Arizona Wildcats 4-2 Overall (2-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Arizona 43 – Stanford 38

Next Week’s Opponent: UCLA

Enough offense for you?

Despite giving up over 30 points for the third straight game, Saturday’s shootout victory over Stanford shot Arizona into the BCS top 25 (#22). With quality in-conference wins over Stanford and Oregon State as well as only two losses (the heart breaker in Washington and to undefeated Iowa), the respect seems justified. Speaking of that Iowa game, how badly do you want to see a do-over with Nick Foles as the starter?

Since Foles has taken over as the starter, the Wildcats have scored 113 points and have amassed 1402 yards of total
offense; good for 37.7 points and 467.33 yards per game.

Hard to find anything about the offense not to love in Saturday’s game. Nick Foles had an unbelievable day, throwing for 415 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Juron Criner had 12 catches for 152 yards, Terrell Turner had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, and David Douglas had 92 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches. David Roberts and Keola Antolin both snagged five catches each as well.

Arizona didn’t run often, but when they did, good things happened. Greg Nwoko rushed three times for 45 yards, capped off by a 43-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter, and Nic Grigsby rushed seven times for 89 yards, also capped off by a huge (57-yard) touchdown in the 4th.

On defense, things were quite different. The defense gave up a miserable 584 total yards, including 434 passing yards. They also gave up 123 yards and two touchdowns to Gerhart on the ground before his injury. Bright spots include getting the stop on 4th and 1 late in the game (you have to be thrilled as a Wildcats fan that Gerhart wasn’t available), and of course the 79-yard pick-6 by Robert Golden to put Arizona on the board early in the 1st quarter.

But for a team that can usually rely on its speedy defense, this is the second time in three games that they’ve been torched for over 400 total yards (407 against Oregon State). Yes, they ended up winning both of those games; but the difference between a good season and a fantastic one will be the defense, because the offense is clearly clicking.

The Wildcats will look to keep the good times rolling this week at home against UCLA.

Arizona Wildcats 4-2 Overall (2-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Washington 36 – Arizona 33

Next Week’s Opponent: Stanford

How did this happen? I still can’t figure out how the Wildcats lost this game. Sure, Mason Foster’s game-changing interception return for a TD may actually have been an incomplete pass (as some angles on replay have shown), but there is no excuse for blowing a 12-point lead with 4:16 left in the 4th quarter.

The final stats from Saturday’s game are painfully in favor of the ‘Cats (UA total yards: 461, UW total yards: 256). But in the end, Sonny Dykes went to the bubble screen play one time too many, and now UA will have to feel the sting of losing yet another winnable game (similar to the Stanford and New Mexico games of the previous two seasons).

As deflating as this loss is for the psyche of the team, there were also obvious positives. QB Nick Foles was tremendous even with the two interceptions (39/53 384 yards 1 TD, 2 INTs). He is clearly the right choice at QB for this offense, as he delivered the ball on time and with zip all night. For the second game in a row, Foles involved a ton of receivers in the offense (nine different players had at least a catch), and David Roberts is really starting to emerge as a big time playmaker.

I was very impressed with the route running of the UA wideouts, particularly Roberts and Terrell Turner. Even without Rob Gronkowski, this receiving unit is capable of lighting up any secondary because of the speed with which the receivers are getting off at the line of scrimmage. I expect big things from the UA passing game as the season progresses.

The running game should have made this offense dangerously balanced against U-Dub, but somehow,  Grigsby, Nwoko, and the rest of the backs were only able to manage a meager 77 yards on the ground. Sonny Dykes has to be disappointed in that total considering the ‘Cats were leading the conference in rushing heading into the UW game.

Defensively, Arizona played pretty well but still managed to give up a ton of points. Jake Locker only passed for 140 yards, but he tossed three TDs, and ran for a huge 56-yard TD on his way to 92 yards rushing. I do not doubt the talent or speed of the Wildcats D, but sometimes that isn’t enough. This unit has to get mentally tougher and prevent the big play.

Next up for UA is a revenge game with Stanford. The ‘Cats recent history with the Cardinal can only be described as painful, making this Saturday’s game at the Old Pueblo a virtual must win.

Arizona Wildcats 3-1 Overall (1-0 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Arizona 37 – Oregon State 32

Next Week’s Opponent: BYE

It’s safe to say that Sonny Dykes “AirZona” offense is back in a big way. The quarterback switch at UA couldn’t have worked any better in Corvallis, as Nick Foles was tremendous (25-34 254 yards, 3 TDs 0 INTs). Foles demonstrated Tuitama-like command of the offense, hitting 10 different receivers throughout the day.

Even with Nic Grigsby sidelined for most of the game and Keola Antolin battling injury as well, the ‘Cats offense found a way to move the ball. Third-string tailback Greg Nwoko was spectacular as a runner (9 carries for 44 yards), and receiver (4 rec. 76 yards).

Foles has re-energized the talented receiving corps, as Delashaun Dean, Terrell Turner, David Roberts and Juron Criner were all able to make plays in the passing attack Saturday.

While the UA defense gave up plenty of yards (407), the secondary still managed to come up with a couple of big interceptions. Trevin Wade continues to be a dangerous playmaker at CB (picked Canfield off in 3rd Qtr), and Devin Ross also had a big INT in the final minutes of the game.

A special kudos goes to punter Keenyn Crier. Crier is one of the best punters in America, and he proved it on numerous occasions against the Beavers. In the fourth quarter alone, Crier was able to pin OSU inside the five-yard line three times (resulting in a TD, INT, and safety for UA). A strong argument could be made that his punting won the game for the Wildcats.

It appears that Grigsby and Antolin will be healthy for the game against Washington, which should allow Dykes to employ an even more potent (and balanced) attack.

With the QB controversy now resolved, the ‘Cats seem to have found their offensive identity. If Nick Foles can build on his solid debut, Arizona will be firmly in the conference title race all season.

The unit was responsible in helping lead the team to 38 sacks (2nd in the Pac-10, tied for 8th in the country), 104.5 tackles for loss (2nd Pac-10, tied 5th in country) and giving up only 3.09 yards per carry on the ground (2nd Pac-10, 12th in country). But just like the offensive line, it is hard to use last year’s success to gauge this year’s chances, as three starters are gone, including one of the Pac-10’s all-time greats.

The losses of Ra’Shon Harris (drafted 205th overall by the Steelers) and Cole Linehan (both 13-game starters) hurt bad, but losing Nick Reed is especially difficult. Reed received both All-Pac-10 and All-American honors in 2008 and his 13 sacks ranked 4th nationally. Over his career, Reed accumulated a school-record 29.5 sacks, which ranks 4th all-time in the Pac-10.

Replacing three high-level senior starters will not be easy, but it is essential to the Ducks’ success this year. Oregon’s offense has plenty of power and can shoot out with the best of them, but time of possession will be an even bigger issue this season if the defensive line isn’t up to speed.

Will Tukuafu in pursuit

Defensive End

39 Will Tukuafu, 6-4, 272, Senior
99 Zac Clark, 6-2, 256, Junior

- While the line as a whole has plenty of question marks, Will Tukuafu will not one of them. Tukuafu was a rivals.com 4-star recruit out of Scottsdale Community College and was ranked the nation’s 7th best JuCo transfer in 2007 and he has easily lived up to the hype.

In 2007 Tukuafu stepped right in without any problems, starting in 11 of 13 games and garnering All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors. He finished 4th on the team that year in tackles for loss with 8.5 and tied for third with 4.5 sacks.

Last season Tukuafu built on his 2007 success with a fantastic junior year. He started in all 13 games and racked up 59 tackles including 17.5 for loss (5th best in the conference) and tied for eighth in the conference with 8.5 sacks, once again receiving All-Pac-10 honorable mention.

The oldest member of the team at 25 years old (he took a two-year leave for an LDS mission before starting his collegiate career), Tukuafu will provide leadership both on and off the field. Not only does he possess excellent strength and good quickness, Tukuafu perhaps most impressively just has a knack for knowing exactly where the football is going to be and exploding towards it.

Even if he didn’t take a step forward he’d still be one of the best defensive ends in the conference; but I expect him to excel in the role as leader of this unit and have a career year in 2009. His name will likely be mentioned for conference honors all year long (and national honors, too, as he was put on the watch list for the Bednarik Award), and he will be a dangerous force to opposing offenses.

JuCo transfer Zac Clark has done nothing but impress since his arrival at Oregon. The Butler Community College transfer received a 3-star rating from both rivals.com and scout.com, and ran with the second team during spring drills. When tackle Brandon Bair was out sick this fall, Clark saw a lot of reps and continued to impress. Clark’s drive, work ethic, and experience make him a valuable asset to a line in need of quality depth. He will start the season learning the playbook and learning the ropes behind one of the best in Tukuafu.

Defensive Tackle

88 Brandon Bair, 6-7, 250, Junior
59 Terrance Montgomery, 6-2, 291, Junior

- After being recruited as a tight end in 2006, Brandon Bair made the transition to the defensive side of the ball during his redshirt season. He has since seen action as a reserve in every game of 2006 and 2007. He had eight tackles in 2008 along with one forced fumble against Washington State and one fumble recovery which he returned 24 yards in the Civil War against Oregon State.

With 26 games of reserve experience, including taking part in at least 10 plays in 12 of the 13 games last season, Bair has plenty of real-game experience. There is a difference between starting and coming in as a reserve of course, but Bair will likely skip the steep learning curve that most first-year starters endure.

At 6-7, Bair has an enormous wingspan that will frustrate plenty of Pac-10 quarterbacks looking for passing lanes up the middle. His strong offseason has indicated that he has worked out most of the kinks in his technique. At the very least Bair will be a serviceable tackle, but if his footwork has improved and he can keep his balance against the conference’s tougher O-Lines (USC keeps coming to mind), he could be a whole lot better than serviceable.

Terrance Montgomery is another rivals.com and scout.com 3-star JuCo transfer out of Reedley Community College. He recorded four tackles in the Spring Game including one for a loss. Like Clark, Montgomery should provide solid depth while getting to know the playbook in 2009, and could prove to be a good Plan B if Bair falters in the starting role.

Defensive Tackle

90 Blake Ferras, 6-6, 290, Senior
50 Simi Toeaina, 6-4, 318, Senior

- Another rivals.com 3-star JuCo (City College of San Francisco) transfer from last season, Blake Ferras appeared in seven games as a reserve in 2008 and recorded one tackle. In 2007 he recorded 25 tackles including eight tackles for loss and four sacks in 10 games at CCSF.

Battling Ferras for the position is Simi Toeaina, who saw action in five games last season recording one tackle for loss against both Washington and Washington State.

Whoever wins this spot will give the line some much needed size up the middle, and whoever doesn’t win it will be available to provide depth for both of the starting tackles.

Defensive End

58 Kenny Rowe, 6-3, 230, Junior
45 Terrell Turner, 6-3, 248, Sophomore

- That’s no typo; Kenny Rowe is only 230 pounds, and that’s actually after putting on 15 pounds this offseason.

Rowe was a rivals.com 4-star recruit and was rated the 7th best defensive end in the country in the 2007 class. Built more like a linebacker than a lineman, Rowe possesses great speed (his 5.04 forty time was fastest among all linemen) and can get into the backfield in a hurry. He recorded a team high three tackles for loss (two sacks) in the Spring Game.

In 2007, Rowe appeared primarily as a pass rush specialist as a true freshman. He saw action in all 13 games and recorded eight tackles; six tackles for loss including five sacks. Last season he continued his role as a passing down reserve, recording 10 tackles and seeing action in all 13 games. He was being worked at linebacker during the 2008 spring, but returned to the d-line for the season.

It’s hard to gauge how Rowe will be used in the starting role. His speed and athleticism are excellent, and there is little doubt that he will be a threat to explode into the backfield on every down. But will his size be a deterrent on running plays? Time will tell, but I’m sure Chip Kelly and his coaching staff have a plan for how they want to use Rowe in rushing situations.

Terrell Turner, a rivals.com 3-star recruit, will likely see some action as a reserve. Turner appeared in four of the first five games of the season in 2008 before suffering an injury against Washington State.

Kenny Rowe records the sack

My Take

Ironically enough, the biggest issue for this year’s line was how healthy and consistent last year’s line was. With Harris, Linehan, Reed, and Tukuafu all doing an exceptional job and staying healthy for the entire season in the process, there was never any room for a guy like Bair or Ferras to fill in and get valuable starts. This unit is loaded with very capable talent, but the entire two deep with the exception of Tukuafu has no Pac-10 starting experience whatsoever. So what do we have to go on?

We do know that Will Tukuafu is going to be a stud that will provide exceptional pass rushing and run defense all season long. I’m expecting Brandon Bair to do fine at tackle; he has ample experience under his belt and the transition to full time starter shouldn’t give him too much trouble.

The other two spots worry me. Again, Ferras and Toeaina are both capable athletes, but we just don’t know what to expect from them early in the season. As for Kenny Rowe, just picturing both him and Tukuafu on the pass rush makes me cringe for quarterbacks around the conference, but as I mentioned above, what happens when the opponent runs the football? Will Rowe’s quickness and athleticism be enough to make up for his lack of size against some of the conference’s better o-lines on the inside?

I don’t mean to paint a picture of doom and gloom; as USC has proven many times, good old fashioned talent and hard work can easily overcome lack of experience. Besides that, Chip Kelly and D-Line Coach Jerry Azzinaro are going to be scheming up answers for all of the question marks us fans tend to worry about, and will likely utilize their great linebacking core to help patch some holes.

Much like the offensive line, there is little doubt in my mind that with some mixing and matching, trial and error, and valuable game experience, Chip Kelly will have himself a very capable line by the time the second half of the season rolls around.

But will it be too late by then? That all depends on how quickly this unit can learn under fire.

Thomas, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, finished his spectacular UA career with a conference-record 259 receptions, and accounted for 3,231 receiving yards and 22 TDs as a four-year starter.

Although Thomas was the heartbeat of the receiving corps over the last four years, the Wildcats will now move on with a trio of excellent pass-catching playmakers. Arizona’s innovative offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes will have two of the more experienced receivers in the conference at his disposal, as well as the services of America’s best tight end.

Junior Delashaun Dean was last year’s second leading receiver for UA (behind Mike Thomas). Dean finished 2008 with 53 receptions for 593 yards and four touchdowns, capped off by a great performance in the Las Vegas Bowl against BYU.

Delashaun Dean heads to the sideline

Dean totaled seven catches for 88 yards and a score against the Cougars, helping UA win their first bowl game since 1998. For his career, the junior has 90 catches for 1,011 yards and five touchdowns.

At 6-4 202 pounds, Dean possesses excellent size and great hands. He uses his long arms in a similar manner to former USC standout Dwayne Jarrett, catching the ball at its highest point and leaving most defensive backs helpless.

The former two-sport standout at Fairfield High School (CA) uses his basketball instincts and leaping ability very well, which make him especially valuable when he is matched up one on one. He was rated as a 4-star prospect by Scout.com, and recognized as a SuperPrep All-American.

Dean has solid speed (4.5) and can be deceptively good after the catch. Dykes’ playbook features a variety of receiver screens that are designed to put wideouts in space, and Dean should continue to flourish in these schemes as both a pass-catcher and blocker. He will enter the 2009 season as one of the primary targets for the ‘Cats offense.

Joining Dean as a starter at wideout will be senior Terrell Turner. Last season, Turner finished a productive junior campaign with 43 receptions for 580 yards and one touchdown. For his career, Turner has 94 catches for 1,162 yards and five touchdowns. Like Dean, Turner was also a big contributor in the Las Vegas Bowl win over BYU, with four catches for 111 yards (27.8 YPC).

The 6-2 190 pound senior is a superb route-runner, with enough speed and quickness to pile up yards after the catch. He also has some of the best hands on the team, giving Dykes a reliable wideout who can act as the team’s possession receiver. The Garland (TX) native will provide the receiving corps with senior leadership, a role that Mike Thomas occupied last season.

In the spring game, Turner endeared himself to his teammates (half of them at least) by catching the game-winning TD pass from Matt Scott. His clutch reception allowed the White Team to eat a fancy steak dinner later that night, while the Blue Team ate hot dogs and hamburgers. Turner enters fall as a clear starter along with Dean.

Terrell Turner celebrates a touchdown

One young receiver that will try to breakout for the ‘Cats this season is redshirt sophomore William “Bug” Wright. At 5-9 175 pounds, Wright is built similarly to Mike Thomas, and could take on the same role in this year’s offense.

Many around the Old Pueblo believe “Bug” may be utilized in the slot, on reverses, and in the return game the same way that Thomas was used. His only action during 2008 was in the season opener against Idaho where he caught three passes for 42 yards, but he will see the field a lot more in 2009.

Wright’s skill set is unlike any other player on the UA roster. He has game-breaking speed and rare instincts in the open field. Wright has made remarkable progress at wideout since arriving at Arizona. The Tatum (OK) native was a high school QB at Pauls Valley H.S., and had never played receiver until arriving in Tucson.

Wright enters the fall with a great chance to start as the slot receiver for the Wildcats this season, and could become a primary return man as well.

Fellow sophomore Juron Criner will also have a chance to play often this season. As a true freshman, Criner played in all 13 games and started three. He flashed his ability with 7 receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown.

The 6-4 210 pounds Criner has tremendous upside, and possesses the physical tools to be a difference maker for Arizona. He has greatly improved in one season under the UA coaching staff, and could see his playing time increase dramatically in 2009.

The Las Vegas (NV) native was also a very good basketball player at Canyon Spring High School, and could become a factor in the red zone this season. He will compete for time as the primary backup to Terrell Turner.

Tight Ends

Arizona returns arguably the best tight end in all of college football, junior Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski is one of the favorites for the Mackey Award (Best Tight End in Nation) this season, and is on numerous pre-season All-American lists.

Last season, he finished first on the team with 10 receiving TDs to go along with 47 receptions for 672 yards. In his two-year career, the junior has 75 receptions for 1,197 yards and 16 TDs, making him the school-record holder for career receptions, yards, and TDs by a tight end. He is also the single-game and single-season school record holder for the same categories.

Rob Gronkowski trucks through defenders

At 6-6 265 pounds, Gronkowski is one of the most complete tight ends to come out of the conference in years. He possesses a devastating skill set, with equally great blocking and receiving abilities, as well as remarkable speed for a player his size (4.6).

Gronkowski is a dominant force in the intermediate passing game, with the ability to run past linebackers and shrug off defensive backs. He has become a very good route-runner under Dykes, which was thought to be his only real weakness when he entered college. He was also instrumental in the prolific Arizona running game last season, helping to open holes for Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin.

The Amherst (NY) native was a high school football star at Woodland Hills High in Pittsburgh (PA). He garnered PrepStar All-American honors, and was given a 4-star rating by Scout and Rivals.com.

He enters 2009 as the focal point of the Arizona passing attack, and one of the biggest stars in the conference.

There will actually be two Gronkowski’s lining up for the Wildcats this season. Senior Chris Gronkowski is the older brother of Rob, and a good player in his own right. The former Maryland transfer will be Arizona’s H-Back this season because of his versatile skill set. Last season, he caught eight passes for 198 yards and three TDs.

On top of being a solid pass-catcher, the 6-2 235 pound senior is a great lead blocker, and will be involved heavily in the running attack this season. He is an intelligent player, and will give the Wildcats an experienced senior leader. The Amherst (NY) native should contribute in a big way this fall.

Other receivers and tight ends competing for time are: junior A.J. Simmons, sophomores Devin Veal and David Douglas, and freshmen Travis Cobb, DeWayne Peace, Terrence Miller, and Jake Baucus.

My Take

You would think that the loss of the conference’s all-time leading receiver would be a lot for Arizona to overcome this year, but the program is doing just fine. In fact, receiver is one of the strongest units on the team and the talent is in place for this group to have a big year even with a new QB.

Dean is more than capable of surpassing his totals from last year, and Turner is as well. I think Wright is the key for the wide receivers this season, and if he turns out to be half as good in the slot as Thomas was last year, the ‘Cats will have another successful passing attack.

There is no doubt in my mind that Rob Gronkowsi is the best tight end in America, and I expect him to prove it all season long. He makes every other player on the Arizona offense better, because the defense must account for him at all times. I would not be surprised to see him win the Mackey Award this year, as long as either Scott or Foles can settle in as the starting QB.

The losses of Willie Tuitama and Mike Thomas may cause a decline in sheer numbers, but expect Sonny Dykes to make great use of these talented pass-catchers in 2009.