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 45-37 loss to No. 10 USC on Saturday:
1. RED-ZONE BLUES
Arizona scored touchdowns on 60% of its trips into the red zone. A year ago, that performance would have been lauded. On Saturday, it cost the Wildcats the game. Arizona went 3 for 5. USC was 5 for 5. The Wildcats scored 27 red-zone points. The Trojans scored 35. The difference in the game was eight points. Ouch. So what happened? On the first red-zone excursion, Arizona had second-and-goal at the 1. Jedd Fisch called what looked like a perimeter or off-tackle running play. USC’s Tyrone Taleni drove center Josh Baker into the backfield. Michael Wiley had nowhere to go and suffered a stunning 7-yard loss. It was fair to wonder why Jayden de Laura wasn’t under center for that play. Or why DJ Williams, who always seem to fall forward and gain extra yardage, wasn’t in at running back. On the next play, Arizona came as close to scoring as possible. Dorian Singer came down with a back-shoulder pass from de Laura but just couldn’t get his foot down inside the left sideline. It was close enough that Fisch challenged the play. The second red-zone trip came on the first possession of the third quarter. The Wildcats had first-and-goal at the 10. The sequence: Wiley 3-yard run. Incomplete pass to Tetairoa McMillan in the end zone (excellent coverage by USC’s Mekhi Blackmon). Incomplete pass to Tanner McLachlan in the end zone. De Laura was under pressure on that play and had to scramble. Replays showed that he might have had Jacob Cowing open on the left side. De Laura either didn’t see him or didn’t have time to locate him. Whatever the reason, Arizona came away with three points – again – when it needed seven.
2. FROM HEROES TO ZEROES
Remember when the UA defense was taking the ball away with regularity? It’s been a minute since Arizona has been able to unsheathe its “Turnover Sword.” The USC game was the Wildcats’ fourth in five Pac-12 contests in which they’ve failed to register a takeaway. They lost all four games, allowing 45-plus points in each. In what can’t be a coincidence, Arizona also failed to register a sack in those four contests. Say what you will about yards allowed per game, yards allowed per play, etc. It’s really, really hard to win when you don’t take the ball away or sack the quarterback. Both are difficult to do against USC. Caleb Williams is strong, elusive and resourceful. He also rarely throws the ball into harm’s way (one interception all season and only five turnover-worthy plays, per Pro Football Focus). Arizona did pressure him, using different looks and different players. The Wildcats started three true freshmen and played six in all on defense. The best chance they have to turn those zeroes into crooked numbers is to develop those young players and hope they become consistent disruptors. If they can take a leap by next season, the UA defense will be vastly improved.
3. THE ‘PERSONAL FOUL’
We preface this item by noting that the officiating overall was substandard. The end of the first half was a flat-out fiasco, and it cost USC three points. But no call was more questionable or impactful than the personal foul whistled against Jerry Roberts early in the fourth quarter. In case you missed it, Williams scrambled to his right after being pressured by Hunter Echols on third-and-8 from the UA 22-yard line. Just before he reached the sideline, Williams threw the ball away. Roberts arrived right at that point and jumped to try to bat the pass. After he landed, Roberts bumped into Williams. It was clearly accidental; Roberts had turned his head to see where the ball went, and he even extended his hand to make sure Williams wouldn’t fall backward. Roberts briefly got in Williams’ face. Roberts didn’t head-butt him. Did he say some words he shouldn’t have? Maybe. But there’s no way the official who threw the flag knew that. (A) He was too far away to hear what was said; and (B) he started pulling the flag before the exchange between the players. If the Trojans had made a field goal there, the score would have been 34-29. Instead, they scored a touchdown to make it 38-29. All because an official made a call based on perception instead of reality. That’s not how it’s supposed to work.
4. THIS TIME IT’S PERSONNEL
Our notes on individual players can be found here … It was really strange to see de Laura and Cowing not being on the same wavelength in the first half. They either weren’t seeing the same things, or their timing was simply off. They made the necessary corrections in the second half. ... WR Dorian Singer had the game of his life – and had about three near-misses as well. What a find for Fisch and his staff. ... Baker consistently has posted better pass-blocking than run-blocking grades, and, as mentioned, he got driven back on that second-and-goal run. All of that leads us to wonder how much his offseason strength training was affected by having to rehab a torn pec. ... Fisch mentioned the positive weight gains by freshmen Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei (25 pounds), Jacob Kongaika (14) and Ephesians Prysock (13) since they arrived on campus. If you’re wondering why they didn’t play more, sooner, that’s undoubtedly a factor. It’s unusual for freshman to show up with the strength needed to play effectively in college. ... Freshman LB Jacob Manu came oh-so-close to stopping Williams on the final fourth-down play. Manu got a hand on him despite being cut-blocked by Travis Dye. Williams was able to spin away and power past the line to gain. ... In the 3-1-7 defense it debuted, Arizona used cornerback Treydan Stukes in a rover-type role. Stukes looked comfortable in the middle of the field. Despite his slender frame, he has been one of the Wildcats’ surest tacklers.
5. CLOSE BUT ...
Many coaches believe a properly executed rebuild consists of four phases: lose big, lose close, win close, win big. Bobby Bowden apparently originated this idea, and it has been parroted by many. The Wildcats appear to have entered the “lose close” stage. They fell by 10 points at heavily favored Washington and by eight against heavily favored USC. What will it take to transition to the next phase, and when might that happen? The next two games, at No. 12 Utah and at No. 10 UCLA, don’t look promising – unless the Utes’ injured skill-position players, including QB Cam Rising, are unable to return. The final two games, at home vs. Washington State and Arizona State, are winnable. It’ll require continued excellence on offense, improvement on defense, good fortune with injuries and persistent effort. Really, though, the “win close” phase starts next year. Fisch and his staff will have added another recruiting class at that point. If they finish the cycle strong – and bring in a few impact players via the transfer portal – Arizona can take a tangible step forward. The Wildcats aren’t there yet. But with each close, competitive defeat, they’re inching nearer and nearer.
