A co-op community for Arizona Fans
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He's called the game the last two years. Why not this year?RockyRaccoon wrote:Damn. Really wanted Gus Johnson.azgreg wrote:
I am assuming that the stadium's field will hold up reasonably well to rain? It would stink to have this game in a mud bowl.dirtbags wrote:there's a reasonable chance of rain in santa clara friday evening. it won't affect oregon's play, but i wonder if RR has the team drilling in the sprinklers at 6am again. haha.
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is 1-2 in his career against the Arizona Wildcats. Linebacker Scooby Wright III is 2-0 against the Ducks. After Friday's Pac-12 championship game in Santa Clara, California, one guy will either be perfect, or the other will be at .500.
Too often, storylines in big games pit quarterback against quarterback. It makes for fun fodder and debate, but they rarely play out since opposing quarterbacks don’t share the field at the same time. In this case, however, you have one of the best linebackers in the country going head to head with one of the best offensive players.
If Wright and Co. want to stay perfect against Mariota and the Ducks, chances are they are going to have to find a way to force turnovers. Recent history suggests that might not be a problem, since Arizona has had more success at forcing Mariota to turn the ball over than any other team has.
One of Mariota’s greatest assets is that he takes care of the ball. In 38 career games, he’s turned the ball over 23 times; 12 interceptions -- a pretty amazing stat -- and 11 fumbles. Of those 11, three have come while rushing the football and the other eight have come via sacks. The last time Mariota had a rushing fumble (non-sack related) was in 2012 against USC.
But against Arizona, Mariota has habit of giving it back. Six of his 23 career turnovers have come against the Wildcats -- three interceptions and three fumbles, two of those coming off of sacks.
A pair of Mariota’s most notorious turnovers, in fact, have come against the Wildcats. To be more specific, they’ve come at the hands of Wright, who has emerged as Mariota’s nemesis of sorts.
Recall last year when Shaq Richardson flipped a deflected Mariota pass back in bounds. Wright caught it. It snapped Mariota’s streak of 353 pass attempts without an interception, and the ‘Cats went on to win 42-16. Richardson should get at least 95 percent of the credit for his effort, but it shows up as a Wright interception on the stat sheet.
The second turnover, however, was 100 percent a Scooby Snack. Earlier this season, with Arizona leading the Ducks 31-24, it was Wright who sacked Mariota on Oregon’s final drive and ripped the ball from him as the two were going to the ground. Wright was credited with the forced and recovered fumble, and the Ducks never got the ball back.
“Scooby just has a knack,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. “One, obviously, it is effort and he was able to keep on that play. It was just a great individual effort when he kept going. I don't think Marcus saw him and Scooby got the sack, strip and recovery, which was a great individual play on him. Scooby has done that to a lot of people through effort. That play was more effort than anything else. I haven't coached a guy like Scooby probably stat wise. Without going through the whole career of stats, there was probably no one with that kind of numbers.”
The numbers for both players are impressive. Mariota is completing 68.6 percent of his throws with 36 touchdowns to just two interceptions this season. He’s also run for 636 yards and 11 scores.
Conversely, Wright is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 139 tackles. But he also leads the country with 2.3 tackles for a loss per game (27 total) and is third nationally with 1.17 sacks per game (14 total). Those aren’t the typical numbers of an inside linebacker. Last week's Walter Camp national player of the week has re-defined the position this season.
Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, of course, doesn’t see it as “Mariota” turnovers. And in a lot of cases, that’s a sweeping generalization. Rather, turnovers are a team mistake.
“There are so many factors that go into being a productive offense,” Helfrich said. “It’s an 11-man job. It’s the timing of the route, depth of the route, all of those deals that come into play. If you hold the ball too long against these guys, you see it against everybody, it’s getting turned over.”
Catstatic wrote:I am assuming that the stadium's field will hold up reasonably well to rain? It would stink to have this game in a mud bowl.dirtbags wrote:there's a reasonable chance of rain in santa clara friday evening. it won't affect oregon's play, but i wonder if RR has the team drilling in the sprinklers at 6am again. haha.
Go Cats!!
I would love for that to happen. RichRods answer would be classic.3goggles wrote:Cowheard thinks Oregon will soundly beat us and he says he will tell RR that tomorrow during there interview. Doubtful that happens!
I will be tuned in thats for sure.cat77 wrote:I would love for that to happen. RichRods answer would be classic.3goggles wrote:Cowheard thinks Oregon will soundly beat us and he says he will tell RR that tomorrow during there interview. Doubtful that happens!
Cats fans will not be SHOCKED!Catstatic wrote:The entire collegiate football nation will be watching your Arizona Wildcats' Football Team play the Oregon Ducks for the Pac 12 championship on Friday night. Unreal.
Go Cats!! Time to shock the world!!
Terrible take and completely wrong. The only people that think this way have probably not listened to his show in years and years. I have listened pretty much every day for about 7 years. He's usually right about most things and absolutely takes the fall when he's not. Most people that are just turbo homers just can't stand to hear facts and reality like he says it.EVCat wrote:Cowherd will be "straight up" with his picks and opinions and will "keep it real" with ramped up hyperbole...
...until he is wrong, and then he will deflect the point, make excuses, or flat out lie about never having said what he said (still running from his "Aaron Rodgers cannot win a big game" take).
Worst overnight change to a show in sports radio history. The excellent Tony Kornheiser show came to an end and the next day, the biggest douchebag in the sports talk game (think about how little I must think of him to say he is the douchiest of all the douches in that profession) was on the air. He is the epitome of the asshole who hasn't figured out "I was wrong" are the 2nd most liberating words in the language, behind "I'm sorry." Admitting your errors amplifies your successes, especially in something as subjective as sports. But he just hammers his "I know all" angle, and when wrong, presents the verbal diarrhea equivalent of the internet message board "link warrior" by bringing up barely comparable scenarios and scores to deflect.
Why would that shock you if we blew them out?Catintheheat wrote:I have no idea what is going to happen on Friday. The only thing that would shock me is if UA blew out Oregon. I can't see that happening. But it sure wouldn't shock me if Oregon dominated the Cats.
ASUHATER! wrote:Terrible take and completely wrong. The only people that think this way have probably not listened to his show in years and years. I have listened pretty much every day for about 7 years. He's usually right about most things and absolutely takes the fall when he's not. Most people that are just turbo homers just can't stand to hear facts and reality like he says it.EVCat wrote:Cowherd will be "straight up" with his picks and opinions and will "keep it real" with ramped up hyperbole...
.
Thank you for your opinion. Your last line fits the Cowherd way perfectly. it is almost cultish sounding..."we are the truth...everyone else is wrong"ASUHATER! wrote:Terrible take and completely wrong. The only people that think this way have probably not listened to his show in years and years. I have listened pretty much every day for about 7 years. He's usually right about most things and absolutely takes the fall when he's not. Most people that are just turbo homers just can't stand to hear facts and reality like he says it.EVCat wrote:Cowherd will be "straight up" with his picks and opinions and will "keep it real" with ramped up hyperbole...
...until he is wrong, and then he will deflect the point, make excuses, or flat out lie about never having said what he said (still running from his "Aaron Rodgers cannot win a big game" take).
Worst overnight change to a show in sports radio history. The excellent Tony Kornheiser show came to an end and the next day, the biggest douchebag in the sports talk game (think about how little I must think of him to say he is the douchiest of all the douches in that profession) was on the air. He is the epitome of the asshole who hasn't figured out "I was wrong" are the 2nd most liberating words in the language, behind "I'm sorry." Admitting your errors amplifies your successes, especially in something as subjective as sports. But he just hammers his "I know all" angle, and when wrong, presents the verbal diarrhea equivalent of the internet message board "link warrior" by bringing up barely comparable scenarios and scores to deflect.
Not even remotely what I said. But good job making things up. I don't always think he's right but he has solid reasoning always and comes at everything from a non homer level headed view. Every week on his show he has a segment where he lists off things he whiffed on and was dead wrong about. He's not afraid of saying he was completely wrong. Unlike most homer fans who only want to live in echo chambers and be told what they want to hear on the radio.EVCat wrote:Thank you for your opinion. Your last line fits the Cowherd way perfectly. it is almost cultish sounding..."we are the truth...everyone else is wrong"ASUHATER! wrote:Terrible take and completely wrong. The only people that think this way have probably not listened to his show in years and years. I have listened pretty much every day for about 7 years. He's usually right about most things and absolutely takes the fall when he's not. Most people that are just turbo homers just can't stand to hear facts and reality like he says it.EVCat wrote:Cowherd will be "straight up" with his picks and opinions and will "keep it real" with ramped up hyperbole...
...until he is wrong, and then he will deflect the point, make excuses, or flat out lie about never having said what he said (still running from his "Aaron Rodgers cannot win a big game" take).
Worst overnight change to a show in sports radio history. The excellent Tony Kornheiser show came to an end and the next day, the biggest douchebag in the sports talk game (think about how little I must think of him to say he is the douchiest of all the douches in that profession) was on the air. He is the epitome of the asshole who hasn't figured out "I was wrong" are the 2nd most liberating words in the language, behind "I'm sorry." Admitting your errors amplifies your successes, especially in something as subjective as sports. But he just hammers his "I know all" angle, and when wrong, presents the verbal diarrhea equivalent of the internet message board "link warrior" by bringing up barely comparable scenarios and scores to deflect.
Speaking of the line, looks like it moved a point in Oregon's direction to 14.5....kinda surprised by that.azgreg wrote:You mean the line that got no love?
Welcome to the club Anthony.Actually, I can't believe I'm about to type these words: Arizona should be in the four-team College Football Playoff if it beats the Ducks for a third consecutive time on Friday.
An 11-2 Arizona team that wins the Pac-12, beats Oregon twice and has other late-season victories over Washington, Utah and Arizona State while having no "bad" loss ... that's the resume of a playoff-caliber team, no matter what happens elsewhere in the country this week.
It's looking like it's going to be raining all afternoon, peaking at around 6 PM but continuing through the evening. Cue the national media yukking it up about how Arizona can't possibly handle a rainy game.dirtbags wrote:there's a reasonable chance of rain in santa clara friday evening. it won't affect oregon's play, but i wonder if RR has the team drilling in the sprinklers at 6am again. haha.
azthrillhouse wrote:It's looking like it's going to be raining all afternoon, peaking at around 6 PM but continuing through the evening. Cue the national media yukking it up about how Arizona can't possibly handle a rainy game.dirtbags wrote:there's a reasonable chance of rain in santa clara friday evening. it won't affect oregon's play, but i wonder if RR has the team drilling in the sprinklers at 6am again. haha.
http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyho ... A1018:1:US
Ha! Last game I went to was Assu 2010. Came down with a buddy from Idaho and we saw that dude in the vintage getup. He's a regular then I guess.ANGCatFan wrote:Here is a reminder that something special is happening with Arizona football. Win or lose on Friday, Wildcat fans of yesterday, today, and tomorrow are sharing a historic season.
azgreg wrote:This reminds me of the old equipment guys blog.
