TwitterFacebookYouTubeEmailRSS

Tag Archives: Jared Tevis

Arizona Football: Top 10 Developments (10/25)

Posted on by

This Web site will offer something unique the entire season, Rich Rodriguez’s first in Tucson — a weekly update of the Top 10 storylines of the 2012 season. Think of it as the AP Top 25 poll that updates every week, or an ongoing Top 10 storyline theme done throughout the season instead of waiting for one at the end of the year, when the media usually likes to recap the season’s developments.

What will be the No. 1 development in the end? Enjoy the ride while we find out. In the meantime, use this Top 10 tracker for reference.

ARIZONA’S TOP 10 FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENTS
From Reporting Date, Aug. 1 to Oct. 25

Matt Scott

1. Oct. 6 — The emergence of senior quarterback Matt Scott as one of the best — if not the best — quarterbacks in the Pac-12 as evidenced by his performance at Stanford in Arizona’s 54-48 overtime loss. USC’s Matt Barkley is the odds-on favorite to be the conference’s first-team quarterback and remains a distant Heisman candidate. Ask the Cardinal defense — which has the No. 30 pass-efficiency defense in the nation — who is more effective. Barkley completed only 20 of 41 passes for 254 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in USC’s 21-14 loss to the Cardinal on Sept. 15. Scott completed 45 of 69 passes — both school records — for 491 yards and three touchdown and one interception. Last ranking: No. 1.

Ka’Deem Carey

2. Oct. 23 — Arizona sophomore Ka’Deem Carey evolves into a nationally elite running back. In the 52-17 win over Washington, Carey gained a career-high 172 rushing yards and added a touchdown. Carey’s career-best rushing yardage total was the sixth-best by a Pac-12 player this season and put him over 100 yards for the third-consecutive game and for the fifth time in seven games this season. Carey’s two-yard rushing touchdown run in the fourth quarter was his sixth over the last three games and tied him with Trung Canidate (1999) with 11 rushing TDs in a season, fourth-most in school history. Combined with one receiving touchdown, Carey’s 12 total touchdowns this season are second-most for any Pac-12 player. Carey ranks No. 16 in the nation with 842 rushing yards, while his 1,064 yards from scrimmage are eighth-most nationally. He is averaging 120.3 rushing yards per game and is tied for the most 100-yard rushing games in the league this year. He was added on Oct. 24 to the Maxwell Award Watch list. The Maxwell Award has been presented to the most outstanding collegiate football player since 1937. Last ranking: NR.

Rob Hankins Jr.

3. Oct. 1 — At least three football players suffer career-ending injuries. Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez announces that former fullback turned linebacker Greg Nwoko, a fifth-year senior, has likely played his last football game. This follows announcements earlier in the season that offensive lineman Jack Baucus (knees) and sophomore linebacker Rob Hankins Jr. (concussion) have also suffered career-ending injuries. Last ranking: No. 2.

Continue reading →

Making the Grade: Arizona Wildcats earn four helmet stickers in loss to Oregon State

Posted on by





Arizona has 26 cat-claw helmet stickers through five games:
4 vs. Toledo
9 vs. Oklahoma State
8 vs. South Carolina State
1 vs. Oregon
4 vs. Oregon State

NOTES FROM THE HELMET CRITERIA BELOW

a-Arizona had 16 plays of 12 or more yards.
b-Sophomore Trevor Ermisch tackled Oregon State’s Malcolm Marable at the OSU 15-yard line on a kickoff return.
c-Arizona downed two punts inside the 10-yard line, one at the 3 and the other at the 5.

Curious as to why Arizona does not have helmet stickers like they did during the Larry Smith years? An Arizona spokesman told the USA Today in a 2006 article that too many of the helmet stickers “looked stupid” on the helmets.

Arizona now ranks No. 103 out of 120 FBS teams in pass defense, allowing 284.4 yards per game. At least the Wildcats are not the worst in that category in the Pac-12. Colorado (No. 111, 309.8), Washington State (No. 112, 310.6) and Oregon State (No. 113, 312.3) rank lower.

Arizona safety Jared Tevis Tweeted on his Twitter account (shown to the left on this page) about his injury that kept him out of the second half against Oregon State: “It’s looking like a bad sprain. I’ll keep everyone updated after the X-ray. But like Schwarzenegger #illbeback”

With the loss, Arizona is now 0-5 in the Pac-10 and Pac-12 era following a shutout loss. The Wildcats showed more resolve against the Beavers than previous years, however, after getting blanked. The average margin of defeat in the four previous games after a shutout was 38-14.

HELMET STICKER CRITERIA
How did Arizona fare in its 38-35 loss to Oregon State on Saturday?

The Wildcats will earn cat claws for our Arizona helmet if they achieve these following marks in games this season. This grading system is stringent. The Wildcats must achieve their goal. If it states the UA must achieve “more than” a certain mark, they must pass that mark. This helmet will be updated weekly as the Wildcats attempt to fill the helmet with the cat claws:

FIRST SIX GAMES

Goal TOL OKST SCST ORE OSU STAN
Win X X X – – TBD
Pac-12 win – – – – – TBD
Win turnover margin – X – – – TBD
Score 24 points in win X X X – – TBD
No turnovers – X – – – TBD
a-10 plays 12 or more yards X X X – X TBD
4 drives 8 or more plays – – X – – TBD
55% 3rd/4th down conv – – X – – TBD
Hold opp to 13 points or less in win – – X – – TBD
Each defensive score – X1 – – – TBD
Opp at least 5 3-and-outs – – X – – TBD
Stop opp inside 10 w/UA getting ball – – – – – TBD
Force min of 3 turnovers – X – X – TBD
Recover onside kick X1 – – – – TBD
Forced/recovered fumble on kickoff – – – – – TBD
b-Tackling kickoff returner inside 20 – X1 X1 – X1 TBD
Fake punt results in 1st down – – – – – TBD
c-Down punt inside 10-yard line – – – – X2 TBD
Forced/recovered fumble on punt – – – – – TBD
Kickoff returned past 40 – – – – – TBD
Punt return more than 20 yards – – – – – TBD
Blocked punt – – – – – TBD
Successful fake FG attempt – – – – – TBD
Each FG 45 or more yards – X1 – – – TBD
Blocked kick – – – – – TBD

Continue reading →

Arizona Football: Top 10 Storylines in 2012 (9/25)

Posted on by

This Web site will offer something unique the entire season, Rich Rodriguez’s first in Tucson — a weekly update of the Top 10 storylines of the 2012 season. Think of it as the AP Top 25 poll that updates every week, or an ongoing Top 10 storyline theme done throughout the season instead of waiting for one at the end of the year, when the media usually likes to recap the season’s developments.

What will be the No. 1 development in the end? Enjoy the ride while we find out. In the meantime, use this Top 10 tracker for reference.

ARIZONA’S TOP 10 FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENTS
From Reporting Date, Aug. 1 to Sept. 25

1. Sept. 22 — No. 3 Oregon blanks No. 22 Arizona 49-0 on ESPN in Eugene as the Wildcats fail to convert on six trips to the red zone and they commit five costly turnovers. Anthony Gimino of TucsonCitzen.com summed up the game in one telling paragraph: The win over Oklahoma State on Sept. 8 begat stories of (Rich) Rodriguez’s quick resurrection of the program, but this is a team with the same issues we knew it had in the preseason — notably, a lack of defensive depth, an imperative that (Matt) Scott stay healthy, and an inability to beat almost anybody in the Pac-12 without playing a clean game. Last ranking: NR.

Rich Rodriguez

2. Sept. 16 — Arizona makes history by moving up to No. 22 in the AP Top 25 poll after defeating FCS school South Carolina State 56-0 on Sept. 15. That marks the highest rating after the first three games by an Arizona team under a first-year coach such as Rich Rodriguez in the program’s history. Last ranking: No. 1.

3. Sept. 9 –- Arizona claims its first AP Top 25 ranking since Nov. 22, 2010, with a No. 24 ranking following its 59-38 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State on Sept. 8. The Wildcats’ ranking is a significant step toward coach Rich Rodriguez’s goal for Arizona’s program to become relevant again. “To what degree are we relevant, I don’t know,” Rodriguez said. “But this is the first step in that way. We’ve got to follow it up. Now, if you don’t follow it up with another good win next week, then you wasted the effort.” Last ranking: No. 2.

4. Sept. 8 — The Wildcats upset No. 18 Oklahoma State 59-38 in front of 45,602 at Arizona Stadium. Instead of producing more than 80 points on its own, Oklahoma State allows Arizona to join in the scoring barrage. The penalty-prone Cowboys, coming off an 84-0 victory over Savannah State in Stillwater, Okla., compile 636 total yards against Arizona, but it’s not enough. The Wildcats (2-0) do not commit a turnover, and they score on all eight drives inside the red zone (five touchdowns and three field goals) in new coach Rich Rodriguez’s second game. “Where does this win rank?” Rodriguez said with a grin in response to a postgame press conference question. “It’s the best one I’ve had at Arizona.” Oklahoma State (1-1) commits 15 penalties for 167 yards, with many contributing to Arizona scoring drives after the Wildcats trail 14-0 early in the first quarter. Arizona fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Scott often makes the Cowboys pay for the miscues, passing for two touchdowns and running for another. He completes 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards without an interception. He also gains 55 yards on 19 carries. Last ranking: No. 3.

Continue reading →

Arizona Football: Top 10 Storylines in 2012 (9/10)

Posted on by

This Web site will offer something unique the entire season, Rich Rodriguez’s first in Tucson — a weekly update of the Top 10 storylines of the 2012 season. Think of it as the AP Top 25 poll that updates every week, or an ongoing Top 10 storyline theme done throughout the season instead of waiting for one at the end of the year, when the media usually likes to recap the season’s developments.

What will be the No. 1 development in the end? Enjoy the ride while we find out. In the meantime, use this Top 10 tracker for reference.

ARIZONA’S TOP 10 FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENTS
From Reporting Date, Aug. 1 to Sept. 10

1. Sept. 9 –- Arizona claims its first AP Top 25 ranking since Nov. 22, 2010, with a No. 24 ranking following its 59-38 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State on Sept. 8. The Wildcats’ ranking is a significant step toward coach Rich Rodriguez’s goal for Arizona’s program to become relevant again. “To what degree are we relevant, I don’t know,” Rodriguez said. “But this is the first step in that way. We’ve got to follow it up. Now, if you don’t follow it up with another good win next week, then you wasted the effort.” Last ranking: NR.

2. Sept. 8 — The Wildcats upset No. 18 Oklahoma State 59-38 in front of 45,602 at Arizona Stadium. Instead of producing more than 80 points on its own, Oklahoma State allows Arizona to join in the scoring barrage. The penalty-prone Cowboys, coming off an 84-0 victory over Savannah State in Stillwater, Okla., compile 636 total yards against Arizona, but it’s not enough. The Wildcats (2-0) do not commit a turnover, and they score on all eight drives inside the red zone (five touchdowns and three field goals) in new coach Rich Rodriguez’s second game. “Where does this win rank?” Rodriguez said with a grin in response to a postgame press conference question. “It’s the best one I’ve had at Arizona.” Oklahoma State (1-1) commits 15 penalties for 167 yards, with many contributing to Arizona scoring drives after the Wildcats trail 14-0 early in the first quarter. Arizona fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Scott often makes the Cowboys pay for the miscues, passing for two touchdowns and running for another. He completes 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards without an interception. He also gains 55 yards on 19 carries. Last ranking: NR.

Jared Tevis

3. Sept. 8 — The emergence of former walk-on Jared Tevis at safety. Tevis, a Canyon del Oro High School grad undersized at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, intercepts two passes thrown by Oklahoma State freshman quarterback Wes Lunt to preserve the Wildcats’ lead in their 59-38 win over the No. 18 Cowboys. Tevis bringing down Tutogi, a punishing 260-pound fullback, caught Rodriguez’s eye during the spring. Rodriguez subsequently awarded Tevis a scholarship. Last ranking: NR.

4. Sept. 10 — Arizona place-kicker John Bonano, who missed two of three field goal attempts in the opener against Toledo, including a potential game-winning attempt, is selected the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Oklahoma State on Sept. 8. Bonano, a senior from Salinas, Calif., was a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals and PATS and scored a career-high 15 points in the 59-38 victory. He converted field goals of 22 yards, 24 yards, and 46 yards and was 5-5 on PAT attempts. This rates high on this list because of the Arizona place-kicking woes dating back to Jason Bondzio in 2007 when Bondzio made 21 of 26 attempts. Last ranking: NR.

Continue reading →

Arizona Football: 2012 Top 10 Storylines

Posted on by

The football games have yet to start. They kickoff Sept. 1, when the Wildcats host Toledo at Arizona Stadium. But in my opinion, the RichRod Era began Aug. 1 when players reported to fall camp. Noteworthy developments already exist.

This Web site will offer something unique the entire season, Rich Rodriguez’s first in Tucson — a constant update of the Top 10 storylines of the 2012 season.

Think of it as the AP Top 25 poll that updates every week, or an ongoing Top 10 storyline theme done throughout the season instead of waiting for one at the end of the year, when the media usually likes to recap the season’s developments.

What will be the No. 1 development in the end? Enjoy the ride while we find out. In the meantime, use this Top 10 tracker for reference.

ARIZONA’S TOP 10 DEVELOPMENTS
Since Reporting Date, Aug. 1, 2012

Arizona senior quarterback Matt Scott completed 16 of 18 passes for 193 yards in Arizona’s first scrimmage Aug. 11 at Fort Huachuca (Click on photo to watch video produced by ArizonaWildcats.com)

AS OF AUGUST 13:

1. Aug. 11 — Arizona’s first scrimmage of fall camp at Fort Huachuca leaves Rodriguez frustrated with the defense. Ryan Finley of The Arizona Daily Star reported that the defense allowed 552 yards of offense in the 92-play scrimmage, a 6 yards-per-play clip that likely would have been greater had the offense not spent its final 15 plays inside the 20-yard line. Take away incomplete passes and tackles for loss, and the defense surrendered positive yardage on 77 of the 92 plays.

2. Aug. 11 — Offensive players playing on the defensive side of the ball in camp. That development was prevalent during the first scrimmage. From the start of camp, Rodriguez has used tight end Keoni Bush-Loo and fullback Taimi Tutogi at defensive end, and running back Greg Nwoko at linebacker. Patrick Onwuasor moved from wide receiver to safety permanently. He was a safety in high school. The moves signal the concern Rodriguez has about the depth on the defense. Nwoko suffered an undisclosed injury while playing linebacker on Aug. 9 and his availability will depend on how much pain he can handle according to Rodriguez.

Continue reading →

Monday’s Coverage of the Cats

Posted on by




NOTE: LINKS ARE IN GRAY

>> BigEastCoastBias.com takes a jab at ASU and new coach Todd Graham for proclaiming that he played a part for one-season turnarounds at West Virginia (3-8 in 2001 to 9-4 in 2002) and Tulsa (1-11 in 2002 to 8-4 in 2003). Well, truth is, he did because he was part of the staffs of those turnarounds, although it can be argued how much of a part he played. He coached on the defensive side at both places and it is cited in the article that the offenses, including the one coached by UA coach Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia, were responsible for the turnarounds.

>> Speaking of coaches, I decided to research which programs have used the most permanent head coaches since the Pac-10 was formed in 1978 with the inclusion of Arizona and ASU and if that has played a part in a program’s success or failure. The Wildcats have featured six while the Sun Devils have used eight (those numbers include Rodriguez and Graham, respectively). ASU has been to two Rose Bowls and UA none so obviously continuity is not a factor.

Stanford has utilized the most with 10 (an incredible average of one every 3.3 years) while Oregon the least with only three (Rich Brooks, Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly). Five programs other than Arizona have hired six permanent coaches — Oregon State, USC, Utah, Washington and Washington State — while Cal and Colorado have hired seven. Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-12 last season. Oregon State, Cal and Arizona have not advanced to the Rose Bowl since the Pac-10 was formed. USC has been to 12 Rose Bowls in that span, Washington six and Washington State two.

Continue reading →