You know, before the epic collapse against a one win team at home, I would’ve said that the team has outperformed expectations so far this year. They were heading towards a 6-2 record with a chance at 9. Now, it looks like it’s going to be another 5-7 finish. The offense has been hot and cold all year, and the defense has exceeded preseason expectations, rising to mediocre.

How big of an impact does Laviska Shenault Jr. have, and will he be playing against Arizona?

He is the single most important player on the team. Shenault completely changes the complexion of the offense and the game as a result. More than just his production and physical capabilities, it seems like Steven Montez and Coach Chiaverini, the playcaller, calm down when he’s in the game.

As for if he is playing, no one will know except Coach MacIntyre until game time. They are not going to tip any information about his status until they have to. I would expect him to suit up.

Besides Shenault’s injury, what has changed during this losing streak?

The quality of competition is the main change. CU beat up on some real sorry teams on its way to 5-0, with most of them coming to Boulder. The Buffs got smacked in the mouth when they had to go on the road to face an extremely talented USC team that hadn’t lost at home in a long time. The losses against USC and Washington were to be expected, though the way they played out was disappointing. The complete self-demolition against Oregon State, however, was new. That was by far the worse loss in the Mike MacIntyre era. The entire team, including the whole coaching staff, fell asleep at the wheel in the second half. So not much changed with the team except for the measuring stick.

Who’s a lesser-known offensive impact player to watch out for?

KD Nixon made himself known last week with a huge performance. I would expect him to get another huge dose of targets this week. He is fast and surprisingly sturdy. Juwann Winfree is another receiver that CU fans love, but no one else has got to see much of. He has finally battled off a rash of injuries to start playing near the tail end of his senior year.

Who’s a lesser-known defensive impact player to watch out for?

With Javier Edwards’ status in question as the NT, watch for Terrance Lang. The DE is big enough to move inside, especially on passing downs, and he is freaky athletic. No. 54 could cause a ruckus in the backfield.

What, if anything, scares you about playing Arizona?

Quite frankly, everything scares me about playing Arizona. The Buffs just lost, at home, to the worst team in the Pac-12. So I would say that any team is scary at this point. Arizona has a great athlete at QB that could have run for 1,000 yards against CU alone last year and the Wildcats just put a beating on a better team than the Buffs. As you can tell, I am psychologically scarred from last week.

Lastly, what’s your score prediction for the game?

My prediction? Pain. But seriously, I don’t think this turns out well for CU. If they come out angry, they could make a game of it. But I’m more worried about a complete season meltdown at this point. UA wins.



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posted by Unknown @ 10:00 AM   0 Comments

Notebook: On Arizona’s rotation, 3-pointers, the Brandons, a Draymond Green comparison, and more

The Arizona Wildcats routed Western New Mexico 95-44 on Tuesday in their first of two exhibitions.

Our recap can be read here, some additional takeaways can be found here, and here are even more notes from Tuesday’s game:

Yep, more 3s

In my pregame writeup I mentioned that the Wildcats plan to take more 3s this season, and they made me look like I know what I’m talking about. Arizona launched 26 3-pointers Tuesday, nearly eight more than it averaged last year.

Here is a different way to look at it: 32 percent of UA’s shots last year were 3s. Tuesday, that number was north of 40 percent.

That trend is here to stay, given the team’s personnel and all the small-ball it will be forced to play.

Generally, offenses that take more 3s have higher ceilings but lower floors than ones that are more selective, but Miller hopes to avoid a boom-or-bust offense.

“We’re going to rely more on the 3-point shot this year,” he admitted. “Now that doesn’t mean that it’s either make or break. ... We have to be able to create drives and get second shots, get fouled, get the ball close to the basket. Obviously you put Chase (Jeter) out out there, that’s something he does well, but we’re going to shoot and depend more on 3-point shooting than we have maybe since I’ve been here.”

Nine-man rotation

Tuesday’s game was a blowout, so Miller was able to empty the bench and play 13 guys, not including Chase Jeter, who sat with an undisclosed injury.

But Miller said afterward that Arizona will realistically have a nine-man rotation, with a 10th guy coming in here and there depending on the situation.

Here are the seven players who should be considered locks to be in the rotation:

  1. Justin Coleman
  2. Brandon Williams
  3. Brandon Randolph
  4. Ryan Luther
  5. Chase Jeter
  6. Emmanuel Akot
  7. Ira Lee

So if you presume that there are two more spots up for grabs, that means one of Alex Barcello, Devonaire Doutrive or Dylan Smith will be out of the rotation more times than not.

Doutrive was the last scholarship player to enter Tuesday’s game, but Miller said he is at the “very beginning stages” of forming the rotation, so that might not mean much.

Miller usually only has an eight-man rotation — sometimes he has even whittled it down to seven — but he acknowledged that isn’t ideal if the Wildcats are going to be playing more small ball this season.

“To play hard, to push the ball, to make up maybe for our lack of size and hold these guys accountable to rebounding and moving the ball, you get winded playing that way and I think it’s always been our philosophy to get people in and out of the game,” he said.

A Draymond Green comparison

For a guy that hasn’t done a whole lot at Arizona, Emmanuel Akot sure has drawn some pretty lofty comparisons.

Miller has juxtaposed the sophomore’s defensive potential to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Tuesday he likened Akot to Golden State’s do-it-all forward Draymond Green.

“Emmanuel Akot is not small and he’s very good with the ball,” Miller said of the 6-foot-7 forward. “He’s a clever passer. He’s almost like today’s version of a wing of a forward, kind of like a Draymond Green type of player.”

In fairness, Akot did have a solid game, with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists plus a steal in 22 minutes off the bench.

The Canadian continues to be a sneaky good shooter, too. He made both of his 3-point attempts Tuesday, and when you combine that with the 9-for-24 mark he posted last season, he has shot 42 percent from beyond the arc in his UA career.

If he can maintain that percentage (or at least come close to it) at a higher volume, he would be a solid 3-and-D option and an intriguing stretch 4 — not totally unlike Draymond Green.

Randolph’s rebounds

Brandon Randolph’s 20 points were a career high and obviously the headliner of Tuesday’s win, but his four rebounds were also a career best.

Part of the reason he was never able to carve out a consistent role as a freshman is because he couldn’t impact the game when his shots weren’t falling.

Miller said Randolph is “trying to embrace” a more well-rounded role this season and Arizona will certainly need him to, especially as a rebounder since he will be playing heavy minutes on the wing for a team that has a dearth of size in the paint.

Randolph struggled mightily on the glass last year, posting a rebounding percentage of 4.5, the lowest among UA’s scholarship players, so the four he grabbed in 24 minutes Tuesday were a step in the right direction.

“He didn’t have the opportunity to play in games as much or have a big role, but this year he does and I think last year really prepared him and helped him,” Miller said. “He’s also had a real good offseason. He’s stronger and he’s just an overall better player. I mean he’s going to have nights where the ball doesn’t go in the basket and one of the things we’ve talked to him about is still still be a good player, not just a shooter.”

More praise for Williams

Brandon Williams had an up-and-down night. The freshman came out guns blazing, scoring seven points within the first three minutes of the game.

Then he hit a long lull — his next basket came with 12 minutes left in the second half — before percolating at the end of the game, eventually finishing with 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 6-of-11 shooting (1-of-6 from 3).

Miller has cautioned that Williams will endure some growing pains since he is learning to play the 1 and the 2, but he also continues to shower the freshman with praise.

“I can’t tell you how good of a feeling it is to coach him because he’s so coachable and he comes from a terrific high school basketball program and a really good family,” Miller said. “He was coached hard, held accountable on defense and offense and you really can see that coaching early on here. I mean even when he makes mistakes, he’s eager to fix the mistakes and sometimes when you’re talented like that, that can be overlooked because that’s what’s gonna allow him to grow and become a great player. But we have high expectations for Brandon, but he’s also bouncing back and forth between two positions.

“So he’s in charge of the other four players and he’s running the team and he’s a playmaker and then all of a sudden he’s in where you really have him freed up to score. So it’s gonna take some time for him to really settle in and be comfortable. But as evidenced by the beginning of the game, you can see certainly his talent and he can really do a lot of different things in the open court.”

There’s always something

This is my third full year covering Arizona basketball and there has been one constant throughout my tenure: off-the-court drama.

Two years ago, it was the suspensions of Allonzo Trier and Chance Comanche. (You can throw in Terrance Ferguson’s departure, too.) Last season, it was the FBI investigation, Rawle Alkins’ injury and the suspensions of Keanu Pinder and assistant coach Mark Phelps.

This year, the FBI hoopla is still hovering over the program (albeit it is nothing like last year) and now there is Ira Lee’s suspension and Chase Jeter’s injury to boot.

The good news is those last two things are short-term issues. Lee will miss one measly game and Jeter will probably be OK for the season opener based on what Miller said after Tuesday’s exhibition.

But it always seems to be one thing after another with this program, and you have to think it takes some sort of toll on the players, even if they insist they are only focused on basketball.

Speaking of Lee, here is what Miller said about him accepting his one-game suspension, which was punishment for being cited for a DUI:

“Ira took it very well. He’s worked hard at all aspects on and off the court since he’s become a student athlete at Arizona, last year and this year. He’s a great teammate and a great kid. He’s had a lot of tough things happen to him in a very short period of time and I think our support is unwavering to help him through this difficult time.

“When you’re going through tough times, sometimes the court, the weight room, your teammates, the locker room, those are things that can bring a smile to somebody’s face like Ira. And so we’re helping him get through it and once we get through the first game, although that part of it’s over, in his world he’s still dealing a lot of tough times, but he’s handling it very well, doing well in school and it’s great that we see him every day and I think that’s not only helpful to our team but him as well.”



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posted by Unknown @ 1:37 AM   0 Comments

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

PHOTOS: Arizona-Western New Mexico, 95-44

The Arizona Wildcats blew out Western New Mexico University 95-44 in their season opener on October 30, 2018.



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posted by Unknown @ 10:20 PM   0 Comments

What we learned from Arizona’s exhibition win over Western New Mexico

The Arizona Wildcats began their first exhibition of the 2018-19 season by allowing a quick bucket to trail Western New Mexico, 2-0. That was the only time they trailed, and frankly the only time there was any uncertainty about who would win.

Forty game minutes later, and Arizona had breezed to a 95-44 win over its Division II opponent, one that wasn’t expected to provide much competition and—outside of a surprisingly competent 7-foot-2, 300-pound center—didn’t.

The final score was the least important thing about Arizona’s first competition against someone other than itself. It was how the Wildcats went about that easy victory that deserves more scrutiny, while at the same time remembering who that performance came against.

Here’s what we learned about Arizona from this first preseason game:

Randolph looks ready to rise

Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph was Arizona’s leading scorer at 20 points in 24 minutes of action, going 6 of 8 from the field. It was the kind of effort the coaching staff hopes for out of someone who several flashes of offensive brilliance as a freshman but because of limited opportunities ended up only averaging 3.7 points per game.

Most notable from that output was what he did from the perimeter, making all five three-point attempts. Last year he was 15 of 46 from deep, a 32.6 percent rate.

The rest of Arizona was 6 of 21 from three, the longball accounting for 40.6 percent of its shots. That’s up a fair amount from last year’s 32.1 percent three-point attempt rate.

BWill is going to be fun to watch

Arizona coach Sean Miller has said he believes Brandon Williams would have been a McDonald’s All-American last year had the guard not suffered a knee injury during his junior year of high school. Getting hurt might be the only way Williams doesn’t make the Pac-12 all-freshman team if how he performed in his debut is any indication.

Williams had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in 24 minutes. He was 6 of 11 from the field, struggling outside (1 for 6) but going perfect from within the arc.

He was by far Arizona’s most active player, offensively and defensively, never seeming to stay in one place for more than a half-second. And he showed he’s not afraid to bang around, often seeking out the contact like with just over four minutes left when he slowed down on a run out to make the trailing defender bang into him for a shooting foul.

If only he didn’t go 1 for 4 from the foul line.

There’s no room for error (or absence) down low

After years of the frontcourt being spoiled in the size department, with at two seven-footers apiece the past four seasons, Arizona enters this year downright small on the block. The biggest “big” is 6-foot-10 Chase Jeter, with 6-9 Ryan Luther and 6-7 Ira Lee the other main post players.

Jeter didn’t play Tuesday because of an undisclosed injury, which left Arizona super thin up front, to the point that the second unit was comprised of 6-7 wing Emmanuel Akot and former walk-on Jake DesJardins, who is 6-6.

Arizona outrebounded Western New Mexico 50-30 but managed just seven offensive rebounds, the same number as the Mustangs.

That might fly against a Division II team, and maybe against most of Arizona’s non-conference teams, but not when the Wildcats play in Maui or during the Pac-12 schedule. If Jeter’s injury proves to be something that lingers, that could be a big issue.



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posted by Unknown @ 10:20 PM   0 Comments

Brandon Randolph scores 20, Arizona blows out Western New Mexico in first exhibition

Brandon Randolph made an early case to be the Arizona Wildcats’ new go-to scorer.

The sophomore dropped a career-high 20 points and made all five 3s he attempted, as Arizona routed Western New Mexico 95-44 in its first of two exhibitions.

Sean Miller said at Pac-12 media day that they Wildcats will be at their best this season when they are sharing the ball and getting a bevy of players involved offensively, and that transpired Tuesday.

Brandon Williams (14), Ryan Luther (13), Ira Lee (10) and Emmanuel Akot (10) also scored in double figures and Arizona shot 59 percent as a team.

UA center Chase Jeter was out with an undisclosed injury, so Arizona was forced to play small, starting Lee and Luther in the frontcourt, then mixing in Akot and former walk-on Jake DesJardins off the bench.

The small-ball lineups resulted in a lot of 3s and the Wildcats had plenty of success from distance, shooting 11-of-26 from behind the arc. 21 of their 37 baskets were assisted.

Western New Mexico looked like a team that won six games last year. The Mustangs only shot 25 percent, firing some shots so far off the mark that McKale Center crowd, which was not its vibrant self, could only groan.

Williams got off to a sensational start, scoring seven points within the first three minutes, but did not record his next basket until there was 12:21 left in the second half.

Randolph scored 13 first-half points and the Wildcats led 48-15 at the break. They staggered early in the second half, scoring six points in the first seven minutes, but won the period 47-29.

Grad transfer Justin Coleman only mustered two points in his unofficial debut, but did tally five rebounds and six assists. Better yet: only one turnover in 22 minutes.

Akot and Dylan Smith were the first subs off the bench. Smith took over for Randolph at the 3 and scored seven points to go along with seven rebounds.

Devonaire Doutrive was the last scholarship player to check in, entering midway through the first half. He went coast-to-coast for a layup not too long after and finished with six points. Alex Barcello scored four points.

Arizona outrebounded WNMU, 50-30. Luther grabbed a team-high eight boards.

The Wildcats’ final exhibition is Sunday, Nov. 4 against Chaminade.

This story will be updated.



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posted by Unknown @ 9:10 PM   0 Comments

Chase Jeter out vs. Western New Mexico; Ira Lee suspended for regular-season opener

The Arizona Wildcats are going to be short one frontcourt player for Tuesday night’s exhibition against Western New Mexico, but it could have been two.

Redshirt sophomore forward Chase Jeter will not play against the Division II school because of an undisclosed injury, the team announced on Twitter about two hours before tip-off.

Not long after that, Arizona’s athletic department released a statement saying that sophomore Ira Lee has been suspended for the Wildcats’ regular-season opener Nov. 7 against Houston “due to a violation of the university’s student code of conduct and Arizona Athletics’ community standards.” That stems from Lee’s citation for extreme DUI in the summer.

No information was provided on the nature or severity of the injury to the 6-foot-11 Jeter, who sat out the 2017-18 season per NCAA transfer rules after playing two seasons at Duke.

With Jeter unavailable that leaves Arizona even thinner than it already was in the frontcourt. The other scholarship forwards on the roster are senior Ryan Luther, a 6-foot-9 graduate transfer from Pittsburgh, as well as the 6-foot-7 Lee and 6-foot-6 junior Jake Desjardins, a former walk-on.

Sophomores Emmanuel Akot and Brandon Randolph, who are 6-foot-7 and 6-6, respectively, could potentially play forward if needed.



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posted by Unknown @ 5:55 PM   0 Comments

Tristan Cooper: Hit on Oregon’s Dillon Mitchell a ‘safety’s dream’

After a few weeks coming off the bench, Tristan Cooper earned himself a start at the spur safety position for last Saturday’s Homecoming game against Oregon. It may be hard to keep him out of that spot for the rest of the season.

The junior was a key piece for an Arizona Wildcats defense that had its best performance of the year, rattling Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert and holding him to a season-low in passing yards.

He also brought the pain to Ducks star wideout Dillon Mitchell, laying him out on a short pass attempt over the middle during the third quarter of Arizona’s 44-15 win.

https://twitter.com/bryandfischer/status/1056411959652827136?s=21

“That’s by far the hardest hit I’ve seen since I got here,” sophomore linebacker Tony Fields II said. “By far.”

Cooper was credited with a pass breakup on the play, his fourth of the season, which is third-best on Arizona. On Tuesday he was still amazed it happened.

“That’s the safety’s dream,” he said. “I was like, you know what, I don’t think this quarterback is going to throw that. This is terrible if he throws it, but he lobbed it up. I didn’t want the pick, I didn’t want the touchdown, I just wanted the hit.”

Twitter exploded after the hit, comparing it to one by ex-Arizona safety Will Parks against Oregon State’s Jordan Villamin in October 2015. Cooper remembers that play, which happened during his senior year of high school in El Paso, and it somewhat influenced his decision to sign with Arizona in February 2016.

“I didn’t really know much about Arizona until I saw that,” Cooper said. “I just remember he leveled him with his shoulder. It was terrible, it looked like that guy died.”

Cooper believes Parks’ hit was much better than his, partly because he didn’t have to be as worried about getting called for targeting as defensive players are nowadays.

“When my hit came, I was looking at him and was like, should I put my helmet in?,” Cooper said. “But if I get this targeting call I’m out for the (first) half of the next game. It was a great hit, I liked it, but I wish it was like in the old days when we could lead with our helmet.

“I don’t really like the targeting call, I think it prevents us from playing football at times.”

Arizona has yet to be called for targeting this season.

“Our coach always tells us to get our head in front of the ball,” he said. “When we do drills, any hitting drills, (safeties coach John Rushing) says keep your head up, see what you hit.”



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posted by Unknown @ 5:10 PM   0 Comments

First look at the Colorado Buffaloes

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posted by Unknown @ 1:10 PM   0 Comments

WATCH: Dave Rubio, Julia Patterson preview the Washington road trip

The Arizona Wildcats volleyball team hits the road this weekend to face No. 18 Washington State and Washington on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

No. 21 Arizona (17-7, 6-6) is coming off a home split against the Oregon schools.

Head coach Dave Rubio met with the media Tuesday to discuss the upcoming matches, Kendra Dahlke’s injury, his team’s NCAA Tournament status, and more.

Here’s Dave Rubio on Arizona Volleyball’s upcoming road trip against the Washington schools, Kendra Dahlke’s injury, UA’s NCAA Tournament status and more

Posted by AZ Desert Swarm on Tuesday, October 30, 2018

And here is an interview with junior setter Julia Patterson, who recently recorded her 2,000th career assist.

Julia Patterson, who recorded her 2,000th career assist last weekend, previews Arizona Volleyball’s upcoming road trip to Washington

Posted by AZ Desert Swarm on Tuesday, October 30, 2018


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posted by Unknown @ 11:55 AM   0 Comments

Arizona vs. Eastern New Mexico: Game time, TV channel, radio, how to watch online

The Arizona Wildcats begin the 2018-19 college basketball season with an exhibition matchup against Division II Eastern New Mexico on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

This is the first of two preseason games for Arizona, which is coming off a 27-8 season that included a Pac-12 regular-season and conference tournament title but ended abruptly with a loss to Buffalo in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Wildcats are unranked in the preseason Associated Pres poll, the first time that’s happened since 2010. So it goes for a team replacing all five starters.

Check out all the details you need to watch the Arizona-Eastern New Mexico exhibition:

Arizona-Eastern New Mexico game time, details:

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 30

Time: 7 p.m. PT

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.

Which TV channel is Arizona-Eastern New Mexico on?

Arizona-Eastern New Mexico will be televised on Pac-12 Network.

How can I watch Arizona-Eastern New Mexico online?

The stream of Arizona-Eastern New Mexico can be viewed on Pac-12.com.

How can I listen to Arizona-Eastern New Mexico on the radio?

You can listen to Arizona-Eastern New Mexico on the Arizona IMG Sports Network.

Oregon-Eastern New Mexico pregame coverage:



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posted by Unknown @ 8:10 AM   0 Comments

Monday, October 29, 2018

What we learned from Arizona’s win vs. Eastern New Mexico

Cate Reese and Aarion McDonald are good at basketball

The Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team routed Eastern New Mexico 88-31 on Monday in their first of two exhibitions.

Our recap can be found here, and here are some additional takeaways.

Cate Reese is legit

The McDonald’s All-American had an outstanding debut, posting 21 points and 14 rebounds in just 21 minutes. The freshman forward was 9 of 12 from the field and showcased a dynamic skill set.

Reese’s first two baskets were step-back jumpers. The rest were near the rim, combining a soft touch with unrelenting aggression.

“She could have probably had 40 tonight,” said UA coach Adia Barnes. “She’s just fearless. She’s a fierce competitor, she does not care, she plays hard, she takes it full court, she’s aggressive. She does things you can’t teach. That’s just innately who she is and that’s one of the reasons I loved her in the recruiting process and I wanted a player like that, because you can’t teach that. And I think it’s contagious.”

Perhaps what stood out most was the way Reese would corral a rebound and initiate transition offense. Reese said she handled the ball plenty in high school and Barnes is “perfectly fine” with her doing it at Arizona.

“Now if we start to turn the ball over a lot then I won’t be, but right now it’s OK,” Barnes joked. “I do like her to kick up, she can always get it back, but she’ll learn that. But a lot of times they didn’t stop the ball, so I don’t mind her taking it coast to coast.”

What does concern Barnes is how often Reese tumbles to the ground, one downside of the motor she plays with.

“She has to learn how to fall,” Barnes said. “I talked about it in the recruiting process. She falls a lot. In high school she fell about 25 times a game. So we have to teach that and I think some of that is going to be her strength, her body control and balance, and I think that will improve.”

McDonald equally impressive

Aarion McDonald showed why Barnes believes she will be one of the best point guards in the Pac-12, dropping 20 points in 19 minutes in her UA debut.

The Washington transfer continually found her way to the rim, allowing her to go 10 of 12 from the field.

“She’s so fast,” Barnes said. “They can play a zone and she can still find a way to snake through the zone. She’s just such a catalyst on offense the same way Cate is.

“Aari brings us so much more athleticism on the perimeter. Cate, you see the versatility in our posts. They can bring the ball up the floor and finish. I think that’s just a lot of fun to watch.”

No surprises in the starting lineup

While Barnes played things close to vest leading up to the game, Arizona’s starting lineup configuration was never really in doubt.

It was always assumed they were going to start McDonald, Reese, Sam Thomas, Dominique McBryde and Lucia Alonso, and that’s exactly the five Barnes rolled with.

“I like the fact that we’re relentless on the boards, we can do a lot of different actions, roll and rise, we can play 4-out, 1-in,” Barnes said when asked what she likes about that unit. “I like the way we run, I like the way we defend with that first group. Because a lot of times when we had different combinations you saw our defense (fluctuate). We’re working on those combinations, but we’re pretty set on a seven-person rotation.”

Arizona opened the game with a 19-2 lead. Reese had 10 points and six rebounds in the first quarter.

“We can definitely score,” McDonald said of the starting lineup. “We have great chemistry right now and hopefully we keep that momentum (going).”

Alonso and McBryde surprisingly had quiet games, combining for nine points on 4-of-12 shooting.

“Dominique will play a lot better,” Barnes said of the Purdue transfer.

“We just looked different”

McBryde did reel in eight rebounds alongside Reese, helping the Wildcats own a whopping 45-21 advantage on the glass.

That stat alone tells you how improved their frontcourt is, Barnes said.

“I can’t remember the last time I sat here and we won the boards against anybody,” she said. “That’s a positive thing because we have more depth and athleticism. I’m happy about that, because every single game was brutal on the boards.”

It was a far cry from last year’s exhibition against Eastern New Mexico when Arizona only outrebounded ENM by five and even got outscored in two quarters.

“We’ve improved so much from last year. We went from no posts at all to just having some size inside,” Barnes said. “I thought we showed some spurts of really good defense. There’s still a lot of areas to improve in, but we just looked different.”

Still struggling to shoot

The Wildcats were the second-worst 3-point shooting team in the Pac-12 last year, and those struggles re-emerged Monday.

Arizona was 4 of 11 from 3, a mark that would look a lot worse if not for Sam Thomas, who sank all three 3s she attempted.

“I’m not that worried about it,” Barnes said. “I knew they were going to play some zone, especially the way we shot the ball last year, but I think we have capable shooters, so I’m not that concerned. I thought we had really good looks.”

Barnes loved the confidence her team shot with, especially Thomas.

“One of the things that was a bright spot tonight was that Sam took it in transition, no one stopped her, and she pulled up for a 3,” Barnes said. “I don’t mind that.”

Thomas, a small forward, mostly played inside last season, but will be on the perimeter more this year thanks to the influx of size.

“She went 3 for 3, I don’t mind if she takes six,” Barnes said. “She’s a great 3-point shooter.”

Defense will probably be the focus in practice this week

Arizona’s second and final exhibition is next Monday against Western New Mexico. The Wildcats will be trying to tune up their defense before then.

“I thought our hedges were really flat. I really wanted to be more aggressive,” Barnes said. “I thought that at times we played in spurts of really solid defense. We were forcing them to catch the ball way behind the 3-point line, but we would do that for two minutes and we didn’t do that for the rest. And I thought were helping way too much on the strong side and getting sucked in and allowing shots. And our principles aren’t to help off the strong side. Those little discipline things are things we can correct and we can show them on film.”

McDonald and Reese agreed that Arizona needs to communicate more.

“We need to work better on hedges and talking about screens and switching,” Reese said. “But overall I think it was a pretty good first game.”



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posted by Unknown @ 11:10 PM   0 Comments

Cate Reese shines in Arizona’s win vs. Eastern New Mexico

Getting used to playing with each other and getting confidence were what Arizona coach Adia Barnes wanted in the exhibition and pre-conference season. For fans, the draw was seeing the hyped freshman class finally take the court in McKale Center. It was worth the wait, as the Wildcats blew out the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds 88-31.

Former McDonald’s All-American Cate Reese lived up to her press. She finished the first quarter with ten points, six rebounds, and a steal. By the time she was removed with 1:57 left to go in the third, she had gone 9-12 from the field with 21 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. If there was any criticism, it was that she went 3-7 from the free throw line.

Not to be overshadowed, the rest of the Wildcats showed why the coaching staff is excited about the improved talent on the team. Last season, Eastern New Mexico gave Arizona all they wanted. The Greyhounds outscored the Wildcats in two quarters when they faced off last October.

This season, Arizona would have none of that. They ran out to a 12-0 lead before ENMU finally scored with 6:13 left in the first quarter. Those were the only two points the Greyhounds would put on the board in the first. Arizona held Eastern New Mexico to single-digit scoring in three of the four quarters.

Despite holding the Greyhounds to 31 points, Barnes pointed to the defense as the primary weakness.

“I thought our hedges were a little flat,” she said. “We need to be more aggressive. That’s why we’re getting hedged. I thought at times we played in spurts of really solid defense. We were out forcing them to catch the ball way beyond the three-point line. But we would do that for two minutes, and then we wouldn’t do that for the rest. And I thought we were helping way too much off the strong side and getting sucked into allowing shots. And our principles aren’t to help off the strong side.”

On the offensive side of the ball, efficiency was the name of the game for the Wildcats. They started off shooting 58.8% from the field in the first quarter, and peaked at 90.9% in the third. The lowest percentage came in the final quarter when all of the starters were on the bench.

Much of the improved efficiency can be attributed to the introduction of Aarion McDonald to the starting line-up.

“We just look different,” Barnes said. “Aari brings us so much more athleticism on the perimeter.

“She’s so fast. They can play a zone, and she still finds a way to snake through the zone. She’s just such a good athlete.”

Three-point shooting was a concern for most of the game. Arizona missed all five attempts from beyond the arc in the first half.

Sophomore Sam Thomas was the lone bright spot from distance, connecting on all three of her attempts in the third quarter. Freshman Bryce Nixon was the only other Wildcat to hit from three with the team going 4-11.

“One of the things that was a bright spot tonight was that Sam took it in transition, and no one stopped her, and she pulled up for three,” Barnes said. “And I don’t mind that, because I want her to be more aggressive from the three-point line.”

The theme of the night was the inside game, though. From rebounding to the 62 points in the paint, Arizona showed that the focus on recruiting size has paid off.



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posted by Unknown @ 9:30 PM   0 Comments

What to watch in Arizona’s exhibition vs. Western New Mexico

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posted by Unknown @ 7:00 PM   0 Comments

The upset of Oregon ‘only helps’ Arizona’s recruiting efforts

Arizona’s upset over the Oregon Ducks not only moved the Wildcats closer to bowl eligibility and within striking distance of a Pac-12 South championship, but it could make the program’s rebuild a little easier as well.

The UA had a countless number of high school players visiting for the game, and head coach Kevin Sumlin said a victory over a ranked team — and the fanfare that accompanies it — is a jolt for Arizona’s recruiting efforts.

“It doesn’t hurt, I’ll put it that way,” Sumlin said Monday at his weekly press conference. “We had some official visitors, we had some unofficial visitors, so it can only help. The energy, the exposure, the vision becomes a little bit easier when a young man is able to come in here and really get a feeling for what this program can be.”

Arizona, which typically brings in one of the lowest-ranked recruiting classes in the Pac-12, needs all the help it can get. It currently has 13 commits in its 2019 class, which is ranked 66th in the country, per 247Sports. That is good for eighth in the conference.

But more additions could be coming — and soon. Take four-star cornerback Bobby Wolfe, for example. The Texan decommitted from Texas A&M shortly after he was on hand to witness Arizona upset Oregon, the type of decision that makes you wonder what’s coming next.

And here are some other recruits who were on campus for the game, including 2020’s No. 1 quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei:

  • 2019 4-star WR Jalen Curry (Houston, TX)
  • 2019 JUCO OL Paiton Fears (Hutchinson, KS)
  • 2019 3-star OL Jakai Clark (Loganville, GA)
  • 2020 4-star S Jacobe Covington (Scottsdale, AZ)
  • 2020 5-star QB DJ Uiagalelei (Bellflower, CA)
  • 2020 3-star ATH Keith Savage (Bellflower, CA)
  • 2020 3-star S Kourt Williams (Bellflower, CA)
  • 2020 RB Tyus Poyer (Bellflower, CA)
  • Penn State grad transfer LB Manny Bowen

It obviously remains to be seen if Arizona actually lands any of these recruits, but as Sumlin said, the fact they were in Arizona Stadium to see the Wildcats beat a Top-25 team will only help UA’s new coaching staff sell their vision of the program.

“I think that in any organization, whether it sports, business, whatever, it’s one thing to have a message ... but if people don’t believe it in, it really doesn’t matter,” Sumlin said. “Leadership is about vision, but it’s also about belief and trust.”



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posted by Unknown @ 4:10 PM   0 Comments

What Kevin Sumlin said at Arizona’s pre-Colorado press conference

When the Arizona Wildcats were done blowing out the Oregon Ducks late Saturday night it wrapped up one of the wildest days to date this season in Pac-12 football, one where all five games were won by underdogs.

To Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin, though, it was just another day (or night) at the office.

“It’s football,” Sumlin said Monday, when asked about the rash of upsets in the league. “We’ve got enough to worry about. We’re more concerned about us.”

Arizona (4-5, 3-3 Pac-12) was a 7.5-point underdog to Oregon, the largest spread its overcome to win since the October 2014 victory at Oregon in which the Wildcats were 21.5-point road dogs. Yet that pales in comparison to the 26.5 points that the Colorado Buffaloes, the Wildcats’ opponent this Friday night at home, was favored by against Oregon State.

The Buffaloes (5-3, 2-3) lost that game, 41-34 in overtime, after leading 31-3. Sumlin was asked if such an unexpected result involving his team’s next foe has an effect on game planning, but he didn’t bite.

“You guys can get your conjecture,” he said. “We watch tape and what happens, week to week, as you’ve seen in this league, as you’ve seen all over the country … you don’t have to be the best team, you just have to be the best for 3 ½ hours.”

Here’s what else Sumlin said Monday ahead of the Colorado game:

On the defensive performance against Oregon, which was 3 for 16 on third down:

“Our defense got off the field on third down. I thought our tackling was the best it’s been during the year. Really didn’t give up a bunch of big plays.”

On the play of senior S Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, who had three pass breakups:

“The big thing was, he wasn’t tentative. He was aggressive. He had pretty good eye discipline during the game, and he tackled well. When that happens, particularly from the back end, you really eliminate big plays because he got the ball carrier or receiver on the ground.”

On redshirt freshman CB Azizi Hearn’s contributions to the secondary:

“He’s played a lot of football on special teams. That experience, I think, is translating into his confidence. He was in a lot different place when we played Houston than he is now. That’s why we played him, that’s why we put him out there.”

On if the special teams performance against Oregon was the best of the season:

“We grade players individually, and we look at units. We look at all our special teams and rank (as) a combined unit. That’s about field position. A lot of things can happen. Because we blocked the punt, everybody looks at that. But I thought, overall, it was a really solid effort on special teams.”

On the role of wide receivers in the run game:

“Our guys on the perimeter, as I’ve said Saturday night, have been really good. The explosive plays don’t always come off of passes. The explosive runs of 25, 30 yards or more comes off the perimeter. Shawn (Poindexter) is about as unselfish a guy as we have on this team. He takes pride in it.”

On squandering scoring opportunities:

“We’d like to get more touchdowns. After the blocked punt we’re at the 5. You do not get seven, instead you get three. You want to come away with touchdowns instead of three points, really, off of any sudden change or turnover situation. That’s something we’re aware of and we need to improve.”

On the play of redshirt sophomore OL Michael Eletise:

“The big deal, to me, was throughout that second half, Michael Eletise came in and did a really nice job. With everything that was going on for him, that was as consistent a performance as he’s had this year. Integral part of the second half. I thought he did a really, really nice job. He wasn’t playing (earlier in the season) for a reason. We’re going to put our best guys out there. He made some mistakes, but he showed that he belongs.”

On the running back depth, pending the health of sophomore Gary Brightwell:

“We’ll see. We’re checking on everything today, the injuries. We’ll have a plan for that.”

On QB Khalil Tate looking underneath for easier targets:

“He can be better there. Route design and everything else, taking what the defense gives you. We had some underneath things that he can do a better job of. He understands that, we understand that. His (completion) percentage was up this week, really, because of the screen game and some things that were designed to get him into rhythm.”

On senior WR/PR Shun Brown’s overall play:

“He is not only a threat with the ball in his hands, on the screen game, he’s getting down the field, too. As a punt returner he’s a reliable guy. He’s making good decisions back there. And, obviously, he’s had some good returns. He’s a threat as a punt returner. He is doing a lot for this team.”

On the short week because of a Friday game:

“A little bit different than the short week (before going to Utah on Oct. 12) because we’re at home. The schedule will be different. Yesterday was the players’ day off and we’ll get to work today.”

On Colorado:

“I think they’ve done a nice job, offensively and defensively. They’re well coached. It’s really a team effort. The quarterback is playing well. A running back that’s right at 100 yards per game. They lead the league in turnover margin, also. They’re doing a lot of things right. It’s going to be another real challenge, this week, Friday night.”

On Buffaloes WR Laviska Shenault Jr., who leads Pac-12 in receptions (60) and yards (780):

“He’s an exceptional player. One of the most dynamic players in this league. I think he’s bigger than people think. He can create some real problems.”

On the impact Saturday’s win can have on recruiting:

“It doesn’t hurt, I’ll put it that way. We had some official visits. We had some unofficial visitors. It can only help. The energy, the exposure, the vision becomes a little bit easier when a young man is able to come in here and really get a feeling for what this program can be.”



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posted by Unknown @ 2:10 PM   0 Comments

Wildcat Wrap: Arizona lands Terry Armstrong, gets mixed results vs. Oregon in three sports

From football cooking the Oregon Ducks on homecoming to non-revenue sports having another solid week, we have you covered on the week that was for Arizona Athletics.

Let us know in the comments if we missed anything.

Volleyball

Soccer

  • Like volleyball, the UA soccer earned a split against the Oregon schools, only these games were on the road.
  • Arizona scored a trio of second-half goals to beat Oregon State on Thursday. Amanda Porter scored the game-winner and Kennedy Kieneker added two insurance goals — the senior’s first two goals of the season. The Beavers are the worst team in the Pac-12 by far, so it was a game UA had to have.
  • They weren’t as fortunate against Oregon, however, falling to the Ducks 1-0 in overtime. It was just Oregon’s second conference win, so it was a bad loss by Arizona, which is 11-5-2 (4-4-2 Pac-12) heading into the regular-season finale at ASU.
  • Both UA and ASU have a lot on the line going into that match. Arizona might need to win to host the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while a win for ASU would likely cement their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Before the ‘Cats left for Oregon, we caught up with forward Brynn Moga to talk about her big week against the Washington schools, working in special education and more.

Women’s basketball

Women’s swimming and diving

Softball

Cross country

Hockey

Baseball

  • The Wildcats faced Cal State Fullerton in Mesa and won..... in 22 innings.

Women’s golf

Football

Men’s Basketball



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