My two cents: Practice makes Cats fast, exciting

Arizona snapped 94 plays Friday night in setting a school record for yards (787) — and not once did a team operated by a freshman quarterback look lost or out of sync. It never looked winded, even though the game had 166 plays in a stadium that was 93 degrees at kickoff.

There’s a reason for it: Rich Rodriguez, if nothing else, is a master of practice and preparation. If he ever leaves coaching, he could make a fortune as a consultant for time management. I can’t imagine another team more effective.

The coordination and pace of UA’s daily practice sessions are an art. No wonder Arizona looked like it had played a game or two, and UNLV was in first-game mode.

In practice, the Wildcats are often getting four plays in a minute. Quarterbacks, six abreast, throw to receivers simultaneously, as if choreographed to the second. The players get more reps, at much higher speeds.

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It’s all synchronized, packaged and memorized.

Scores of college football teams now “play fast,” a style of offense created by RichRod at small-school Glenville State 24 years ago.

But on Friday night at Arizona Stadium, you were watching the master at work.