Every week throughout the season, we take a look back at the Arizona Wildcats’ previous game after re-watching it via the TV broadcast. Here are five key takeaways from the UA’s 34-28 victory over UCLA on Saturday:
1. J. FOOTBALL
Who does Jayden de Laura remind you of? We’ve heard “young Russell Wilson.” We’ve heard “poor man’s Patrick Mahomes.” How about Johnny Manziel? Manziel was undersized but crafty. He played with serious swagger at Texas A&M. He believed he could keep any play alive, and he often could. De Laura has proved masterful at buying time and making off-script plays. National media who finally got to see Arizona’s transfer quarterback Saturday night were amazed at his great escapes; we’ve seen them so often, they barely register. But they sure matter. Chip Kelly and his staff were so freaked out by the prospect of de Laura scrambling – because they’d fallen victim to it repeatedly – that they used a double spy defense on third and fourth down on the Wildcats’ penultimate drive. UCLA sent two rushers and had two others watching and mirroring de Laura. The first time, on third-and-18, the Bruins got pressure. De Laura rolled right, turned back to his left, then darted upfield for a 14-yard gain. UCLA showed the same look on fourth-and-4. This time, de Laura hung in the pocket and waited for Tetairoa McMillan to come open in the end zone. The two connected for the go-ahead touchdown.
2. PLAY LESS, DO MORE
It took until Game 8 for Johnny Nansen to fully commit to a rotation along the defensive line. The freshmen who would provide that depth weren’t quite ready yet. They also had to earn Nansen’s trust. Arizona is all in now, and it’s making a huge difference. Not only are the freshmen making plays, they’re giving the veterans invaluable rest. Just look at what happened on UCLA’s final two fourth-down plays. On the first, senior defensive end Jalen Harris got held but still got pressure on Dorian Thompson-Robinson. That pressure forced a hurried, high throw, which sailed out of bounds for an incomplete pass. Harris played a season-low 46 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. On the last play of the game, Hunter Echols, the other senior end, exploded around the edge to get a piece of Thompson-Robinson. The quarterback had to step up, reset and throw on the run. He just missed a diving Jake Bobo in the back of the end zone. Echols played 51 snaps. He’s averaged 51 over the past three games. He averaged 61 over the previous six games. Harris and Echols were fresh and ready to make plays deep into the fourth quarter.
3. GETTING PHYSICAL
Was Arizona the more physical team Saturday night? You could make that case. It’s not something that could be said of the Wildcats often in recent years. The box score suggests the opposite – UCLA had 220 net rushing yards, Arizona 124 – but there was enough anecdotal evidence to support it. First off, upon re-watching the game, we saw several instances where the interior of the UA offensive line got legitimate push in the run game. Freshman guard Wendell Moe, making his second career start, had some miscues, but he moved bodies and looks like a keeper alongside Josh Baker and Jonah Savaiinaea. Tailback Michael Wiley was the main beneficiary of those blocks. But he also ran with power and never went down easy. PFF credited him with 72 yards after contact (out of 97) on running plays. Even Dorian Singer played with an edge. The sleek wide receiver had three bubble-screen opportunities, and he finished all three with authority, getting vertical and putting his shoulder into defenders. No single ball-carrier was as physical as UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet, who, per PFF, had a whopping 107 yards after contact. But on the whole? In the trenches? We’d give the Wildcats a slight advantage. That isn’t something we were expecting to write today.
4. THIS TIME IT’S PERSONNEL
Our notes on individual players can be found here … Wiley’s entire array was on display vs. UCLA. He made people miss in space, he “got skinny” inside, he earned extra yards at the end of runs and he provided a reliable outlet for de Laura. ... Whatever was ailing WR Jacob Cowing last week clearly didn’t bother him in Pasadena. Cowing looked as fast and slippery as ever. We knew he was good to go on Arizona’s second drive, when he caught a short pass and made a pair of spin moves. ... We fear the worst for OT Jordan Morgan, who hurt his right knee on a non-contact play. You never want to assume anything, but those are often torn ACLs. ... It was fascinating to watch freshman Sterling Lane II learn in real time. UCLA put him through the ringer with a series of zone-read plays on its third possession. Lane later showed good eye discipline and made a tackle on Charbonnet. ... Fellow freshman DE Russell Davis II showed his athleticism by chasing down Thompson-Robinson on a sprint-out. Davis went stride for stride with DTR. ... Speaking of spies, freshman LB Jacob Manu was used in that capacity at times. On one occasion, he feigned a pass rush, dropped back and deflected a pass. ... We’ve been critical of Gunner Maldonado in this space, but he played with newfound aggressiveness vs. the run Saturday. ... Safety Jaxen Turner’s basketball background was evident when he mirrored Thompson-Robinson in the open field on the Bruins’ second play from scrimmage.
5. POSTSEASON POSSIBILITIES
Was Saturday night’s upset victory a turning point for the UA program? It’s too early to say. We’ve seen false starts in the recent past. In 2018, Arizona won two games in a row to get to 5-5. The Wildcats then closed the season with consecutive losses to Washington State and Arizona State – who also happen to be their final two regular-season opponents this year. One significant difference: The upcoming game vs. WSU is in Tucson. Whereas the Cougars just clinched a bowl berth, the Wildcats still have that carrot dangling in front of them. It wouldn’t have been feasible without the win over UCLA. After the game – for the first time we can recall – Jedd Fisch referred to the possibility of postseason play. “We have two weeks left that are guaranteed to us,” he said, “and we're gonna do everything we can to find a third after that.” Just because the gauntlet of ranked opponents is over doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. WSU is playing well, having scored 80 points in its past two wins (compared to 41 in its previous three games – all losses). ASU has shown no signs of quitting under Shaun Aguano. If they play like they did at UCLA – a massive “if” – the Wildcats can sweep them. Considering where the program has been lately, that’d really be something.
