Notes and takeaways from Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez’s weekly Monday news conference at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility:
* UA quarterback Khalil Tate became the first player since USC’s Rodney Peete in 1988 to be named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week three weeks in a row. Tate totaled 303 yards of offense and accounted for three touchdowns, including the winning TD pass, in Arizona’s 45-44 double-overtime victory at Cal on Saturday.
* Rodriguez has been impressed with how quickly Tate seems to recognize and bounce back from mistakes. I’ll have more on Tate later today.
* UA freshman linebacker Colin Schooler was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week. Schooler broke up a pass in the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt at the end of the game that, if successful, would have given the Golden Bears the victory. He also had a career-high 15 tackles, including 1.5 for losses, and was credited with a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
* Regarding the final pass breakup, Rodriguez said of Schooler: “You don’t see too many freshman linebackers who are able to make that play.”
* Rodriguez didn’t specifically address any injuries, but said he was “hopeful” that the players who got banged up vs. Cal will be able to play against Washington State on Saturday. Players who left the game and did not return included tailback Nick Wilson (ankle), linebacker Tony Fields II (concussion) and DE-LB Kylan Wilborn (ankle).
* While Rodriguez supports the spirit of the targeting rules, he remains frustrated that they seem to be administered inconsistently. He said J.J. Taylor “didn’t lead with the crown of his helmet, didn’t launch and didn’t intend to injure” when he threw a high block late in the first quarter and was disqualified.
* Asked why Nathan Tilford didn’t play when Wilson and Taylor were lost, Rodriguez said the freshman is currently behind Zach Green and Branden Leon. “I like Nathan,” Rodriguez said. “He’s going to be good.”
* Rodriguez said the plane ride home was quieter than he expected. It could have been because the team was tired. Or it could have been a sign that the players weren’t satisfied with their performance, despite the victory.
* Rodriguez praised freshman tight end Bryce Wolma for his smarts on and off the field, as well as his ball skills and feel for the game. Wolma’s 22 receptions rank second on the team.
* Rodriguez said the line has been the constant in the offense’s success but that Washington State will present “our biggest challenge” and has “the best defense we’ve played so far.”
* Rodriguez credited Cal for taking the ball away from WSU seven times in the Bears’ 37-3 upset on Oct. 13 but also said it was an unusually unlucky game for the Cougars. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong,” Rodriguez said.
* Rodriguez described last year’s 69-7 loss at WSU as “embarrassing” and “terrible” but said Saturday’s game isn’t about revenge. He prefers the term “redemption.”
* Rodriguez said redshirt-freshman safety Jarrius Wallace, pressed into duty when Troy Young got booted for targeting, “wasn’t perfect” but “made some terrific plays.” The coaching staff now knows it can trust Wallace.
* The defense’s struggles on third down aren’t from a lack of practice time. “We practice third down more than any situation out there,” Rodriguez said.
* Rodriguez said the Wildcats “didn’t do a good job” in the two-minute drill vs. Cal, although he was trying to both kill the clock and score on the one at the end of the first half.
