Sometimes shooting for the moon doesn’t always go according to plan.
That’s why Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina compared the Wildcats’ season to Apollo 13, the 1970 NASA mission that attempted to send three astronauts to the moon, but due to an oxygen tank explosion, the mission was aborted and the three men returned to Earth.
The Wildcats entered the season with foreign expectations. They went for the moon and now, after a 3-4 start heading into Arizona’s home contest with West Virginia (3-4) on Saturday, has pressure building up in the UA’s oxygen tank.
“Let’s get that round hole in the peg,” Akina joked. “Somebody go get the duct tape, man, and let’s go fix this damn thing. We wanted to walk on the moon. Now, let’s go get Apollo 13 back.”
Arizona defensive back Demetrius Freeney (7) runs down Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (5) one a punt return in the fourth quarter on Oct. 19 in tucson.
Arizona first-year head coach Brent Brennan added, “That’s an interesting analogy.”
“That makes sense to me. But what I’m trying to do with our players and our team, is to get us to focus on just this practice and just this day,” he said. “Are we going to do everything we have to do to win this day and not be so worried? I think one of the challenges for football teams, is they get so worried about outcome and so worried about things that are way down the road, and they lose sight of what’s important right now. That’s all that matters right now.”
Arizona lost a significant amount of talent in left tackle Jordan Morgan, wide receiver Jacob Cowing, tight end Tanner McLachlan, its top three rushers (Jonah Coleman, Michael Wiley and DJ Williams) and nine scholarship defensive linemen.
Arizona coach Brent Brennan celebrates a bit after the Wildcats scored in the first quarter against Colorado on Oct. 19 in Tucson.
But the returning cast of players from the 10-3 team last season — that includes quarterback Noah Fifita, All-American wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, preseason All-Big 12 linebacker Jacob Manu, four veteran offensive linemen and four starters in the defensive secondary — was enough for the Wildcats to earn high expectations. They were voted fifth in the preseason Big 12 media poll, which included three first-place votes. Arizona entered the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2015, when ex-West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez was at the peak of his time leading the Wildcats.
After former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch’s three-year mission in Tucson ended with a win over perennial power Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, it was conceivable the returners could lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship and spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Despite a shaky 2-1 start with closer-than-expected wins over New Mexico and Northern Arizona and a blowout loss to Kansas State, the Wildcats went on the road to beat 10th-ranked Utah in Salt Lake City for the first time in a decade.
Then the oxygen tank exploded; Tucson, we have a problem.
The Wildcats lost their Big 12 home opener to Texas Tech, before BYU and Colorado blasted Arizona by a combined 75-26. Arizona committed 10 turnovers in its three-game losing streak. And despite a change in play-callers, the UA offense continued to stall in games since posting 61 points in the season opener. Arizona is averaging 16.7 points per game in the last six contests. The potpourri of offensive schemes and concepts has clogged Arizona’s rhythm on offense.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita slips around Colorado cornerback Preston Hodge (24) in the first quarter to get the Wildcats into the red zone during the Wildcats’ Oct. 19 game against the Buffaloes in Tucson.
Coupled with the constantly-growing injury list for Arizona’s defense after season-ending injuries to Manu, safety Gunner Maldonado and Treydan Stukes, along with several others, “we’re just battling and getting our way through it,” Akina said.
The offensive issues and defensive injuries have prevented the Wildcats from reaching their potential in a season that’s slipping away. Instead of tucking their tails, Arizona is rolling up its sleeves — the Dick Tomey way.
“It’s going to be tough. We’re all going to assume responsibility and we’re all going to fix this thing,” Akina said. “That’s the mentality we have, and this team is still together and up and running. I know Dick Tomey is smiling down. ... He would embrace these situations.
“The tougher it gets, the better we are. He would embrace these situations, and that’s how we are looking at it as a staff, too. Just everybody do their job, we’re all-in and let’s go fix this thing.”
Brennan was in a similar position last season at San Jose State, which started the season 1-5, then rattled off six straight wins and to finish tied for second in the Mountain West and an appearance in the Hawaii Bowl.
The recipe for the turnaround is, “Whenever you’re in the struggle, the only way to it, is going through it,” Brennan said.
“We have to improve this week, and it starts with me and every guy deciding they’re willing to do that, that they’re willing to put in the work that gives them a chance to improve,” said Brennan. “We don’t get to feel sorry for ourselves or be a baby. This is a man’s game and we need to attack the work. So far, they’ve been great at that.”
There’s pressure on the other side, too. The injury-riddled West Virginia Mountaineers, coming off a nine-win season and bowl win, are riding a two-game losing streak. Winner on Saturday in Tucson moves to .500; loser is two games away from bowl elimination and the fanbase turns even more sour.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan follows the cheer squad to Arizona Stadium for the Wildcat Walk and the game against Northern Arizona on Sept. 7, 2024.
The Arizona-West Virginia showdown — the RichRod Bowl — has must-win vibes for both teams.
“That’s every game in college football,” Brennan said. “You’re in a one-week season in college football. That’s what I’m talking about in terms of the outcome or shooting for the moon. Nothing matters if you don’t take care of business this week. Just trying to keep our players focused on that. Let’s play really good football Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium. Then we’ll worry about the next one.
“Everybody we’re playing is good. Every team we’re playing has good players, they present different challenges and we can’t worry about what’s down the road. We gotta worry about what’s right now.”
