Arizona Daily Star reporter Charles Durrenberger is filing a blog report after practices and games. We've included his effort after the Wildcats' 27-24 loss to Utah, plus a column by his colleague, Greg Hansen.
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Cats start out 0-1
Charles Durrenberger Arizona Daily Star
Well, CT (Cat Tales) finally got all the stories out of the way, so it’s time to sit back and digest what exactly happened here in Salt Lake City.
In general, the offense seems to have the ability to eat up chunks of yardage when they catch the ball. The defense is in trouble if the front four don’t start making a push. Zero sacks Friday night.
As for specifics, Mike Thomas (freshman receiver) is the real deal—get him 15 touches a game—minimum. Maybe Canales can call Norm Chow and get the Reggie Bush playbook.
CT would also like to see Thomas as a kick returner.
CT was on Kovalcheck all night, and he probably didn’t deserve it. He showed us a lot of spunk by coming back after the INT and being aggressive. It wasn’t his fault that Anthony Johnson dropped the third-down pass with 3 1/2 minutes left.
CT was impressed with Utah’s running game, but a team that can disrupt the line of scrimmage will beat them. The Utes were on their heels defensively late in the game, and probably would have allowed the Cats to convert that fourth-and-5 when Stoops chose to punt.
Overall, Stoops is pleased, the players are upset but encouraged and the fans—well, CT is sure they are very disappointed.
Without a win over Purdue in two weeks, CT believes a 1-4 start is probably—with games at Cal and at USC to open Pac-10 play.
CT will also try to blog more during the games. Sorry, but we’re still working out the kinks in the new system.
See y’all.
Comments?
Oh well, maybe next year Is there still a possiblity of taking Mike Price as head coach? Utep got him for $250,000 and we got Stoops for 1 million. Price=1 bowl game already, top 25 team, predicted 1st to win out their conference. Stoops=0 bowl games, worst offense in the country, and picked near last to win their conference. Go figure. — christian
The Cats had their chances. Ya can’t blame any one person. It was a team loss. Coaches, O, D, and ST, they all let each other down at some point during the game. “Better than last year” will not take the Cats very far if they don’t take advantage of the opportunities.
Played like a young team. Coached like a young coach. Both need seasoning. “The biggest improvement comes between the first and second games.” We’ll see.
Punt and play defense. Year after year, decade after decade, Arizona has always punted and played defense.
Jim LaRue did it in the '60s. Jim Young did it in the '70s. Larry Smith did it in the '80s. Dick Tomey did it in the '90s. Isn't that how Arizona got into this awkward spot, a loser of 26 of its last 32 football games?
Whenever in doubt, the Wildcats punt.
And lo, on opening night in Salt Lake City, fourth-and-five at Utah's 42-yard line, 3 1/2 minutes remaining - having already yielded 400 yards to a Utah team that in no way resembles its explosive 12-0 predecessor of 2004 - Arizona chose to punt and play defense.
With one timeout remaining.
Game over.
So much for the new way of football at Arizona.
Utah won 27-24, and let's be candid, the Utes were more physical, controlled both lines and had a better quarterback. In a lot of ways, the Wildcats played out of their shoes to have a chance to win in the final four minutes.
But wouldn't you have jumped off the sofa and cheered loudly enough to wake up Rip van Winkle had Mike Stoops ordered his punt team off the field and attempted to beat Utah, rather than play defense and punt?
Even if it had failed, it would have been a sign of bold, attacking football, the type Tucson has so rarely seen.
Oh my. Arizona had 'em on the run, a milestone victory within reach. It could've been so much fun.
"I was hoping we'd pin 'em down there," Stoops said 30 minutes later, the same sad words we've heard from sad UA football coaches over the years.
Instead, the Utes, not playing it safe, ripped off runs of 18 and 27 yards as the clocked ticked away.
"It was a real tough (decision)," said UA offensive coordinator Mike Canales. "If it had been fourth-and-two, you've got to think about it (more)."
What made the decision to give Utah the ball most painful was that Arizona had discovered a game-breaker in the previous 35 minutes. Freshman receiver Michael Thomas caught seven passes for 92 yards. He was as elusive as a butterfly. Wouldn't you have just keeled over from excitement had Arizona thrown a pass in the direction of Thomas - win it or lose it on one play - rather than let Utah bleed the life out of the Wildcats?
Utah's defense was wobbling, having yielded 297 yards in the second half. The Utes were reeling.
And then? Punt. We know the drill.
Maybe next week.
But to be fair, when the second guessing subsides, it won't be difficult to find some worthy material from Arizona's opener.
More than anything, Arizona scored 24 points. It averaged 14 last year. That's more than in all but three games dating to 2002. Another novelty: The Wildcats did not roll over and cry after falling behind 27-10. That, too, had been a chronic problem with recent Arizona teams.
"It's going to change; it's going to get better," said Canales. "We're going to win a lot of football games. The attitude is changing here."
One troublesome issue, however, is that Utah might turn out to be No. 10 in Arizona's season of 11 opponents. With the exception of NAU, the remaining opponents on Arizona's schedule probably are superior to Utah. Even Stanford and Washington are likely to be as good as the Utes.
Stoops' defense was hurt when it lost senior end Copeland Bryan on the first series, thereafter failing to put pressure Brian Johnson, Utah's first-game starting quarterback. Not a single sack. Johnson, who appeared to be rattled early on, came away unscathed, unrattled. Opportunity lost.
And yet, despite all of Arizona's errors - its abysmal second-quarter flameout made it look as though the Wildcats hadn't even practiced - Arizona would have won Friday had not quarterback Richard Kovalcheck thrown a pass that Utah safety Eric Weddle returned for a touchdown and a 27-10 lead.
Kovalcheck forgot to send a receiver in motion, and when he threw to the zone, he expected that receiver to occupy it. There wasn't a Wildcat within 15 yards.
One play and we might not be talking about Stoops' decision to punt.
Most college football games come down to a play or two, and in that regard, it is encouraging that the Wildcats have finally returned to the zone where a play or two can be the difference between winning and losing.
However painful it continues to be, it is progress.
2 comments:
Cats start out 0-1
Charles Durrenberger
Arizona Daily Star
Well, CT (Cat Tales) finally got all the stories out of the way, so it’s time to sit back and digest what exactly happened here in Salt Lake City.
In general, the offense seems to have the ability to eat up chunks of yardage when they catch the ball. The defense is in trouble if the front four don’t start making a push. Zero sacks Friday night.
As for specifics, Mike Thomas (freshman receiver) is the real deal—get him 15 touches a game—minimum. Maybe Canales can call Norm Chow and get the Reggie Bush playbook.
CT would also like to see Thomas as a kick returner.
CT was on Kovalcheck all night, and he probably didn’t deserve it. He showed us a lot of spunk by coming back after the INT and being aggressive. It wasn’t his fault that Anthony Johnson dropped the third-down pass with 3 1/2 minutes left.
CT was impressed with Utah’s running game, but a team that can disrupt the line of scrimmage will beat them. The Utes were on their heels defensively late in the game, and probably would have allowed the Cats to convert that fourth-and-5 when Stoops chose to punt.
Overall, Stoops is pleased, the players are upset but encouraged and the fans—well, CT is sure they are very disappointed.
Without a win over Purdue in two weeks, CT believes a 1-4 start is probably—with games at Cal and at USC to open Pac-10 play.
CT will also try to blog more during the games. Sorry, but we’re still working out the kinks in the new system.
See y’all.
Comments?
Oh well, maybe next year
Is there still a possiblity of taking Mike Price as head coach? Utep got him for $250,000 and we got Stoops for 1 million. Price=1 bowl game already, top 25 team, predicted 1st to win out their conference. Stoops=0 bowl games, worst offense in the country, and picked near last to win their conference. Go figure.
— christian
The Cats had their chances. Ya can’t blame any one person. It was a team loss. Coaches, O, D, and ST, they all let each other down at some point during the game. “Better than last year” will not take the Cats very far if they don’t take advantage of the opportunities.
Played like a young team. Coached like a young coach. Both need seasoning. “The biggest improvement comes between the first and second games.” We’ll see.
Go Cats!
— -Jim
Crucial decision to punt spells doom for Cats
Greg Hansen
Arizona Daily Star
SALT LAKE CITY
Punt and play defense. Year after year, decade after decade, Arizona has always punted and played defense.
Jim LaRue did it in the '60s. Jim Young did it in the '70s. Larry Smith did it in the '80s. Dick Tomey did it in the '90s. Isn't that how Arizona got into this awkward spot, a loser of 26 of its last 32 football games?
Whenever in doubt, the Wildcats punt.
And lo, on opening night in Salt Lake City, fourth-and-five at Utah's 42-yard line, 3 1/2 minutes remaining - having already yielded 400 yards to a Utah team that in no way resembles its explosive 12-0 predecessor of 2004 - Arizona chose to punt and play defense.
With one timeout remaining.
Game over.
So much for the new way of football at Arizona.
Utah won 27-24, and let's be candid, the Utes were more physical, controlled both lines and had a better quarterback. In a lot of ways, the Wildcats played out of their shoes to have a chance to win in the final four minutes.
But wouldn't you have jumped off the sofa and cheered loudly enough to wake up Rip van Winkle had Mike Stoops ordered his punt team off the field and attempted to beat Utah, rather than play defense and punt?
Even if it had failed, it would have been a sign of bold, attacking football, the type Tucson has so rarely seen.
Oh my. Arizona had 'em on the run, a milestone victory within reach. It could've been so much fun.
"I was hoping we'd pin 'em down there," Stoops said 30 minutes later, the same sad words we've heard from sad UA football coaches over the years.
Instead, the Utes, not playing it safe, ripped off runs of 18 and 27 yards as the clocked ticked away.
"It was a real tough (decision)," said UA offensive coordinator Mike Canales. "If it had been fourth-and-two, you've got to think about it (more)."
What made the decision to give Utah the ball most painful was that Arizona had discovered a game-breaker in the previous 35 minutes. Freshman receiver Michael Thomas caught seven passes for 92 yards. He was as elusive as a butterfly. Wouldn't you have just keeled over from excitement had Arizona thrown a pass in the direction of Thomas - win it or lose it on one play - rather than let Utah bleed the life out of the Wildcats?
Utah's defense was wobbling, having yielded 297 yards in the second half. The Utes were reeling.
And then? Punt. We know the drill.
Maybe next week.
But to be fair, when the second guessing subsides, it won't be difficult to find some worthy material from Arizona's opener.
More than anything, Arizona scored 24 points. It averaged 14 last year. That's more than in all but three games dating to 2002. Another novelty: The Wildcats did not roll over and cry after falling behind 27-10. That, too, had been a chronic problem with recent Arizona teams.
"It's going to change; it's going to get better," said Canales. "We're going to win a lot of football games. The attitude is changing here."
One troublesome issue, however, is that Utah might turn out to be No. 10 in Arizona's season of 11 opponents. With the exception of NAU, the remaining opponents on Arizona's schedule probably are superior to Utah. Even Stanford and Washington are likely to be as good as the Utes.
Stoops' defense was hurt when it lost senior end Copeland Bryan on the first series, thereafter failing to put pressure Brian Johnson, Utah's first-game starting quarterback. Not a single sack. Johnson, who appeared to be rattled early on, came away unscathed, unrattled. Opportunity lost.
And yet, despite all of Arizona's errors - its abysmal second-quarter flameout made it look as though the Wildcats hadn't even practiced - Arizona would have won Friday had not quarterback Richard Kovalcheck thrown a pass that Utah safety Eric Weddle returned for a touchdown and a 27-10 lead.
Kovalcheck forgot to send a receiver in motion, and when he threw to the zone, he expected that receiver to occupy it. There wasn't a Wildcat within 15 yards.
One play and we might not be talking about Stoops' decision to punt.
Most college football games come down to a play or two, and in that regard, it is encouraging that the Wildcats have finally returned to the zone where a play or two can be the difference between winning and losing.
However painful it continues to be, it is progress.
Post a Comment