Every Monday throughout the season, we’ll take a look back at Arizona’s previous game after re-watching the TV broadcast and present five key takeaways. Here are the five from the UA’s 34-10 loss to Stanford on Saturday night:
1. The eyes don’t have it
Rich Rodriguez and QB coach Rod Smith talk all the time about the importance of the quarterback having his eyes in the right place in Arizona’s offensive system. Brandon Dawkins’ eyes did not seem to be in the right place very often against Stanford. You know the numbers by now: 5 of 15, 116 yards, one touchdown, one interception. What you might not know is that seven times, by my count, Dawkins could have thrown to an open receiver but elected to run or throw the ball away. He gained a total of 14 yards the five times he chose to run. You can understand Dawkins’ temptation: His running has been the best, most consistent part of Arizona’s offense this season. But for the most part, Stanford was ready for it. Given how much he has played this season, it’s surprising that Dawkins would take a step backward. Credit the Cardinal for making things difficult for him. The question is, with Anu Solomon now available, will Dawkins get a chance to redeem himself vs. Washington State on Saturday? That leads us to Takeaway No. 2 …
2. Another QB change?
Prediction, not based on any sources but on reading the blue-and-red tea leaves: Solomon will start against the Cougars. I know he has his share of detractors. And it’s not as if Solomon has played well this season when he’s been out there. But there’s a reason Rodriguez picked him to start in the first place: While Dawkins is a brilliant runner, Solomon is better at running the offense. Solomon isn’t as athletic as Dawkins. But Solomon plays the position like a point guard. His first instinct is to distribute the ball. You can argue whether starting Solomon is in the best long-term interest of the program. But Rodriguez can’t think that way right now. He has to do what’s in the best interest of winning the next game and salvaging what he can from this lost season. He owes it to his players, particularly the seniors who have toiled through four or five years of blood, sweat and tears. Based on how he has played it so far, I don’t expect Rodriguez to announce a starting quarterback. He’ll let WSU prepare for both. But if I had to bet on it right now, I’d lean Solomon.
3. Anatomy of a play
Although Dawkins obviously didn’t have his best game, it’s never one player’s fault. Breaking down one play in particular illustrates that. On Arizona’s first possession, the Wildcats faced third-and-8 from their 42. Tailback Samajie Grant motioned out of the backfield to create an empty set. Stanford’s initial defensive look showed four pass rushers. But linebacker Peter Kalambayi, lined up on the defense’s right side, dropped into a zone. On the other side, linebacker Bobby Okereke crept up at the last second and rushed. The offensive line did not account for this properly. Right tackle Gerhard de Beer blocked to the inside, allowing Okereke a free lane. Meanwhile, left tackle Layth Friekh and left guard Christian Boettcher were double-teaming defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. If Dawkins had recognized what was happening immediately, he could have thrown to slot receiver Nate Phillips on an in-breaking route. That would have required tremendous trust and anticipation, because Phillips wasn’t open at that point. It's understandable why Dawkins didn’t want to take that chance. He ended up getting sacked by Okereke.
4. Method to Marcel’s madness
It’s hard to heap praise on the defense after it allowed 34 points and practically relaunched Christian McCaffrey’s Heisman campaign. But consider: The offense gave the defense virtually no support. Stanford’s average starting position was its 40-yard line. Only one of the Cardinal’s scoring drives was longer than 45 yards (including the field goal at the end of the first half after Dane Cruikshank’s unfortunate fumble). Marcel Yates threw an incredible variety of looks at first-time starting quarterback Keller Chryst, who looked like a first-time starting quarterback for most of the night. Arizona used a five-man defensive line at times, a four-man line at least once and occasionally had just two guys with their hands on the ground. The Wildcats rushed as few as three and as many as eight. (The latter resulted in Isaiah Hayes’ first career sack.) I really believe Yates is getting the most, or close to it, out of what he has and that the Arizona defense will only get better when reinforcements arrive. The current group is playing hard, spirited football, even if the results don’t always show it.
5. This time it’s personnel
Every week I’ll provide some notes on individual players, so here goes … The Grant experiment was mostly a success. He made some errors, which you’d expect, but also flashed great quickness and ran without fear. Barring injury, he’s the guy the rest of the way. … On balance, Freddie Tagaloa is an upgrade over Boettcher at left guard. But Tagaloa remains maddeningly inconsistent, which is not something you want from a fifth-year senior. Another prediction: Michael Eletise starts at left guard next year. … I continue to be impressed by Trey Griffey, whose lack of catches is mostly a function of erratic QB play. NFL scouts will have to look past the raw numbers in his case. … Linebacker Paul Magloire Jr. played his best game of 2016. Too finesse at times this season, Magloire played a more physical brand of ball at the point of attack. … It’s a shame that Cruikshank fumbled after his interception because he otherwise played well, especially against the run. The secondary as a whole holds promise for the future. … DeAndre’ Miller did not record a single tackle. He struggled to set the edge at times. The Wildcats need more from Miller, whom they were counting on to be a playmaker.
