2024 Season Thread

[Postmaster]

I’m dead serious when I say we should erect two new statues outside the stadium.

The first being a replica of the iconic Desert Swarm SI cover and the second being Noah and TMac. We honestly were staring down the death of our program. They saved us.

Might want to have some credit to Humberto Lopez, also.

[dmjcat]

PFF Scores for New Mexico game courtesy of AZDESERTSWARM.com

Tracking Arizona Wildcats’ snap counts and PFF grades vs. New Mexico
By Ezra Amacher Sep 1, 2024, 12:00pm PDT

The Arizona Wildcats played 57 offensive snaps and 84 defensive snaps in their season opening 61-39 win over New Mexico Saturday. Here is how much each player played along with their Pro Football Focus grades.

Offense
RT Jonah Savaiinaea, 57 (69.1)
LG Wendell Moe, 57 (67.9)
QB Noah Fifita, 57 (90.5)
C Josh Baker, 53 (66.2)
WR Tetairoa McMillan, 47 (93.4)
TE Keyan Burnett, 41 (63.1)
LG Rhino Tapa’atoutai, 40 (76.5)
RG Leif Magnuson, 35 (73.3)
WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, 32 (59.9)
RB Quali Conley, 29 (71.5)
TE Sam Olson, 24 (49.5)
WR Jacory Croskey-Merritt, 24 (86.0)
RT Ryan Stewart, 22 (69.8)
WR Jeremiah Patterson, 21 (59.0)
WR Malachi Riley, 18 (55.8)
TE Roberto Miranda, 18 (65.8)
LG Matthew Lado, 17 (57.2)
WR Chris Hunter, 9 (73.2)
RB Kayden Luke, 6 (71.8)
RB Alex Doost, 6 (58.3)
C Grayston Stovall, 4 (59.7)
WR Reymello Murphy, 4 (55.1)
RB Rayshon Luke, 3 (50.2)
WR Devin Hyatt, 2 (36.1)
RB Kendrick Reescano, 1 (56.8)

Defense
LB Taye Brown, 83 (60.6)
LB Jacob Manu, 78 (53.5)
CB Treydan Stukes, 78 (60.2)
CB Tacario Davis, 74 (57.0)
CB Marquis Groves-Killebrew, 70 (60.7)
S Dalton Johnson, 70 (64.9)
DE Tre Smith, 59 (57.6)
S Genesis Smith, 56 (77.1)
DT Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, 56 (69.7)
S Gunner Maldonado, 45 (56.7)
DT Chubba Maae, 38 (59.6)
DT Isaiah Johnson, 27 (59.9)
DE Stanley Ta’ufo’ou, 24 (61.4)
DT Kevon Darton, 24 (59.4)
DE Chase Kennedy, 23 (56.1)
DT Keanu Mailoto, 21 (60.5)
DE Lance Keneley, 17 (44.4)
LB Sterling Lane II, 16 (70.7)
DE Cyrus Durham, 11 (54.5)
DE Dominic Lolesio, 11 (65.9)
DT Julian Savaiinaea, 9 (56.9)
CB Emmanuel Karnley, 8 (89.0)
S Jack Luttrell, 6 (62.1)
LB Kamuela Ka’aihue, 6 (74.0)
CB Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine, 6 (63.8)
S Owen Goss, 6 (65.0)
CB Demetrius Freeney, 2 (62.3)

[azgreg]

[wyo-cat]

That’s a big deal.

[azgreg]

Up a spot.

[azgreg]

AFCA Coaches Poll

1 Georgia

2 Ohio State

3 Texas

4 Alabama

5 Ole Miss

6 Oregon

7 Notre Dame

8 Penn State

9 Michigan

10 Missouri

11 Utah

12 Tennessee

13 Oklahoma

14 USC

15 Miami

16 Kansas State

17 Oklahoma State

18 Arizona

19 LSU

20 Kansas

21 Iowa

22 Clemson

23 NC State

24 Louisville

25 Washington

[Postmaster]

Why did Luke play so little?

[PHXCATS]

Why did Luke play so little?

He was busy buying key words on YouTube Music and Google so when you search any other U of A podcast (like wildcast) his pops up first

[84Cat]

Why did Luke play so little?

He was busy buying key words on YouTube Music and Google so when you search any other U of A podcast (like wildcast) his pops up first

I think he's asking about Kayden

[PHXCATS]

Why did Luke play so little?

He was busy buying key words on YouTube Music and Google so when you search any other U of A podcast (like wildcast) his pops up first

I think he's asking about Kayden

Well one Luke did that stuff

But I think the question was actually about Speedy. I didn't see him in the first half and did early in the 2nd. Maybe some sort of suspension

[Fishclamps]

Why did Luke play so little?

He was busy buying key words on YouTube Music and Google so when you search any other U of A podcast (like wildcast) his pops up first

Good grief, get a life

[Carcassdragger]

I think the idea is to bring Speedy in in the 2nd half when the opposing defense is a bit tired or adjusted to the speed of our other RBs. When he fumbled the 2nd time he touched the ball, that was it.

[Merkin]

Saving Speedy for bigger games?

Speedy reposted this on Xitter.

[azgreg]

I believe that if it weren't for the fumble he would've stayed in for the remainder of the drive at the least.

[azgreg]

[Postmaster]

Is "2 minute warning " under copy right?

Why does NCAA use "2 minute time out"?

[Merkin]

[Postmaster]

The OK ST cheer leaders have some well defined abdominal muscles.

[Carcassdragger]

This team will be lucky to split the remaining games on the schedule. We're not a good team.

[Fishclamps]

I see some of you are at the sky is falling part of the season. Calm down and let's see how next week goes. If we look like shit at K State then sure we suck.

[PHXCATS]

This team will be lucky to split the remaining games on the schedule. We're not a good team.

Don’t worry about Covid

[ChooChooCat]

I see some of you are at the sky is falling part of the season. Calm down and let's see how next week goes. If we look like shit at K State then sure we suck.

I figured sucking versus a middling FCS program would be a good enough reason to state that we probably suck.

[azgreg]

It's clear to me after seeing all the players that were being held out and the vanilla formations and play calling that Arizona was treating this game as an open to the public scrimmage. Didn't want to show anything to K St and others.

[Chicat]

I see some of you are at the sky is falling part of the season. Calm down and let's see how next week goes. If we look like shit at K State then sure we suck.

I figured sucking versus a middling FCS program would be a good enough reason to state that we probably suck.

It was tough to watch but it gave us a lot of tape that the O-line will hopefully be forced to commit to their waking nightmare memories, and some confidence in our defense since it stepped up immeasurably from Week 1.

Obviously K-State will tell us a ton. Had this one pegged as a loss from the get-go but I’m interested to see if the D regresses and if the O-line can hold up against high major athletes and give Fifita more than 2 goddamn seconds to find a receiver.

[EastCoastCat]

It's clear to me after seeing all the players that were being held out and the vanilla formations and play calling that Arizona was treating this game as an open to the public scrimmage. Didn't want to show anything to K St and others.

Some Michigan fans were saying the same thing before yesterday.
Sometimes it is as bad as it looks…

[ChooChooCat]

I see some of you are at the sky is falling part of the season. Calm down and let's see how next week goes. If we look like shit at K State then sure we suck.

I figured sucking versus a middling FCS program would be a good enough reason to state that we probably suck.

It was tough to watch but it gave us a lot of tape that the O-line will hopefully be forced to commit to their waking nightmare memories, and some confidence in our defense since it stepped up immeasurably from Week 1.

Obviously K-State will tell us a ton. Had this one pegged as a loss from the get-go but I’m interested to see if the D regresses and if the O-line can hold up against high major athletes and give Fifita more than 2 goddamn seconds to find a receiver.

Yeah I just find the amount of warts we have (even with backup OL playing at 2 spots) beyond alarming. Thank god the defense looked better, but NAU isn't exactly a great barometer to determine how good one's defense is. I just never expected the offense to look that bad at any point outside of maybe the Utah game.

[Carcassdragger]

Special teams look bad too.

This offensive line can't compete at the D1 level. Our defensive line can't either.

The truth is that a bunch of players from places like UC Davis are not equipped to compete at this level.

We'll be lucky to get to 7-5 this year.

[Chicat]

I see some of you are at the sky is falling part of the season. Calm down and let's see how next week goes. If we look like shit at K State then sure we suck.

I figured sucking versus a middling FCS program would be a good enough reason to state that we probably suck.

It was tough to watch but it gave us a lot of tape that the O-line will hopefully be forced to commit to their waking nightmare memories, and some confidence in our defense since it stepped up immeasurably from Week 1.

Obviously K-State will tell us a ton. Had this one pegged as a loss from the get-go but I’m interested to see if the D regresses and if the O-line can hold up against high major athletes and give Fifita more than 2 goddamn seconds to find a receiver.

Yeah I just find the amount of warts we have (even with backup OL playing at 2 spots) beyond alarming. Thank god the defense looked better, but NAU isn't exactly a great barometer to determine how good one's defense is. I just never expected the offense to look that bad at any point outside of maybe the Utah game.

So it was interesting to me how many players on NAU came through transfers either through high major programs or who were bigger recruits who went the JC route. I swear I heard 7-8 of those stories. Had me thinking this wasn’t your usual NAU team stocked with the best Yuma, Sierra Vista, Colorado City, and Barstow kids with a few mid-level Phoenix kids mixed in. Some of those dudes were from Missouri playing their 7th year.

Not at all an excuse or explanation, but they didn’t look like the typical 1-AA athletes (like the ones who beat us a couple of years ago).

[pc in NM]

Special teams look bad too.

This offensive line can't compete at the D1 level. Our defensive line can't either.

The truth is that a bunch of players from places like UC Davis are not equipped to compete at this level.

We'll be lucky to get to 7-5 this year.

Regression to the mean...

[Merkin]

Special teams look bad too.

I thought the punter did a great job.

[PHXCATS]

Most logically explanation for TMac coming out the game a lot, Noah looking bad at times, poor execution and effort……Covid or another bug is going around the team.

Or NAU is the 85 bears meets the 2000 Ravens

No way you look so good vs Washington, USC, Washington State, UCLA, Oregon State, 2nd half Colorado, Utah, asu, Oklahoma and New Mexico and then suddenly suck

(Talking the offense)

[TheCatInTheHat]

So it was interesting to me how many players on NAU came through transfers either through high major programs or who were bigger recruits who went the JC route. I swear I heard 7-8 of those stories. Had me thinking this wasn’t your usual NAU team stocked with the best Yuma, Sierra Vista, Colorado City, and Barstow kids with a few mid-level Phoenix kids mixed in. Some of those dudes were from Missouri playing their 7th year.

Not at all an excuse or explanation, but they didn’t look like the typical 1-AA athletes (like the ones who beat us a couple of years ago).

NAU's new coach went 23-3 his last 2 years at his previous school. I agree he seems to have grabbed some better athletes through the transfer portal than they've typically been used to. So, slightly better team than we were expecting, which was tough to scout considering the team they played last week, and we've got some pretty serious O-line problems at the moment. And still new players and staff. But I still wasn't particularly impressed by our coaching. Maybe Babers is hiding the whole playbook from KSU, but out of the shotgun, we couldn't play pitch-and-catch better than 173 yards and 1 TD? And Brennan says we were confused by double coverage on McMillan? Better get used to it. I guess holding them to 10 when their TD was off an option pass wasn't bad, but Akina's sideline antics got a little old. He looked like Terry-Thomas on meth wearing that gross sweaty old hat.

[UAEebs86]

Judging a team and predicting a season after the first couple games usually works out well.


Signed,
The 2023 Arizona Wildcats

[Carcassdragger]

I think Akina's spirit and constant push of his guys was the high point of our team.

[Alieberman]

2-0

[Merkin]

Only 2 touches for Speedy? Thought he might get some more carries with JCM out.

Can he not block for pass protection or is he unable to learn the playbook? My niece married a former RB from UNCC, and he told me that blocking by RBs is extremely difficult since they are only 5'9" or whatever, trying to slow down these huge monsters. He liked playing DB much better.

[Fishclamps]

It's very clear that this team still needs time to find it's groove, as does at least half of college football. With the portal the way it is these days some teams are gonna have a harder time getting everyone on the same brainwave because they've only really been with the team since fall camp. Toss in a new coaching staff and it means it might just take more time.

Again, if we look like absolute shit against KSU I'll be right there with all you Debbie downers, but until then there's no point in trying to extrapolate anything from these 2 games really.

[dmjcat]

UA PFF Grades for the UA/NAU game:

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... lysis-2024

The Arizona Wildcats played 62 offensive snaps and 57 defensive snaps in their 22-10 win over NAU Saturday. Here is how much each player played along with their Pro Football Focus grades.

Offense

C Grayson Stovall, 61 (56.4)

RT Jonah Savaiinaea, 61 (56.2)

LG Wendell Moe, 61 (60.8)

QB Noah Fifita, 61 (64.8)

RG Ryan Stewart, 61 (58.1)

RG Leif Magnuson, 61 (55.1)

TE Keyan Burnett, 56 (55.6)

WR Tetairoa McMillan, 49 (57.2)

RB Quali Conley, 47 (70.7)

WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, 39 (53.3)

WR Jeremiah Patterson, 23 (66.8)

TE Tyler Powell, 19 (68.0)

WR Malachi Riley, 18 (58.1)

TE Roberto Miranda, 15 (62.3)


WR Chris Hunter, 12 (58.5)

RB Kendrick Reescano, 8 (73.1)

RB Rayshon Luke, 6 (54.7)

WR Devin Hyatt, 5 (89.8)

RB Kayden Luke, 4 (57.3)

RT Alex Doost, 4 (67.2)

Defense

S Genesis Smith, 57 (73.2)

LB Taye Brown, 57 (74.3)

LB Jacob Manu, 57 (75.0)

CB Tacario Davis, 57 (54.3)

CB Marquis Groves-Killebrew, 57 (66.2)

CB Treydan Stukes, 57 (78.3)

DE Chase Kennedy, 44 (80.3)

DE Tre Smith, 44 (81.7)

DT Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, 43 (63.5)

DT Chubba Ma’ae, 34 (66.7)


S Owen Goss, 30 (64.9)

S Dalton Johnson, 27 (70.8)

LB Sterling Lane II, 22 (57.5)

DT Isaiah Johnson, 13 (66.2)

DE Lance Keneley, 13 (51.0)

DE Stanley Ta’ufo’ou, 13 (76.1)

DE Cyrus Durham, 1 (60.0)

DE Dominic Lolesio, 1 (60.0)

Comparison:

Overall grade of 76.3 compared to a 88.7 last week
Offensive grade of 64.3 compared to 90.2 last week
Run blocking grade of 53.4 compared to 69.8 last week
Defensive grade of 82.6 compared to 66.5 last week
Tackling grade of 58.4 compared to 58.3 last week

[Merkin]

^

[RawleArenas]

I've kinda taken a wait-and-see approach to this season, however the first two games that I've watched have left much to be desired.
Some of the posters have suggested that Brennan is minimizing his offense to catch KState and potentially Utah off guard. I think this is
an ineffective way to go about it. It's clear that Brennan has done more with less at his previous coaching stop, I'm not sure if that means he's
qualified to finish the job that Fisch did.

On a side note, Fisch has to be kicking himself because if there was ever a year that he could have corralled the troops and made a run at a national title, this year was it. Notre Dame, Florida State, Michigan and Alabama don't appear to be at peak form, especially with Harbaugh and Saban gone. Napier appears to be on the hot seat as well. Back to the team, I think that there is something to be said about prioritizing competency over loyalty. Brennan is only effective to the extent that he is able to raise our profile AND draw interest from other schools. That's how you know that your coach is doing a good job. Too many Cat fans wanted someone who would stay and didn't worry about if that person could get us to the next level: consistency.

We're not seeing recruiting and play calling at the same level that we've seen over the past three years, and that's concerning. Great coaches always have something in their back pocket even when their players have been thoroughly scouted. So holding your playbook back doesn't jibe with me. When your confident in your coaching, players can have off days (as well as being scouted) against quality teams and you can still win. For example, our run game was off and Tacario was gone for the entire game against OU and we still won handily. As I have mentioned before I'm not a fan of sentimental hires, but for once I hope that Brennan and company prove me wrong.

[CalStateTempe]

Hire mid major coaches get mid major game play and results.

But he’s a tomey guy so everyone is happy

[Merkin]

Hire mid major coaches get mid major game play and results.

But he’s a tomey guy so everyone is happy

Akina and Babers too. Cecil, Hunley, and so on.

Sometimes it might be better to get the best available coaches than legacies. Not familiar the other coaches on the staff, so hopefully they have some young blood to related to the players.

None of the players on the UA team were even born when they played for or coached Arizona.

However, I am never disappointed with UA football since I always go in with very low expectations. Unlike basketball where I expect them to win every single game.

[PHXCATS]

Holy shit some of you

[Merkin]

If you want rah-rah everything is great we're CFP bound fans you are probably on the wrong site.

I know I am a #BADFAN but I can assure you that I have probably watched every single UA football game I could over the last 40 years or so, along with many other posters here from my generation.

Just am a realist.

I have been waiting since 1981 for the Cats to get a sole conference championship and go to the Rose Bowl, and they have failed to do so. Now it is going to be even harder. Now the chance of them doing it in my lifetime is pretty doubtful.

EDIT: Just wanted to add, I am not advocating for the removal of the old boys network from UA. They deserve a few years. Smith came from Tulane, and Tomey from Hawaii and both had to work to build the program.

[azcat49]

Two games in and Alabama fans want DeBoer gone. Oregon fans are wondering what’s wrong with Oregon and Notre Dame fans are on a yo yo with Freeman.

Don’t need to talk about Florida St or Clemson and their woes but I am not going to get concerned until after the next two games. Me thinks this staff is lying in the weeds

[PHXCATS]

Still waiting on someone, maybe the townie or realist, to tell me how the offense was so good for so long and now just sucks

[AzCatFan2]

Hire mid major coaches get mid major game play and results.

But he’s a tomey guy so everyone is happy

Urban Meyer had 2 years at Bowling Green and 2 at Utah when they were in the Mountain West before heading to Gainesville and winning 2 National Championships in 6 years. Did his 4 years at a low major and mid major deliver those results at Florida?

We're a team in transition. Pretty much new staff with a few holdovers. Plenty of talent, but we're still trying to figure ourselves out. And remember, we didn't look like world beaters early last year either.

[Merkin]

No homerism by Lev.

[ChooChooCat]

Hire mid major coaches get mid major game play and results.

But he’s a tomey guy so everyone is happy

Akina and Babers too. Cecil, Hunley, and so on.

Sometimes it might be better to get the best available coaches than legacies. Not familiar the other coaches on the staff, so hopefully they have some young blood to related to the players.

None of the players on the UA team were even born when they played for or coached Arizona.

However, I am never disappointed with UA football since I always go in with very low expectations. Unlike basketball where I expect them to win every single game.

I'm willing to give Brennan a shot, but leading off with two coordinators who either haven't called defenses ever (Akina) or hasn't called offensive plays in basically a decade (Babers) all in the name of the Tomey era, doesn't sit well with me.

[azgreg]