Arizona Wildcats football: On big-school talent, honoring Hemmila, Grambling's amazing band
- Updated
Seen and heard at Arizona Stadium during Arizona's game against Grambling State.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Grambling State might have the FCS label attached to it — which used to come with the connotation of lesser talent — but its roster isn’t necessarily filled with small-college recruits.
As DeVante Kincade scrambled around the pocket, and picked apart Arizona’s defense in the first half, most in Arizona Stadium might have been wondering, ‘who is that?’
Kincade was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school. In fact, he was rated higher than UA starter Brandon Dawkins.
Kincade was a four-star recruit, according to Scout.com, with offers Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Kansas State and Texas Tech. He signed with Ole Miss, then transferred to Grambling before this season.
Arizona fans won’t soon forget Kincade: He completed 15 of 19 passes for two touchdowns in Saturday’s first half before exiting with an injury.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Kincade isn’t the only big-time recruit on Grambling’s roster. Receiver Montrel Meander started his career at Texas, and safety Derrick Dixon is a transfer from Texas Tech.
Wide reciever Darrell Clark will join the team in the spring. Clark was originally an Arizona signee, but didn’t qualify academically. Clark spent last season at Pima College before moving on to Grambling.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
$575,000: Arizona paid Grambling State more than half a million dollars to travel to Tucson for Saturday’s game. The deal was contingent on the Tigers bringing their famous band with them.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The UA unveiled a banner pregame to honor offensive Zach Hemmila, who passed away in his sleep during training camp.
The banner hangs in the south end zone above that of Damon Terrell, a Wildcat who passed away during the 1995 season.
It falls in line with honors for John “Button” Salmon, who famously came up with the “Bear Down” mantra on his deathbed, and McCollins Umeh, an Arizona freshman who died during a workout in 2004.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik presented Hemmila’s parents with an honorary red chrome Arizona helmet, which Hemmila’s father raised to the crowd to loud cheers.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Grambling State is perhaps best known for three things: Coach Eddie Robinson, quarterback-turned-coach Doug Williams and its famous marching band.
Arizona has a history with the band — both bands performed at the first-ever Super Bowl.
Saturday, the two bands stood side-by-side and recreated the famed map of the United States map, which Arizona’s band always does during the national anthem.
Grambling’s band also performed at halftime.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
“GSU Tiger Marching Band absolutely SLAYED at halftime! We loved it!!#BandFamily” — The Pride of Arizona marching band (@PrideofArizona)
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Wildcats would certainly like to hit the reset button given how things went against the Tigers.
Arizona’s scoreboard operator attempted just that — the scoreboard reset to a score of 0-0 in the first quarter, even though the Tigers were leading 7-0.
The officials caught wind, though, and quickly asked scoreboard operators to rectify the situation.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
With safety Tellas Jones out with an injury, it was next man up for Arizona.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Mariscal got the start. Coaches inserted true freshman Tristan Cooper into the lineup in the second quarter.
Cooper promptly recorded his first tackle — on his birthday, no less. He added two more before halftime.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Grambling State might have the FCS label attached to it — which used to come with the connotation of lesser talent — but its roster isn’t necessarily filled with small-college recruits.
As DeVante Kincade scrambled around the pocket, and picked apart Arizona’s defense in the first half, most in Arizona Stadium might have been wondering, ‘who is that?’
Kincade was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school. In fact, he was rated higher than UA starter Brandon Dawkins.
Kincade was a four-star recruit, according to Scout.com, with offers Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Kansas State and Texas Tech. He signed with Ole Miss, then transferred to Grambling before this season.
Arizona fans won’t soon forget Kincade: He completed 15 of 19 passes for two touchdowns in Saturday’s first half before exiting with an injury.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Kincade isn’t the only big-time recruit on Grambling’s roster. Receiver Montrel Meander started his career at Texas, and safety Derrick Dixon is a transfer from Texas Tech.
Wide reciever Darrell Clark will join the team in the spring. Clark was originally an Arizona signee, but didn’t qualify academically. Clark spent last season at Pima College before moving on to Grambling.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
The UA unveiled a banner pregame to honor offensive Zach Hemmila, who passed away in his sleep during training camp.
The banner hangs in the south end zone above that of Damon Terrell, a Wildcat who passed away during the 1995 season.
It falls in line with honors for John “Button” Salmon, who famously came up with the “Bear Down” mantra on his deathbed, and McCollins Umeh, an Arizona freshman who died during a workout in 2004.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik presented Hemmila’s parents with an honorary red chrome Arizona helmet, which Hemmila’s father raised to the crowd to loud cheers.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Grambling State is perhaps best known for three things: Coach Eddie Robinson, quarterback-turned-coach Doug Williams and its famous marching band.
Arizona has a history with the band — both bands performed at the first-ever Super Bowl.
Saturday, the two bands stood side-by-side and recreated the famed map of the United States map, which Arizona’s band always does during the national anthem.
Grambling’s band also performed at halftime.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
The Wildcats would certainly like to hit the reset button given how things went against the Tigers.
Arizona’s scoreboard operator attempted just that — the scoreboard reset to a score of 0-0 in the first quarter, even though the Tigers were leading 7-0.
The officials caught wind, though, and quickly asked scoreboard operators to rectify the situation.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
With safety Tellas Jones out with an injury, it was next man up for Arizona.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Mariscal got the start. Coaches inserted true freshman Tristan Cooper into the lineup in the second quarter.
Cooper promptly recorded his first tackle — on his birthday, no less. He added two more before halftime.
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Grambling scores a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half.
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