The Arizona Wildcats defeated Cal 24-17 on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium. Here are some pertinent notes, quotes and statistics:
NOTES
- Arizona won despite posting just 265 yards of total offense. It’s the fewest yards the Wildcats have had in a victory since also totaling 265 in 2009 against Arizona State.
- The UA offense scored on each of its first two possessions. This is how the other 10 Arizona drives ended: punt, punt, punt, end of half, interception, punt, fumble, missed field goal, punt, end of game.
- Arizona scored two defensive touchdowns in a game for the first since Sept. 3, 2015, against UT San Antonio.
- Arizona forced four turnovers, their most since forcing four last season against Washington State in a 58-37 win. The Wildcats have seven takeaways the past two weeks.
- The Golden Bears have turned the ball over nine times in the past two games, with four of the turnovers returned for touchdowns.
- The Wildcats had two sacks and have had two or more in four straight games. They had none in the first two games.
- The Wildcats have held each of their first three conference opponents to 24 or fewer points for the first time since 2008.
- Sophomore safety Scottie Young Jr., who had one of the touchdowns, had the first two-interception game of his career. It was the first multiple-INT game by an Arizona player since Jace Whittaker on Oct. 14, 2018, vs. UCLA.
- Senior receiver Shun Brown’s first reception gave him 100 for his career. He finished with four catches for 38 yards, giving him 103 career grabs.
- Sophomore linebacker Colin Schooler tied for the team lead with nine tackles. He has been either Arizona’s leading tackler or second-leading tackler in 11 of the past 12 games.
- Defensive lineman PJ Johnson has had at least one tackle for loss in all three conference games.
- Sophomore JB Brown recorded his first career sack and forced fumble on the same play in the fourth quarter.
- Safety Jarrius Wallace matched his career high with nine tackles.
QUOTES
UA quarterback Khalil Tate on his 17-yard zone-read run in the fourth quarter: “It was something I had to do. It was something the defense showed – they gave me a pull read. Me not having run as many times as I usually do, it was a difference. It was something that surprised them and worked out to our benefit.”
UA coach Kevin Sumlin on using freshman QB Jamarye Joiner for a series in the second quarter: “We were going to play him the third series no matter what, unless we were at the 15-yard line or less, backed up. In the second half we were going to do the same things basically. But … we didn’t have the ball. In the third quarter, the game became a field-position game.
“He wanted to go. He really wanted to go. That’s the kind of kid he is.”
Sumlin on the thought process behind inserting Joiner: “He’s been getting reps – done a lot of good things in practice. … Going forward, we have a plan for that, to get him and some other guys that are practicing like crazy (in the game), take a little pressure off Khalil, take some series off. When he pulled it in the second quarter, (his ankle) got tweaked again. You have to have people ready to go. The only way to do that is ... get them in the game.”
WR Tony Ellison on the sideline reaction to Arizona’s bizarre defensive touchdown in the third quarter: “A lot of energy, like it should be. It was just such a crazy thing to happen. It was funny because we did a lot of ball security, for defense and offense, during the week. We were just kind of chuckling on the sideline when Schooler got popped right there. But it all worked out.”
CB Azizi Hearn on scooping up Schooler’s fumble and scoring a touchdown: “My coach always tells me to get to the ball. Being around the ball can only bring good things. I just was doing my job and got rewarded for it.”
Sumlin on the play made by Hearn: “The loose-ball situation early in the year, we talked about everybody running to the ball and practicing those things. Those are hustle plays. They’re running to help block or help escort.
“You always talk about the guy who has a nose for the ball. That’s not what it is. He’s just playing hard. When you play with that kind of effort, the ball’s going to bounce your way more often than not. That’s really the moral of that story.”
Schooler on his message as a leader: “Just the fact we only had two wins to show for the whole offseason. That’s just unacceptable. Everybody on our team worked so hard. There’s just so many little things that can go differently for us, that can be game-changing, whether it’s in the first quarter or the final two minutes of a game. I just feel like we’re do a better job of making those 50-50 plays.”
Young on regaining his form after significant time away from football: “My passion for football allows me to just feel like I never left. Me being out there is everything. I just go hard every day.”
Cal coach Justin Wilcox on his team’s performance: “It was really disappointing and unacceptable, starting with me. It’s my job to make sure our team is ready to play, and we need to give them opportunities to be at their best.
“We have to give Arizona credit. They have good coaches and good players, and they made the plays they needed to make to win – and we didn’t.”
STATS
- Cal had 25 first downs; Arizona had 13.
- Cal had 476 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per play; Arizona had 265 yards and averaged 4.5.
- Cal had 13 penalties for 115 yards; Arizona had 10 for 72.
- Cal possessed the ball for 34 minutes, 46 seconds; Arizona had it for 25:14.
- Cal converted 8 of 15 third downs; Arizona converted 5 of 15.
- Cal converted 0 of 2 fourth downs; Arizona converted 1 of 1.
- Arizona fumbled five times but lost only one.
- Cal’s average starting field position was its 26-yard line; Arizona’s was its 30.
- Cal QB Brandon McIlwain completed 32 of 43 passes for 315 yards. He also rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
- Tate completed 15 of 25 passes for 141 yards with one TD and one interception. He rushed eight times for a season-high 40 yards.
- J.J. Taylor rushed for 73 yards on 15 carries.
- All five of Lucas Havrisik’s kickoffs went for touchbacks.
