The grades are in for Arizona’s 35-28 overtime loss to Washington on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium:
QUARTERBACKS
Grade: B-plus
Comment: Brandon Dawkins played brilliantly at times, almost singlehandedly leading two UA rallies in the second half. He proved he could run effectively against a high-end Pac-12 defense, burning the Huskies for a career-high 176 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He threw the tying TD pass with 17 seconds left in regulation. Dawkins also threw his first interception of the season amid an ineffective stretch that spanned more than a quarter and misplayed what looked like a catchable snap on the final play.
RUNNING BACKS
Grade: B-minus
Comment: Freshman J.J. Taylor was on his way to another productive night before breaking his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 19 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown and showed toughness running inside against players almost twice his size. With Nick Wilson (ankle) unavailable, Zach Green and Tyrell Johnson were the next tailbacks up. Neither was particularly effective, combining for 35 yards on 11 carries. Johnson also lost a fumble.
RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Grade: B-minus
Comment: Sophomore Shun Brown continued his recent surge, catching a career-high seven passes for 114 yards, including a 54-yarder. Shawn Poindexter also notched career bests with three catches for 29 yards. But the “Big Three” – seniors Samajie Grant, Trey Griffey and Nate Phillips – combined for only four catches for 15 yards. Griffey did throw a key block on Dawkins’ 79-yard touchdown run. TE Josh Kern slipped into the end zone for the tying TD late in the fourth.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Grade: B
Comment: The line generally fared well against what is supposed to be one of the best defensive fronts in the nation. Arizona rushed for 308 yards, and Dawkins was sacked only twice in 31 pass attempts. He also needed to use his size and athleticism at times to break free from rushers who penetrated the backfield. The line’s biggest breakdown came at an inopportune time: on fourth-and-goal from the 2 early in the second quarter when Arizona had a chance to take a 14-0 lead.
DEFENSIVE FRONT
Grade: B-minus
Comment: The front eventually got worn down in the second half and overtime, when Washington gained 222 of its 352 rushing yards. Defensive linemen and linebackers accounted for all four of Arizona’s sacks, including two by Jack Banda and 1.5 by Cody Ippolito. But the Wildcats didn’t get consistent pressure on Washington QB Jake Browning. The front was missing two key performers: LB DeAndre’ Miller (ankle) and NT Parker Zellers (knee).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Grade: B-plus
Comment: The secondary helped keep Arizona in the game with some clutch plays in the fourth quarter. CB Dane Cruikshank intercepted Browning at the 1-yard line. Safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles had two third-down pass breakups – one after Johnson’s fumble, which had set up Washington deep in UA territory. (The Huskies missed a 40-yard FG attempt.) Browning did throw two touchdown passes, including the winner in overtime to Dante Pettis, but passed for only 160 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Grade: C-minus
Comment: Rich Rodriguez had hoped to get more out of Arizona’s return game, and it didn’t happen. If anything, things got worse. Johnson bobbled a kickoff return and got tackled at the 6-yard line. Phillips tried to field a bouncing punt and fumbled the ball away. On the plus side, Josh Pollack punted extremely well (51.7-yard average, two of three punts inside the 20) and the Wildcats kept the Huskies’ dangerous return men in check.
COACHES
Grade: C-plus
Comment: Arizona wasn’t supposed to have a chance against Washington yet easily could have won; Rodriguez and his staff deserve considerable credit for that. He made the right call to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2 in the second quarter; the play call – a Taylor run up the middle – wasn’t the most imaginative. Rodriguez made the wrong call in not going for two at the end of regulation; Arizona had momentum, and its injury-depleted defense was running out of steam.
