Former Arizona Wildcats quarterback Anu Solomon spoke recently with media who cover his new school, Baylor, and the Big 12, resulting in a pair of stories published Monday.
In them, Solomon talks about where and how things went south for him in Tucson and what the future holds in Waco, Texas.
Solomon transferred after an injury-plagued season last year that saw him miss considerable time and lose his starting job as a result. He left the UA as the fourth-leading passer in school history.
Below are some of the notable quotes from Solomon – and from his father – in the two pieces.
On leaving Arizona: “I had a great run at Arizona. Some highs and lows. A wise man once told me that it’s OK to be selfish sometimes, which is hard for me. I come from a big Polynesian family, and one part of being the oldest child is that you have to take on that parent role from a very young age when your parents aren’t around because they’re at work or whatever. If you’re selfish, that’s not good. But I took that advice in a way that I needed to find a place that could help me take the next step in my life.”
On his final, injury-plagued, loss-filled season at the UA: “It was depressing for me. I hate losing. Look at everywhere I’ve been, from high school, where we lost four games in four years and won state every year, to college where I was bummed that I had to redshirt the first year, because I’m a competitor and I want to do things right away. We had a great run in 2014 to the Fiesta Bowl … and the last play of the game was my fault, obviously, and a rookie mistake, and the next year I felt like my job was kind of at stake after that. And from there, it was always a competition.”
On Rodriguez not speaking to him for two weeks after the Fiesta Bowl: “It’s still kind of shocking to hear that, because he talked to me the next day. No offense, but I think with the media, it kind of turns into a game of telephone sometimes and the story just takes on a life of its own. He checked up on me the next day, because I was hit pretty hard with all of the stuff coming down from all over the country.”
Jarrett Solomon on his advice for Anu as he battled through a tough emotional time: “I said stop with all the (expletive) crying, and let’s go get this thing back to where it needs to be. Let’s get to work. We’ve been through worse, so suck it up. Whether it’s gonna be football or not, life is going to give you highs and lows.
"It doesn’t help anything to cry and sit in your room and listen to ‘Careless Whisper’ or whatever the hell he was doing. Get up and get to work. Get stronger, get faster, train harder. Get out of your comfort zone. Since he’s been in Waco, it reminds me a lot of what he was like back in 2014, after he redshirted and was fighting to start for the first time at Arizona.”
Anu Solomon on being recruited to Baylor: “I told them I don’t need to be wined and dined. I don’t need to be sold, because I’ve been through the recruiting process. I’ve hosted players. I know the whole deal there. I’m just here for business. I’m here to win games.”
On why he picked Baylor: “Athletic and academic excellence. And they have a Raising Cane’s. That’s a big deal.”
On his outlook moving forward: “I’m the same guy as Day 1. No matter what I did, the past is the past. I’m still going to be that hungry and humble kid from Hawaii – and continue to fight.”
