Bear Down Wildcats

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:08 pm**

So you're saying there's a chance?

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2022 6:10 pm**

I don’t think we have a fart in a tornado’s chance at 7th place but I love the optimism.

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:45 pm**

azgreg wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 3:53 pm

Not a good look for the 4 corner states to market themselves to the Big 12 outside of Utah.

Same with the Bay Area schools which have pretty poor attendance to begin with having the Niners as competition.

Posted: **Sun Aug 28, 2022 3:37 pm**

Good piece from Lev here.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:10 pm**

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2022 2:02 pm**

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2022 2:12 pm**

azgreg wrote: ↑Mon Aug 29, 2022 2:02 pm

Damn. After that season he had a couple of years ago, I thought this would definitely be the year he made a big splash. Dude has huge potential.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2022 3:33 pm**

Being a new dad, and now a man (his words), pretty hard to want to come back for a 7th season. That's a long time to be in college.

For some people anyway.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2022 3:47 pm**

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2022 11:32 am**

Posted: **Sat Sep 03, 2022 4:09 pm**

That really was a great start to the 2022 season. Defense and offense played so well. It was also fun to watch. The offense is really balanced.

Posted: **Sat Sep 03, 2022 4:16 pm**

Jayden de Laura and Jacob Cowing is in the conversation as the best QB/WR combo in the country.

This reminds me of Foles to Criner.

Posted: **Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:53 am**

I woke up this morning and the ‘Cats are still 1-0 this season.

Life right now is pretty good for Arizona football fans…

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 7:58 am**

Season is looking up after drubbing San Diego State. Next week’s home opener Vs Mississippi State will likely bring spirits a bit back down to earth. The Bulldogs are ranked 35 - 50 by most of the preseason publications. But this win is as important as Arizona has had in a while.

Despite expected losses against the Utahs and UCLAs, Saturday’s win puts a blue print in the mind of the roster that this is how you win going forward. And with enough winnable fluff across the Pac 12 schedule, I never thought I’d say the Wildcats might be within premature reach of a bowl.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:04 am**

Not sure why everyone is counting us out this week? Our strength defensively is our secondary. We will get 3 int’s and JDL will throw for over 300 yards. That is a super late game for the boys from the south and our crowd should be electric. Lots to like this week I think. Upset coming

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:38 am**

I hope the team checks out some Miss St message boards.

EVERYBODY on them is saying they will completely drub us and it won't be close.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:55 am**

Link that shit CD.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 9:09 am**

azcat49 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:55 am Link that shit CD.

https://247sports.com/college/mississip ... 86/?page=1

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 9:36 am**

I have no idea how we match up against a Pirate offense but I do know they are the polar opposite of what we just faced at SDSU. The LBs better be up to the task of covering the flat and the DL will need to get pressure without a blitz.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 9:37 am**

https://www.elitedawgs.com/showthread.p ... te-14-5

azcat49 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:55 am Link that shit CD.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 9:42 am**

I think this next game vs the sister fuckers of Mississippi St will tell us a lot more of where we are that the SDS game

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 12:08 pm**

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 12:10 pm**

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2022 1:16 pm**

Posted: **Sat Sep 10, 2022 11:33 pm**

We're not going to win tonight, but I feel pretty confident we can make a bowl this year. You can really see the improvement and how we're just on the cusp of something,

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:15 am**

Cats lost every aspect of the game, yet kept it close for over 3 quarters. Something to say there.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:28 am**

I dont think anybody thought we'd go undefeated. Miss St was a better team personnel-wise and our offense didn't have a great night. The O line could've done better and De Laura could've made a few better decisions.

Still, I like this team and when they see the film and mistakes made, I think we'll play much better, although i doubt our O line has the athleticism needed to compete to the level needed to match teams like Miss St.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 1:07 am**

I’m confident that Arizona can go bowling this year. Nothing in this game changed my mind. I expect Arizona can win the next three games.

As reminder Arizona was playing a extremely experienced defense and offense.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 7:26 am**

Nothing has changed for me. Went into season hoping for 4 wins…. I still think 6 are possible

Other than the top tier in the PAC (USC/Oregon/UTAH) I think we can compete with anyone

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 7:35 am**

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:28 am I dont think anybody thought we'd go undefeated. Miss St was a better team personnel-wise and our offense didn't have a great night. The O line could've done better and De Laura could've made a few better decisions.

Still, I like this team and when they see the film and mistakes made, I think we'll play much better, although i doubt our O line has the athleticism needed to compete to the level needed to match teams like Miss St.

I'm not laying any blame at De Lauras feet. We had absolutely ZERO run game and De Laura spent about 80% of the night running for his life. The kid was just trying to move the offense. I think our sub-average offensive line and the lack of lock down cornerbacks were the issue last night. If I have any criticism of De Laura it would be that he didn't take off and run the ball a couple of times last night.

Bear Down and Beat NDState

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:38 am**

JdL didn't have much help either. Cowings had 2 drops, T-Mac had at least one drop also, and we all saw JdL tearing into him after the end zone pick.

The book on JdL will be to get him rattled, but even though it was against the 2nd team, Fifita did show he was ready to step in. If JdL gets rattled again, hopefully Fifita can come in sooner.

Also no more Wildcat, especially when your QB is getting back into the groove, and that takes him out of it.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 9:16 am**

It still goes back to controlling the line of scrimmage.You could tell that Miss State was a bit stronger on both sides of the ball and without being able to run it was going to be an uphill battle. We would have had to play an error free game which did not materialize.

But we had a couple of nice takeaways and a few key third down stops via the sack. I was actually impressed by our D. Just needed a few more sustained drives to keep them off the field.

JDL to me just played too fast and missed a few easy pitch and catches. But that’s ok, I think he will learn from having a rough night.

Miss state is a good, experienced football team. Great test for our team trying to get to the next level.

I think we will be okay…

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 9:20 am**

Too many mistakes last night. Including some more dumb coaching decisions. Time, down, and distance matter. End of the 1st half, 8 seconds left, on the MSU 35, the chances of scoring a TD is low. But with a TO left, we could run the ball and take the 3 points. What do we do? Call a pass, get sacked, and end up with nothing.

Early in the 4th, it's 3rd and 10. JDL is scrambling and could likely get 5-7 yards and make 4th down more manageable. But he tosses a 50/50 ball that falls incomplete. Then we get a delay penalty, and make 13 yards on 4th and 15. Ugh. I get JDL is a gunslinger, but time, down, and distance. Take the yards on 3rd down, avoid the delay penalty, and we might have made a 1st down, and who knows?

I also think we abandoned the run game too quickly. No draw plays or sweeps. Had a great play action pass to the TE on the first drive on a bootleg, but never ran another play off that all night.

The talent is upgraded. But the coaching errors persist. That needs to change.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 10:09 am**

AzCatFan2 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 9:20 am Too many mistakes last night. Including some more dumb coaching decisions. Time, down, and distance matter. End of the 1st half, 8 seconds left, on the MSU 35, the chances of scoring a TD is low. But with a TO left, we could run the ball and take the 3 points. What do we do? Call a pass, get sacked, and end up with nothing.

Early in the 4th, it's 3rd and 10. JDL is scrambling and could likely get 5-7 yards and make 4th down more manageable. But he tosses a 50/50 ball that falls incomplete. Then we get a delay penalty, and make 13 yards on 4th and 15. Ugh. I get JDL is a gunslinger, but time, down, and distance. Take the yards on 3rd down, avoid the delay penalty, and we might have made a 1st down, and who knows?

I also think we abandoned the run game too quickly. No draw plays or sweeps. Had a great play action pass to the TE on the first drive on a bootleg, but never ran another play off that all night.

The talent is upgraded. But the coaching errors persist. That needs to change.

I agree with the end of the half call as we were already in FG range but JDL can’t take a sac as well. Other than that I didn’t see many poor calls. When you can’t run the ball you have no choice but to abandon it.

We didn’t control the line of scrimmage and Miss State was pretty damn fast to the ball. Saying we should have run draws and sweeps is just wishful, Sunday morning quarterbacking.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 10:30 am**

I thought JDL was a bit rattled most of the evening. I think he's a serious athlete and introspective enought that he probably knows where all of his mistakes were. We were still in it mistakes and all right into the fourth quarter and I think our defense just got tired, they were on the field a lot. That's what happens when you can't move the ball. We kept shooting ourselves in the foot.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:33 pm**

Well, the team isn't boring.

I was reminded of my own high school career. I played on a pretty good football team. 4-5 Pac 10 recruits (2 guys who played on the line for Arizona), a wideout who went to Cal Poly before a cup of coffee on the Browns, and a TE who played in the NFL for 5 years. We didn't have great QBs for our outdated Wing T- but we handled business. That said, when we played against the Vista Panthers it was a different beast. I think at least 4 guys on that team played in the NFL, another would've if he hadn't retired during his USC career, and they had a great HS QB who played another position at Boise. At every level they would just beat you up. Big, physical kids who not only had the size but loved the contact. There was no running the ball, and your week to week scheme was thrown out the window. Everything had to be perfect. They beat us every time in close games where we just had nothing left. That was how the Bulldogs felt to me.

Proud of how our boys stood in the ring and went for it. Especially Jayden. He will frustrate us but man, he will be exciting against the lower-mid PAC teams.

I'm not sure anybody has the size on our schedule that the Bulldogs possess. That Edge player Wheat looked like in his prime Levon Kirkland physically. Kyon Barrs is a great player and IMO he and Jalen will get a look at Sundays, but the MSU guys seemed to have extra muscles on them. Our DL is Power 5 size, but they looked like Rich Rods 240 pound DL against those behemoths.

I am MORE bullish on this team than I was 10 days ago. We have TWO T-Macs and both can play at the Pac-12 level. Cowing and Luke will have a much easier time getting separation. Ask yourself this, who in the PAC will be able to lean on you at the LOS the way MSU just did?

If Jayden can learn to go get 5 yards, get out of bounds and throw the ball away, I love his arm. Ball explodes out of his hand. He also has the heart and motor I need from QB1

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:53 pm**

My only beef with JDL is that there were opportunities to run the ball for at least 5 yards when he was scrambling away from pressure and instead just kept focusing on one guy waiting for him to get open while other guys were standing around with defenders nowhere near them.

Probably just rattled like people said, but I hope his reads get a little better when he's under pressure.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 2:16 pm**

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 10:09 am Other than that I didn’t see many poor calls.

The worst call was when JdL was finally getting his focus back, and Fisch took him out so Joyner could run the Wildcat. I can see that if JdL was shook up, and needed a blow, but that wasn't the case.

Although the Wildcat is a terrible call to begin with, since the D knows exactly what's going to happen.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 2:35 pm**

It's a fun team and a chance of pace compared to the last six years of complete dreck.

This was a big learning experience for TMac - 13 targets and only 4 receptions. Better teams will make him work for his catches.

Unrelated to the play on the field - the experience at Arizona Stadium continues to stink. They were completely unprepared for the traffic and we parked right next to McKale - took 30 minutes after turning left onto Campbell from Speedway to park the car. Not a single person trying to direct traffic, keep things moving, etc.

The sound system continues to be ridiculously loud and completely out of sync with the stupid DJ in the Zona Zoo. Kimberly Becker seems like a nice person, but the whole in game host thing falls so flat and is too gimmicky. The aluminum souvenir cups are really nice.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 2:40 pm**

At least the 80's music was better than what they normally play!

T-Mac certainly looked like a true freshman out there the first half. Out of position, couldn't catch, and couldn't block downfield. Calmed down the 2nd half and had a better game. Although next year he will bring down that TD pass that Fifita threw him in the corner. JdL could not get that touch pass down.

Posted: **Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:06 pm**

I watched our DLine a lot and Barrs was doubled all night long. He still had a good game and he will get drafted and play on Sundays.

TMac was dreadful but none of our wideouts were great. Dud Singer catch any balls? Surprised at the drops and they really hurt.

Thought young Noah looked pretty good in his mop up series. Probably against their two’s but still he looked poised in his first on field live play.

Great to see Wiley be our best back. He has suffered through the worst of these past seasons and done a nice job. If not for JDL being called down on that review, he would have had another 40 yards receiving

Posted: **Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:55 pm**

Is this JDL third year as a starter?

Posted: **Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:29 pm**

Postmaster wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:55 pm Is this JDL third year as a starter?

He only played in 4 games as a true freshman, keeping his redshirt season.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pl ... ura-1.html

Posted: **Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:50 pm**

Fishclamps wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:53 pm My only beef with JDL is that there were opportunities to run the ball for at least 5 yards when he was scrambling away from pressure and instead just kept focusing on one guy waiting for him to get open while other guys were standing around with defenders nowhere near them.

Probably just rattled like people said, but I hope his reads get a little better when he's under pressure.

Thats what I can't figure out. Many times he could have got 4 or 5 yards instead of a sack or toying with intentional grounding.

Besides that, why was he holding it so long anyway? Can't he see the receivers, or weren't they getting on station soon enough?

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 2:41 am**

RichardCranium wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:50 pm
Fishclamps wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:53 pm My only beef with JDL is that there were opportunities to run the ball for at least 5 yards when he was scrambling away from pressure and instead just kept focusing on one guy waiting for him to get open while other guys were standing around with defenders nowhere near them.

Probably just rattled like people said, but I hope his reads get a little better when he's under pressure.
Thats what I can't figure out. Many times he could have got 4 or 5 yards instead of a sack or toying with intentional grounding.

Besides that, why was he holding it so long anyway? Can't he see the receivers, or weren't they getting on station soon enough?

My theory is week 1's T-MAC coming-back-catch gave JDL too much confidence in scrambling and finding receivers on the run.

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 8:39 am**

Does he know what he wants to be? serious question

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 10:47 am**

RichardCranium wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:50 pm Thats what I can't figure out. Many times he could have got 4 or 5 yards instead of a sack or toying with intentional grounding.
Besides that, why was he holding it so long anyway? Can't he see the receivers, or weren't they getting on station soon enough?

His second game in this system, against one of the two or three most physical and athletic defenses (USC/MSU/Utah) we'll see this year. Under the circumstances, he was asked to create space and improvise, and maybe even force it and try to get a little lucky, while also demonstrating excellent judgment under duress. Not a good game for him, and lots to learn from. I'd expect a pretty good bounce-back performance from him Saturday night.

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:21 am**

RichardCranium wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:50 pm
Thats what I can't figure out. Many times he could have got 4 or 5 yards instead of a sack or toying with intentional grounding.

Besides that, why was he holding it so long anyway? Can't he see the receivers, or weren't they getting on station soon enough?

Simply put, holding onto the ball too long is a bad habit on the quarterback's part. Many coaching staffs (such as Urban Meyer's), in redshirting their quarterbacks with development in mind make it their focus to teach the younger QBs to "get the ball out early." It's a fixable mistake for the coaches, and we'll just have to see if the habit can be broken as the season goes along. (A sign of a good coaching staff is the team playing better as the season moves along.)

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:28 am**

I get JDL has a gunslinger mentality. I grew up in S. Florida watching Marino, and totally open field ahead and a gun against his head forcing him to run, and he'd still try to sling a ball into a small window to a triple covered receiver. At least Marino had good reasons. Like a 10 second 40 yard dash time, and an arm that made the impossible throw possible. Can't say that about JDL right now.

Time, down, and distance are important. And on a 2nd and long, for example, if a QB scramble gains 5-7 yards, then JDL needs to take those yards and make 3rd down more manageable. I hope Fisch and staff are coaching JDL on this, and stressing there are times where 5 guaranteed yards are better than a 50/50 throw that is just as likely to be intercepted than caught.

JDL certainly has the tools to be a good QB. Still need to work a little on the decision making.

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2022 1:44 pm**

I imagine JdL is well aware that the 3 starting QBs last season all were injured and lost playing time and doesn't want to start that trend again.

Although a 7 yard scamper then slide won't hurt anyone.

Bear Down Wildcats

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