Arizona Wildcats football: On disappointed fans, the Cats' bad luck, reunions
- Updated
Seen and heard at Arizona Stadium during Arizona's 48-14 loss to the USC Trojans.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
With about 10 minutes until kickoff on Saturday, it was more than 90 degrees in Tucson. Arizona’s student section, the ZonaZoo, was sparsely filled, and with a lack of shade, the rest of the stadium wasn’t exactly filled up, either.
By halftime, Arizona trailed 34-7, the stadium crowd was just about cut in half, with the student section, from afar, looking near non-existent.
On Twitter, fans vented their frustration. One fan tweeted to the Star that “Even Stoops did better after the nuclear disaster that was Mackovic” referencing former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, who replaced John Mackovic in 2003 at the tail end of some UA struggles.
The crowd was barren to the point that when the press box PA announced a sellout crowd of 55,463, there was audibile laughter throughout the press box.
After the game, UA coach Rich Rodriguez was asked about frustration from the fans. The message: he gets it.
“I love our fans. We’ve got great fans,” Rodriguez said. “They have been very supportive since I’ve been here. I appreciate that. If they’re not happy with not winning, hey, nobody over here is either.”
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
137: The apparent temperature on the field at Arizona Stadium just before kickoff.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
If there was ever evidence that Arizona could not catch a break against USC on Saturday, the evidence came late in the second quarter after a 3-yard Juju Smith-Schuster touchdown catch.
On the ensuing extra point attempt, USC fumbled the snap, UA linebacker Michael Barton recovered and rumbled all the way to the other end zone for two Arizona points.
Until they were taken away by a penalty — far away from the play, UA defensive lineman Aiulua Fanene was called for a personal foul, negating the two points. The score was 27-7.
Arizona wouldn’t score again until the fourth quarter, when Matt Morin passed a 7-yard touchdown to Samajie Grant.
By then, the score was 41-14.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
There was a point in the second half of Arizona’s game where the personnel, at various points, looked like this:
Quarterback: Matt Morin, Arizona’s third-string tight end who hasn’t played quarterback in a game since 2011.
Running back: Branden Leon, a walk-on who carried the ball four times for 18 yards.
Linebacker: Brandon Rutt and Lee Anderson were both in at linebacker. Rutt is a former walk-on, Anderson is still a walk-on.
Defensive line: Larry Tharpe, a walk-on defensive lineman who joined Arizona’s roster late in the fall. He had two tackles, half a tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
On Friday night, Arizona basketball held a reunion for its 1997 championship team at McKale Center during its annual Red-Blue Game.
Legendary former Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson was in attendance at Saturday’s football game.
Elsewhere, there were some smaller scale reunions.
Before the game, UA safeties coach Jahmile Addae hung out briefly with his brother Jahleel Addae, a safety for the San Diego Chargers. Former Arizona safety Will Parks, now with the Denver Broncos, also made an appearance at the stadium and received a loud ovation from the fans.
Addae and Parks were able to attend Saturday’s game because the Chargers and Broncos played a game on Thursday this week.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Khalil Tate didn’t end the game quite as well as he started it at quarterback for Arizona, but it wasn’t all bad.
In the first quarter, Tate rushed for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7. Excited, the Los Angeles native flashed the famous USC hand symbol, a “V for Victory”.
Tate considered playing at USC out of high school, along with a bunch of his former teammates at Junipero Serra in Gardena, California, but chose the Wildcats instead.
After the game, Tate hung out for a little bit with his old friends and took a photo with them.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
@UofAlec: “SEE GUYS! ARIZONA DOES USE THEIR TIGHT ENDS IN THEIR OFFENSE! #ArizonaWildcats” — An Arizona fan, joking about the usage of tight end Matt Morin at quarterback
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
With about 10 minutes until kickoff on Saturday, it was more than 90 degrees in Tucson. Arizona’s student section, the ZonaZoo, was sparsely filled, and with a lack of shade, the rest of the stadium wasn’t exactly filled up, either.
By halftime, Arizona trailed 34-7, the stadium crowd was just about cut in half, with the student section, from afar, looking near non-existent.
On Twitter, fans vented their frustration. One fan tweeted to the Star that “Even Stoops did better after the nuclear disaster that was Mackovic” referencing former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, who replaced John Mackovic in 2003 at the tail end of some UA struggles.
The crowd was barren to the point that when the press box PA announced a sellout crowd of 55,463, there was audibile laughter throughout the press box.
After the game, UA coach Rich Rodriguez was asked about frustration from the fans. The message: he gets it.
“I love our fans. We’ve got great fans,” Rodriguez said. “They have been very supportive since I’ve been here. I appreciate that. If they’re not happy with not winning, hey, nobody over here is either.”
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
If there was ever evidence that Arizona could not catch a break against USC on Saturday, the evidence came late in the second quarter after a 3-yard Juju Smith-Schuster touchdown catch.
On the ensuing extra point attempt, USC fumbled the snap, UA linebacker Michael Barton recovered and rumbled all the way to the other end zone for two Arizona points.
Until they were taken away by a penalty — far away from the play, UA defensive lineman Aiulua Fanene was called for a personal foul, negating the two points. The score was 27-7.
Arizona wouldn’t score again until the fourth quarter, when Matt Morin passed a 7-yard touchdown to Samajie Grant.
By then, the score was 41-14.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
There was a point in the second half of Arizona’s game where the personnel, at various points, looked like this:
Quarterback: Matt Morin, Arizona’s third-string tight end who hasn’t played quarterback in a game since 2011.
Running back: Branden Leon, a walk-on who carried the ball four times for 18 yards.
Linebacker: Brandon Rutt and Lee Anderson were both in at linebacker. Rutt is a former walk-on, Anderson is still a walk-on.
Defensive line: Larry Tharpe, a walk-on defensive lineman who joined Arizona’s roster late in the fall. He had two tackles, half a tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
On Friday night, Arizona basketball held a reunion for its 1997 championship team at McKale Center during its annual Red-Blue Game.
Legendary former Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson was in attendance at Saturday’s football game.
Elsewhere, there were some smaller scale reunions.
Before the game, UA safeties coach Jahmile Addae hung out briefly with his brother Jahleel Addae, a safety for the San Diego Chargers. Former Arizona safety Will Parks, now with the Denver Broncos, also made an appearance at the stadium and received a loud ovation from the fans.
Addae and Parks were able to attend Saturday’s game because the Chargers and Broncos played a game on Thursday this week.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Khalil Tate didn’t end the game quite as well as he started it at quarterback for Arizona, but it wasn’t all bad.
In the first quarter, Tate rushed for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7. Excited, the Los Angeles native flashed the famous USC hand symbol, a “V for Victory”.
Tate considered playing at USC out of high school, along with a bunch of his former teammates at Junipero Serra in Gardena, California, but chose the Wildcats instead.
After the game, Tate hung out for a little bit with his old friends and took a photo with them.
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Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate only completed one pass for four yards during the first half.
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