Arizona’s football season preview looks a lot like Arizona State’s forecast.
The Pac-12′s Arizona schools have followed a similar trajectory this decade, from Arizona’s succeeding ASU as the South champion in 2014 to both programs’ major downturns recently. Not even Arizona’s 56-35 rout of ASU in the Territorial Cup rivalry game, the Wildcats’ only conference victory, was sufficient to salvage the 2016 season.
The Wildcats made a steady climb in coach Rich Rodriguez’s first three seasons in Tucson, but their recruiting has not kept up with the talent level of the other programs in the South. Athlon Sports’ analysis of Pac-12 position groups ranks only Arizona’s offensive line in the top half of the league. Every other unit is ninth or worse.
ARIZONA WILDCATS <br>Coach • Rich Rodriguez (sixth season, 36-29) <br>2016 • 3-9, 1-8 Pac-12 <br>2017 media poll • Sixth in South <br>2017 schedule <br>Sept. 2 • Northern Arizona <br>Sept. 9 • Houston <br>Sept. 15 • at Texas-El Paso <br>Sept. 22 • Utah <br>Oct. 7 • at Colorado <br>Oct. 14 • UCLA <br>Oct. 21 • at California <br>Oct. 28 • Washington State <br>Nov. 4 • at USC <br>Nov. 11 • Oregon State <br>Nov. 18 • at Oregon <br>Nov. 25 • at Arizona State
That’s what Rodriguez will have to overcome this season if the Wildcats expect to finish anywhere but at the bottom of the South standings. The team’s first Pac-12 game, Sept. 22 vs. Utah in Tucson, should determine a lot about where Arizona is headed.
The Wildcats were too accepting of their struggles while going 3-9 last season. “Losing needed to hurt a little bit more,” Rodriguez said during the Pac-12 Media Days in July. “Just judging on the way the guys have worked out in the last six or seven months … the attitude will be right where we want it.”
Three teams in the conference (Arizona State, Oregon and California) finished behind Arizona in total defense in the Wildcats’ first year under defensive coordinator Marcel Yates. Much improvement must be made for Arizona to move up in the standings because the Wildcats no longer are capable of outscoring opponents as they once did during Rodriguez’s tenure. More familiarity with Yates’ scheme means “there’s no excuse,” Rodriguez said.
Offensively, the Wildcats hope for a healthy, productive season from Brandon Hawkins, one of five quarterbacks who played last year. Dawkins also must develop as a passer to complement his running ability.
Nick Wilson rushed for 1,375 yards as a freshman in 2014, but he hasn’t been nearly that effective since then. Arizona’s offensive line should help him get going again, and the Wildcats may show improvement.
Asked what he has discovered about Arizona, entering his sixth season on the job, Rodriguez said, “I’ve learned a lot of stuff. Certainly what we have is not an easy job, but you can have success. … I think you have to have the entire university involved in having a successful program. … I think everybody’s pulling in the same direction. I’ve got to lead the way, and I feel like we have a good plan to do that.”