2023 Season Thread

[Chicat]

Pro-Tip: Not quoting the “hackneyed political/religious takes” makes your moderator’s jobs a tiny bit easier, as does reporting posts.

Back to football talk now…

[azcat49]

Not sure how many caught this but the ESPIN commercial called’ “you had to be there/best bet” with the two girls in the bar and the one friend says,” are you betting against the home team” and she replies, “they are so soft against the run” and the other girls says, and their secondary is trash”. Well it flashes to the screen and it says the game is CU @ Arizona.

ESPIN just won’t stop will they. They didn’t need to show the teams but the keep digging at our program. Man I hate those mother f ers

[UAEebs86]

Not sure how many caught this but the ESPIN commercial called’ “you had to be there/best bet” with the two girls in the bar and the one friend says,” are you betting against the home team” and she replies, “they are so soft against the run” and the other girls says, and their secondary is trash”. Well it flashes to the screen and it says the game is CU @ Arizona.

ESPIN just won’t stop will they. They didn’t need to show the teams but the keep digging at our program. Man I hate those mother f ers

I thought it was a Draft Kings or some other gambling site commercial?

[azcat49]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7ICigCa0 ... lhbA%3D%3D

Someone better at this could imbed the video but here is the link

[84Cat]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7ICigCa0 ... lhbA%3D%3D

Someone better at this could imbed the video but here is the link

[azgreg]

[azgreg]

[azgreg]

[Chicat]

Wait, T-Mac got second team? Motivation for next year.

[wyo-cat]

Wait, T-Mac got second team? Motivation for next year.

Totally.

[azgreg]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

[wyo-cat]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Hard to argue with that.

I’d give it to Jedd if it was up to me.

[Chicat]

Should have been Jedd. Not even going to say I’m biased. Objectively I don’t know that anyone in America did a better job.

[EastCoastCat]

Wait, T-Mac got second team? Motivation for next year.

Absurd. I can see the Udub receiver but who else?

[AZCatGirl]

So much motivation to sweep the Big 12 awards next year. Love it.

[Alieberman]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Who is that?

[Merkin]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Who is that?

Had to look him up. Dude has never lost more than 3 games a season in 9 years of head coaching.

[PHXCATS]

When will the loser talk end?

TMac was hosed. Extra motivation? That is fucking bullshit

[Chicat]

When will the loser talk end?

When you quit posting here.

[pc in NM]

So, Arizona has 1 first team Offensive player, 1 second team offensive player, and 1 first team defensive player - 3 total - but someone else is coach-of-the-year???

After getting third place in conference two years after having a 20-game losing streak, and 1-11 record???

Makes zero sense!

[Abrahamarvel]

The other T-Mac should be 1st or 2nd team as well. Leads the conference in receiving yards.

[azgreg]

The other T-Mac should be 1st or 2nd team as well. Leads the conference in receiving yards.

What other T-Mac? Our T-Mac is 3rd in the conference in yards per game, but it's very close.

Odunze UW - 109.85
Franklin Oregon - 106.38
McMillan UA - 103.50

https://static.pac-12.com/sports/footba ... _Stats.pdf

[UAEebs86]

The other T-Mac should be 1st or 2nd team as well. Leads the conference in receiving yards.

What other T-Mac?

Tanner our TE

[azgreg]

The other T-Mac should be 1st or 2nd team as well. Leads the conference in receiving yards.

What other T-Mac?

Tanner our TE

Thanks. I don't think the stats are broken down for tight ends.

[RawleArenas]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Hard to argue with that.

I’d give it to Jedd if it was up to me.

Fisch inherited a dumpster fire with minimal resources to work with. In his third year, he fielded a CFP caliber team at a basketball school. There's no competition. It's one of the most remarkable stories in college football in quite some time.

[PHXCATS]

So the other coaches have it out for Fisch now?

[azcat49]

Here’s my take. Fisch did the best job but Deboar did something that has never been done in this conference which is over 100 years old. That has to carry more weight

[PHXCATS]

Here’s my take. Fisch did the best job but Deboar did something that has never been done in this conference which is over 100 years old. That has to carry more weight

A bit off because plenty of teams have gone undefeated in the PAC before but this is the first time since it has been 12 teams and there has been a conference title game

Fisch is amazing and has done an amazing job. But Deboar was the first to do something and so his fellow coaches voted for Deboar. Just bad timing and not a slight to Fisch in any way what so ever

[ASUHATER!]

Yeah Fisch deserved it way way more than Deboer

[PHXCATS]

Yeah Fisch deserved it way way more than Deboer

So the 11 other coaches have it out for Fisch?

[84Cat]

[84Cat]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Hard to argue with that.

I’d give it to Jedd if it was up to me.

Fisch inherited a dumpster fire with minimal resources to work with. In his third year, he fielded a CFP caliber team at a basketball school. There's no competition. It's one of the most remarkable stories in college football in quite some time.

JM agrres with you

[PHXCATS]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Hard to argue with that.

I’d give it to Jedd if it was up to me.

Fisch inherited a dumpster fire with minimal resources to work with. In his third year, he fielded a CFP caliber team at a basketball school. There's no competition. It's one of the most remarkable stories in college football in quite some time.

JM agrres with you

He is right here (although there is nothing wrong with Deboar winning). But JM is by far the 2nd most inaccurate person in AZ Sports media

[wyo-cat]

Kalen Deboer got coach of the year.

Hard to argue with that.

I’d give it to Jedd if it was up to me.

Fisch inherited a dumpster fire with minimal resources to work with. In his third year, he fielded a CFP caliber team at a basketball school. There's no competition. It's one of the most remarkable stories in college football in quite some time.

Like I said, if it was up to me - Jedd.

Kaleb did a hell of a job coaching them to undefeated. It don’t get no better than that. I can see the other side and agree with it.

[AzCatFan2]

Fisch did a hell of a job. Worthy of COY. But DeBoer went undefeated and is the first PAC coach to take his team to the playoffs in how many years? Hard to argue he's not worth of COY too.

[Merkin]

PAC-12 COY and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Denny's.

[PHXCATS]

dont worry about bonuses

[dovecanyoncat]

Yeah Fisch deserved it way way more than Deboer

So the 11 other coaches have it out for Fisch?

Is any aspect of your cognition not tyrannized by paranoia?

[Chicat]

Yeah Fisch deserved it way way more than Deboer

So the 11 other coaches have it out for Fisch?

Is any aspect of your cognition not tyrannized by paranoia?

Imagine being terrorized by what strangers might think.

[dovecanyoncat]

Yeah Fisch deserved it way way more than Deboer

So the 11 other coaches have it out for Fisch?

Is any aspect of your cognition not tyrannized by paranoia?

Imagine being terrorized by what strangers might think.

It's a stunning disability. I really should ignore it but it's just too stunning and persistent. SMFH

[TheCatInTheHat]

There's a discussion on another thread about USC and other programs throwing big money around for assistants and trying to hang onto good people in the face of that. One thing I'm curious about is how much impact people think Duane Akina had this year. Overall, it was Johnny Nansen's defense that improved dramatically, and we added key talent in the portal, but it also coincided with Akina's arrival. We've got Cecil for the safeties, and John Richardson for the CBs, and Akina is listed as "Senior Defensive Assistant, Secondary." Maybe it's just a case of all of the above and it all came together, but he seems to have at least been a somewhat significant part of it.

[tgrumpy2]

There's a discussion on another thread about USC and other programs throwing big money around for assistants and trying to hang onto good people in the face of that. One thing I'm curious about is how much impact people think Duane Akina had this year. Overall, it was Johnny Nansen's defense that improved dramatically, and we added key talent in the portal, but it also coincided with Akina's arrival. We've got Cecil for the safeties, and John Richardson for the CBs, and Akina is listed as "Senior Defensive Assistant, Secondary." Maybe it's just a case of all of the above and it all came together, but he seems to have at least been a somewhat significant part of it.

That is a very good question. I know that Coach Akina is very popular among the bloggers on this site so I won't get into negative stuff here. But its a good question

[azcat49]

He definitely brought the swarm to the ball mentality and the desire to be more physical on the back end IMO. I think he also could be responsible for better tackling by telling those DB’s not to break down early because help is coming. Also think he contributed with game planning

JRich did a great job with our young corners and I think Nansen identified Stukes as a nickel which allowed us to get our best cover guys on the field and let safeties be safeties(meaning tackle the ball and support the run defense).

[TheCat]

PAC-12 COY and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Denny's.

Well I'm sure most coaches have a bonus clause in their contract.

[gronk4heisman]

The only big change in the defensive staff was adding Akina and Richardson, so I give him a ton of credit for the turn around. Nansen looked lost last year and look like a top coordinator this year, that does not change over night without a meaningful change.

[CopaCat]

The only big change in the defensive staff was adding Akina and Richardson, so I give him a ton of credit for the turn around. Nansen looked lost last year and look like a top coordinator this year, that does not change over night without a meaningful change.

I think the change was more personnel based than coach based. We basically revamped the majority of the D between year 1 and year 2. Here are the 2 depth charts to start each season....

Year 1
DL - Echols, Shand, Barrs, and Harris
DL backups - R. Davis(barely played), K. Garcia, Savea, E B Haynes, D. Wilson, Kongaika, Jeremy Mercier, and Jason Harris.

LB - K Cage, J Roberts
LB Backups - Solomon, Malik Reed, Dante Smith, and Ammon Allen. Obviously Manu worked his way up the ladder quick here.

Star - G Maldonado
Backups - Jaydin Young, Jeff Robinson

CBs Roland Wallace, Stukes, Young, Turner
Backups - Rutherford, Warnell, Taylor, Prysock(barely played), Davis(ditto), Celestine, Uhrich.

2023 Depth Chart

DL Upshaw, Norton, Manoa, Ward
DL backups Uiagalelei, Kongaika, Nofoagatoto'a, Savea, Davis, Mercier, Patu, Lolesio, Lane

LB Heimuli, Manu
Backups Flowe, T. Brown(Lane, Lolesio, Mercier)

DBs Maldonado, Wyatt, Johnson, Prysock, Stukes
Backups - T. Davis, Irby Taylor, Celestine, Warnell. Obviously T Davis became a starter pretty quickly because you can't keep talent off the field.

Pretty big infusion of size and talent between last year and this year. I don't think anybody foresaw Manu becoming the defensive version of Fifita either. Not saying Akina didn't help, as more eyes and coaching experience always help, but talent infusion and growth definitely played a big part of this turnaround. Look at USC's D with the help of CRW and Barrs. Not so hot.

[Merkin]

PAC-12 COY and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Denny's.

Well I'm sure most coaches have a bonus clause in their contract.

Looked it up, $50K for PAC COY.

A good chunk of change for sure for us, but he'll get paid. I'm guessing a million dollar a year raise or more.

[TheCat]

I'm way in the minority here but while I believe you recognize outstanding performance but in reality he is a ways from .500 and even last year struggled with his play calling. We caught lightning in a bottle with our outstanding QB and that should attract good WR's and benefit the program. I just wouldn't mortgage the house quite yet.

[Chicat]

I'm way in the minority here but while I believe you recognize outstanding performance but in reality he is a ways from .500 and even last year struggled with his play calling. We caught lightning in a bottle with our outstanding QB and that should attract good WR's and benefit the program. I just wouldn't mortgage the house quite yet.

If we don’t lock him in on the way up, we’ll be wondering why we didn’t when he’s on his way out.

[TheCat]

I'm way in the minority here but while I believe you recognize outstanding performance but in reality he is a ways from .500 and even last year struggled with his play calling. We caught lightning in a bottle with our outstanding QB and that should attract good WR's and benefit the program. I just wouldn't mortgage the house quite yet.

If we don’t lock him in on the way up, we’ll be wondering why we didn’t when he’s on his way out.

That is true. You might have a great coach that now has turned the corner or ???????