Quick hitters from the Arizona Wildcats’ post-practice media availability Wednesday morning:
* Because of injuries at middle linebacker and the way Washington State plays, some Arizona defenders will have new and/or expanded roles Saturday. They include DeAndre’ Miller, Tellas Jones and Jake Matthews. “I got what I got,” defensive coordinator Marcel Yates said. “I gotta play a little chess game this week.”
* Most of Arizona’s injuries the past two years have hit middle linebacker, running back and quarterback. "It's kind of strange," UA coach Rich Rodriguez said. A focal point in recruiting is to restock those positions.
* Rodriguez talked to injured middle linebacker Cody Ippolito this week about applying for a sixth year. Ippolito is out for the season because of a knee injury and has missed two full years because of knee issues. Ippolito wants to play. Rodriguez is unsure at this point if it’s in Ippolito’s best interest to “keep pursuing that deal.”
* You never know with concussions, but defensive tackle Sani Fuimaono should be back against Washington State after missing the Stanford game. Fuimaono has been practicing and seemed upbeat while briefly interacting with reporters.
* If frustration is seeping in for the Wildcats, it's not showing up in practice. Rodriguez said the enthusiasm at Wednesday’s practice was “the highest it's been all year."
* The sense among Arizona coaches and players is that the defense is getting better, even if the results don’t show it. A big theme for the defense this week is tackling in space to minimize the Cougars’ YAC (yardage after catch). This game will test the notion that the Wildcats’ tackling has improved.
* Arizona is familiar with Washington State’s pre-snap stemming on defense because the UA defense does the same. But as Rodriguez noted, the same goes for the WSU offense facing the UA defense.
* Rodriguez said he basically gives Yates autonomy during the week and during games. Rodriguez knows the defensive game plan and might offer a suggestion from time to time, but generally he lets Yates do his thing.
* Rodriguez said he had the next play "ready to go" when Dane Cruikshank intercepted Stanford quarterback Keller Chryst. Then, in a microcosm of the season, Cruikshank fumbled the ball back.
* With two recent NFL games ending in ties, Rodriguez was asked if he’d ever participated in one. His record shows two, in his first two years at Glenville State in 1990 and ’91. The ’90 team finished 1-7-1. Rodriguez said he didn’t want to celebrate the tie because it would send the wrong message. “But secretly" Rodriguez said, "I’m like, ‘We tied somebody!’ "
