After firing initial salvo, Arizona QB Jayden de Laura downplays matchup with former team

When he was first asked about facing Washington State, his former school, Jayden de Laura nodded his head sternly. It was as if a button had been pushed.

“Just watch,” de Laura said. “This game, it’s personal.”

De Laura made those comments in the immediate aftermath of Arizona’s upset victory over UCLA on Saturday night. It was a grueling, back-and-forth battle, and de Laura was still feeling the effects.

He was much more measured when he met the media Tuesday. The closest de Laura came to providing more motivational fodder for the Cougars was when he acknowledged he was “looking for an opportunity to play them” while seeking a new home in the offseason.

“And an opportunity presents itself this upcoming week,” de Laura said. “So we’re just preparing as a team the best we can: treatment, study, class, film, practice, everything.”

De Laura spoke calmly — almost matter-of-factly — about WSU, where he spent his first two seasons. He transferred after the school made Jake Dickert its full-time head coach and hired a new offensive coordinator. Those moves came on the heels of WSU firing Nick Rolovich.

“At the end of the day, it’s just another opponent,” de Laura said. “We just go in this week, grind, watch the film. And then, offensively and defensively, we go out there on game day and do our thing.”

Can de Laura keep his cool Saturday? Saying WSU is “just another opponent” is one thing; remaining level-headed in the moment is quite another.

“I would love to say that it’s gonna be just another game for everybody,” UA coach Jedd Fisch said. “I would assume that it’s going to have some form of an impact on Jayden. He was the starting quarterback there. He was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year there. And now he’s here.

“It’s Jayden’s job to make sure it doesn’t affect him and he doesn’t play the game any differently. That he goes out there and he executes in the manner that he executed last week. And I believe he will.

“As you all know, I believe in Jayden de Laura very much. If he could just play within himself and not let the opponent affect him and treat them like they’re nameless and faceless, in a lot of ways that will help him and all of us.”

When UA defensive end Hunter Echols faced his former school, USC, earlier this season, he said he felt “no real emotion” about facing the Trojans. But Echols jawed with his former teammates during warmups.

De Laura conceded that the on-field chatter Saturday likely will be more heated than usual.

“It’s gonna be fun, though,” de Laura said. “I know we’re gonna be saying stuff to each other, but it’s just all within the game.”

The Cougars aren’t biting – at least not yet. Asked by reporters in Pullman about de Laura’s initial comments, defensive end Brennan Jackson said WSU’s focus is to “stop the Arizona Wildcats, not just one player.”

“People (are) gonna talk,” WSU tailback Nakia Watson said. “We know what we have to do.”

‘Like a champ’

How did Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan react to the news that he’d be out for the year?

“Like a champ,” UA offensive line coach Brennan Carroll said. “He’ll be a professional one day, and he can handle his business with the best of them. Great attitude. He’s had a great mindset. Love that kid. We’re gonna miss him ... for the rest of the year.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Morgan’s right leg gave out during the first quarter against UCLA. He was unable to return. Fisch announced Monday that Morgan would miss the rest of the season.

“But he still wants to be (around), wants to be in meetings, wants to mentor the young guys,” Carroll said. “He’s a fantastic teammate, a fantastic captain.”

Carroll said he’ll meet with Morgan later this week and present “a bunch of information” to him regarding the NFL draft. Morgan had worked his way into a possible Day 2 pick (Rounds 2-3) before getting hurt. He now must decide whether to go pro or return to Arizona for a fifth season.

“There’s a lot of things we’re gonna talk about,” Carroll said.

Carroll is confident that veteran Sam Langi can perform adequately in Morgan’s stead. Langi played 49 snaps vs. the Bruins, tying his second-highest total of the season. Pro Football Focus charged him with four pressures allowed.

He has played 357 snaps this year, per PFF, yielding 15 pressures. He has yet to surrender a sack.

“We’re lucky to have a guy that’s had experience to go step into this role,” Carroll said. “We expect a ton out of him.”

Carroll said Langi’s likely backups would be Josh Donovan, who has started seven games at left guard, and Joseph Borjon, who has yet to play in a game but has practiced at both tackle spots.

The last play

Johnny Nansen told the defense what was coming. Arizona’s defensive coordinator knew UCLA would try to “sneak a guy on the back side” on the final play of the game.

Sure enough, receiver Jake Bobo broke free just inside the end line. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson heaved the ball in his direction. Bobo just missed making a diving catch.

“Our guys were aware,” Nansen said. “For some reason, they didn’t see him coming on the back side. Once that ball was in the air I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is going on?’ But it all worked out.”

Several UA defenders were in the vicinity. Safety Christian Young was on the opposite side of the end zone. He saw the ball sail through the air and land harmlessly beyond the end zone.

“It happened fast,” Young said. “It was just a huge relief.”

Extra points

UA quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty is one of 51 nominees for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach. Dougherty has helped de Laura rank in the top 10 nationally in passing yards (3,128) and the top 20 in passing touchdowns (24). “He’s been just a fantastic mentor for Jayden,” Carroll said.

Young on Arizona’s upset win over UCLA: “Winning in the Rose Bowl my senior year, one last time, it was something I can’t even put into words. My mom came to the game. To see all the Arizona fans with a smile on their faces at the end of the game; a lot of coaches coached at UCLA the prior couple years, so just seeing a smile on their face too. Just bringing joy to the locker room, that meant a lot to me.”

Carroll on WSU’s defense, which leads the Pac-12 with 68 tackles for losses: “Very aggressive defense, very disciplined scheme. They’re trying to do everything they can to stop the run. They’re trying to add an extra player to the box whenever they can. A very quick front. Not as big as the team we played last week. But they’re quicker, and they’re effective.”