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 10-3 win over Cal on Saturday:
1. FRONT AND CENTER
Arizona’s defensive front dominated Cal’s offensive line. It was a depleted offensive line, to be sure, but so was the Wildcats’. Arizona had twice as many sacks as Cal and two more tackles for losses. As Jedd Fisch noted afterward, the key is getting all the defensive linemen on the field at the same time. They didn’t all participate against the Golden Bears; Mo Diallo dressed but didn’t play. However, Kyon Barrs was back from injury, and the emerging Paris Shand was good to go after getting banged up against USC. Those two, along with Jalen Harris and Trevon Mason, never allowed Cal to get going. Barrs, Mason and Shand were frequent visitors to the Bears’ backfield. Harris joined the party on Cal’s last offensive play, working his way around left tackle Brayden Rohme, fighting through a hold (which wasn’t called) and dragging down QB Ryan Glover as he released the ball. Defensive coordinator Don Brown sent four rushers on each of the Bears’ final four plays. (Linebacker Kenny Hebert was part of that mix as well.) That’s all the Wildcats needed to generate pressure. If you can do that with your front four consistently, you can stop anyone.
2. ONE AND ONLY
Just like Arizona’s 10-9 victory over Cal in 2010, the game feature only one touchdown. It was the final play of a well-executed, well-orchestrated drive. It wouldn’t be unfair to question some of Fisch’s play-calling this season, and he opened himself up to criticism again by calling a screen pass on Luke Ashworth’s only snap in the second quarter. The play resulted in an interception, the third time this season the Wildcats have been picked on a screen. Fisch nailed the final drive, though. It started with a jet sweep to Stanley Berryhill III. Then came a nifty cutback run by Drake Anderson. A play-action rollout pass by Will Plummer to Dorian Singer gained 19 yards and put Arizona in field-goal range. Another cutback run by Anderson – with aid from tight ends Alex Lines and Bryce Wolma – gained 6 yards. Fisch then called a fullback dive for Clay Markoff, who gained 4 and a first down. On second-and-9, Fisch ran Michael Wiley out of the “Wildcat.” On third-and-5, Wiley lined up in the offset I-formation. He followed blocks by Markoff and pulling guard JT Hand. Guard Josh Donovan pancaked his defender. Receiver Tayvian Cunningham locked up cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III near the goal line. Everyone did their job, and Wiley ended up in the end zone.
3. STANDOUT BERRYHILL
Berryhill is making a strong case for the all-purpose slot on the All-Pac-12 team. He continues to impact the game in multiple ways. We mentioned the jet sweep; he carried four times for 26 yards. He tied for the team lead with five receptions (despite a drop – his first of the season), good for 43 yards. Immediately before the jet sweep, Berryhill returned Jamieson Sheahan’s 51-yard punt 25 yards to the Cal 45. After retreating to receive the long kick, Berryhill started to his right, then cut back to the left and outflanked the coverage. Earlier in the game, he made yet another tackle on a punt by Kyle Ostendorp. And the player who downed the ball on Ostendorp’s punt to the 1? That was Berryhill. He and a handful of teammates surrounded the ball as it rolled toward the goal line. Berryhill ended up touching it down from a seated position. It wasn’t because he was tired, because he never seems to get tired. Berryhill has played more snaps (558) than any UA offensive player who doesn’t play upfront, according to Pro Football Focus. He also covers and returns punts. If this is the end of the fifth-year veteran’s Arizona career, he’s going out the right way – giving it all he’s got for his hometown school.
4. THIS TIME IT’S PERSONNEL
Each week we provide some notes on individual players, so here goes … Freshman RB Stevie Rocker Jr. gained only 24 yards on eight carries, but he again showed excellent vision and patience in tight quarters. ... Anderson needs to be in the RB mix; his quickness gives the backfield a different dimension. ... Singer showed promising run-after-the-catch ability on a third-quarter grab that saw him spin around and stiff-arm a defender. ... Left tackle Jordan Morgan was struggling in pass protection before getting hurt. He allowed inside pressure that resulted in Plummer hurting his shoulder, and it was Morgan’s man who deflected Ashworth’s pass for a pick. ... Linebacker Rashie Hodge Jr. had been quiet in recent games, but he re-emerged in the second half vs. Cal with a couple of dynamic downhill plays. ... “Viper” Christian Young might be Arizona’s most underrated defender. He’s almost always in the right place, and he’s a sure tackler. ... Safety Jaydin Young, who really struggled at USC, had a bounce-back game. He played with a greater sense of confidence and aggression, especially when tackling. ... If Berryhill isn’t the team MVP, Ostendorp just might be. His powerful right leg has become a major asset.
5. WHAT’S NEXT, WHAT’S LEFT
Arizona really needed this. The 20-game losing streak had become a 20-ton gorilla on the Wildcats’ backs. They were tired of talking about it, thinking about it and dealing with it – yet they couldn’t shake it until Saturday. Now that it’s over, they can breathe a sigh of relief – and get ready for what’s to come. Utah is up next on Senior Day, and the timing of the Utes’ visit isn’t ideal. They’re playing their best football of the season, including a dominant performance against Stanford on Friday. Arizona, meanwhile, is banged up. Plummer has a sore shoulder at best, a sprained one at worst. Several offensive linemen are dinged. Both starting cornerbacks were out by game’s end. The Utes opened as 24-point favorites. After that comes a visit to Washington State, which has played inspired ball since Nick Rolovich’s departure. The current forecast for that Friday-night game in Pullman calls for a high of 43 and a low of 34. Arizona ends the season, per usual, at Arizona State. If the Wildcats can win one of those three games, they’d be 2-2 over the final third of the season. That’s something Fisch could build on heading into 2022.
