Official Anu Solomon Appreciation Thread

jollything · Post by **jollything** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:57 am

Merkin wrote:Even though some criticized me in the In Game thread, I thought taking the safety was a good play. As was noted, intentional grounding in the endzone is a safety anyway, so what's the harm in throwing it out of bounds and who cares if they make the call?

But Anu had 4 orange jerseys right in his face. They could have batted the ball up, Solomon could have fumbled, Solomon could have tried to force a pass, and even if was able to throw it away with penalty, that would have still left Riggleman with only 12 yards to punt the ball instead of 15. That could had led to a block, or at best a very short field for UTSA. With a safety Skowron was able to kick off from the 20 making a much longer field for UTSA.

Some call it a freshman mistake, I say it was a heads up play.

It was a headscratcher to say the least, but like you said 4 orange jerseys in front of him, and unknown circumstances beyond that. It could've easily been something worse.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:06 am

jollything wrote:
Merkin wrote:Even though some criticized me in the In Game thread, I thought taking the safety was a good play. As was noted, intentional grounding in the endzone is a safety anyway, so what's the harm in throwing it out of bounds and who cares if they make the call?

But Anu had 4 orange jerseys right in his face. They could have batted the ball up, Solomon could have fumbled, Solomon could have tried to force a pass, and even if was able to throw it away with penalty, that would have still left Riggleman with only 12 yards to punt the ball instead of 15. That could had led to a block, or at best a very short field for UTSA. With a safety Skowron was able to kick off from the 20 making a much longer field for UTSA.

Some call it a freshman mistake, I say it was a heads up play.

It was a headscratcher to say the least, but like you said 4 orange jerseys in front of him, and unknown circumstances beyond that. It could've easily been something worse.

IIRC Anu had no blockers between him and the 4 rushers as you would expect. Don't remember who the back was there with him and where he was.

Looking up the stats, the UA has a net punting average of 29 yards per punt, which is 108th in the nation. So who knows what would have happened if Riggleman had to punt.

In any event, he didn't seem to panic and Anu thought it was the right call at the time.

whatisee · Post by **whatisee** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:11 am

Merkin wrote: Some call it a freshman mistake, I say it was a heads up play.

I don't see how taking the safety could be his fault you know? He didn't snap the ball over his head to begin the play. Taking the safety was all he could do. Anyone who says different I would like to know your reasons why.

I think Soloman definitely needs to work on his fade routes, and I'm curious as to why we're not passing out into the flats more using the athleticism of our WR's get the YAC. Shit, everytime Grant catches the ball these days i get the feeling he's a step away from breaking it. He's made huge strides over the summer and may be our best receiver this year.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:21 am

Taking the safety was absolutely the best move. Trying to throw it on the move, past the line of scrimmage, with 5 defenders in your face, two feet from the backline of your endzone, with all kinds of momentum going in the other team's direction? I think you take the safety every single time unless you have a Brett Favre in the prime of his career-type arm. I can't imagine that anyone on the coaching staff thought that was a play worthy of criticism, and any fans that did were probably just caught up in the emotion of being down on the road to an underdog and watching the season about to derail right in front of their eyes.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:35 am

I agree Merk.

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:37 am

Merkin wrote:Even though some criticized me in the In Game thread, I thought taking the safety was a good play. As was noted, intentional grounding in the endzone is a safety anyway, so what's the harm in throwing it out of bounds and who cares if they make the call?

But Anu had 4 orange jerseys right in his face. They could have batted the ball up, Solomon could have fumbled, Solomon could have tried to force a pass, and even if was able to throw it away with penalty, that would have still left Riggleman with only 12 yards to punt the ball instead of 15. That could had led to a block, or at best a very short field for UTSA. With a safety Skowron was able to kick off from the 20 making a much longer field for UTSA.

Some call it a freshman mistake, I say it was a heads up play.

Agree. If he had tried and failed to do something else, so many on here would be screaming that the head's up play would've been to take the safety and minimize the damage. I don't think he could've done anything else anyway. He was swarmed as you noted and probably couldn't see much down field.

RazorsEdgeAZ · Post by **RazorsEdgeAZ** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:54 am

Would like to hear what RichRod thought of Anu taking the safety. Thought it reflected Anu's much talked about composure. Many online chimed in Freshman mistake.

I'd argue it was the opposite. Not rattled enough to actually think through his options in split second to step out of bounds.

Here's a Kid in his 2nd start, again on National TV, on the road, hostile environment, managing a bad snap in his own EZ. So much going on very quickly and he processes options to actually take the safety. I'm pretty sure the online would have said Freshman mistake if he fumbled, threw INT or scrambled and O-Line gets a holding penalty.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:07 am

Chicat wrote:Taking the safety was absolutely the best move. Trying to throw it on the move, past the line of scrimmage, with 5 defenders in your face, two feet from the backline of your endzone, with all kinds of momentum going in the other team's direction? I think you take the safety every single time unless you have a Brett Favre in the prime of his career-type arm. I can't imagine that anyone on the coaching staff thought that was a play worthy of criticism, and any fans that did were probably just caught up in the emotion of being down on the road to an underdog and watching the season about to derail right in front of their eyes.

I think the only reason you throw and don't take the safety is if you are 100% SURE you can put it 10 yards out of bounds. Any chance you can't get it out of play and you run the risk of a TD. Plus, you also need to not be in the tackle box or that's an automatic safety.

I agree, he made a safe play. Safe plays don't lead SportsCenter, but they do win games in hostile road environments.

whatisee · Post by **whatisee** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:10 am

Wins Manning QB of the week

http://www.arizonawildcats.com/ViewArti ... =209635745

BMalo · Post by **BMalo** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:12 am

If 250-some-odd yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs is a bad day for Solomon than we have very exciting QB play coming to us the next few years.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:16 am

whatisee wrote:Wins Manning QB of the week

http://www.arizonawildcats.com/ViewArti ... =209635745

And yet didn't make PAC-12 offensive player of the week.

Thanks a lot Larry Scott.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:45 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:I agree, he made a safe play. Safe plays don't lead SportsCenter, but they do win games in hostile road environments.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:52 am

azpenguin wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I agree, he made a safe play. Safe plays don't lead SportsCenter, but they do win games in hostile road environments.

Yep. Another thing, even if he threw it away, we were punting from the 2. At the least, we give them a short field and risk 7 that way (which would have changed the outcome).

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:26 am

I was hoping he was going to be smart enough to not throw across his body and he was. The UTSA QB made an ill-advised across the body throw in the 4th quarter that fell incomplete, but if Scooby hadn't slipped on the turf changing directions to go get it, that would have been a pick 6. One of the most important things a QB has to learn is not to put the football in jeopardy; Solomon did that twice that I noticed last night but he didn't make the really stupid mistakes that lose games. (Hell, most pro QBs put passes out there that can be picked more than twice a game...)

Catstatic · Post by **Catstatic** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:49 am

azpenguin wrote:I was hoping he was going to be smart enough to not throw across his body and he was. The UTSA QB made an ill-advised across the body throw in the 4th quarter that fell incomplete, but if Scooby hadn't slipped on the turf changing directions to go get it, that would have been a pick 6. One of the most important things a QB has to learn is not to put the football in jeopardy; Solomon did that twice that I noticed last night but he didn't make the really stupid mistakes that lose games. (Hell, most pro QBs put passes out there that can be picked more than twice a game...)

Absolutely right. The kid is mature beyond his years. If that's a bad game for Anu (and it was), we got nothing to worry about from the QB position.

Go Cats!!

teemackdee · Post by **teemackdee** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 1:17 pm

Chicat wrote:
PieceOfMeat wrote:
Chicat wrote: As others mentioned, zero turnovers is huge...and managed the game to the best of his ability.

Kinda reminds me of the types of comments we'd hear last year regarding QB play.
Yeah, Denker did play like a freshman at times.

Don't you dare talk about Denker like that, Machina will have words with you for sure!

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:16 pm

azpenguin wrote:I was hoping he was going to be smart enough to not throw across his body and he was. The UTSA QB made an ill-advised across the body throw in the 4th quarter that fell incomplete, but if Scooby hadn't slipped on the turf changing directions to go get it, that would have been a pick 6. One of the most important things a QB has to learn is not to put the football in jeopardy; Solomon did that twice that I noticed last night but he didn't make the really stupid mistakes that lose games. (Hell, most pro QBs put passes out there that can be picked more than twice a game...)

By the way, that throw was more than just across the body. He was between the right hash and sideline on a dead run and tried to chuck it to the left sideline 20 yards downfield. Even Brett Farve would have told him he needed to chill on the gunslinger stuff with that one.

Then, Tevis suckered him into trying to throw the ball over him and picked him off to win it. Right there, that was the difference between the quarterbacks. Solomon looked rattled, but he didn't try to play hero ball or overcompensate. That was the difference between winning and losing. Solomon turns it over, we lose.

Anu as a freshman in his second game = the height of BJ's career. BJ wasn't exactly lighting it up against tough road competition last year.

azthrillhouse · Post by **azthrillhouse** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:14 pm

I still wonder how much the cheap-shot helmet-to-helmet hit he took at 7:02 in the first quarter had to do with him getting a bit skittish. Not making excuses for him but we were up 10-0 and cruising at that point and was a struggle after that.

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:23 am

Javier Morales at allsportstucson.com with where Anu stands among Freshman QBs.

After the second week of the season, the only major statistical category that Anu Solomon does not lead among freshman quarterbacks in the nation is passing yards per completion.

Puerco · Post by **Puerco** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 12:55 am

Those passer efficiency ratings are screwed up. How can the tOSU guy, who has a sub-0.500 completion percentage and more interceptions than touchdowns have that high of a rating?

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:46 pm

Well, there was that one play in the fourth quarter, but I'll let it slide.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:51 pm

That was dumb and the pick as well, but they call those things freshman mistakes for a reason. Other than that, he was throwing darts all night and making very good decisions.

qwertyus · Post by **qwertyus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:52 pm

azpenguin wrote:That was dumb and the pick as well, but they call those things freshman mistakes for a reason. Other than that, he was throwing darts all night and making very good decisions.

His touch on the longer throws was perfect.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:46 pm

The coaches say that he throws a very catchable ball. Those longer throws, especially the strike to TJ, show that very nicely.

teemackdee · Post by **teemackdee** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:20 pm

gumby wrote:Well, there was that one play in the fourth quarter, but I'll let it slide.

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:13 am

Bleacher Report with a pretty pointless article comparing Anu (and some guy from the OSU) to Winston and Johnny Football at the start of their Heisman years. Lots of data to tell you that Anu is off to a great start, but he probably won't win the Heisman this year.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:52 am

ANGCatFan wrote:Bleacher Report with a pretty pointless article comparing Anu (and some guy from the OSU) to Winston and Johnny Football at the start of their Heisman years. Lots of data to tell you that Anu is off to a great start, but he probably won't win the Heisman this year.

Whaaaaaat?

So I shouldn't have bought my "Anu Heisman WInner" T-shirt already?

Damnit.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:01 am

ANGCatFan wrote:Bleacher Report with a pretty pointless article comparing Anu (and some guy from the OSU) to Winston and Johnny Football at the start of their Heisman years. Lots of data to tell you that Anu is off to a great start, but he probably won't win the Heisman this year.

That was a good read.

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:49 pm

Javier Morales with an article on the best Freshman backfield in the country!

Arizona Wildcats Anu Solomon and Nick Wilson lead the nation in passing and rushing yardage, respectively, among freshmen.

It is a long season, but nothing wrong with being number 1 in the country heading into conference play.

Both Anu and Nick look like they will easily break the Arizona Freshman records for their position.

Solomon is 726 yards shy of Ortege Jenkins’ total of 1,660 yards passing in 1997. Wilson is only 255 yards short of Nic Grigsby’s mark of 704 rushing yards in 2007.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:01 pm

We have 3.75 more years of good/great QB play. How often has Arizona been able to say that? That's how you build.

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:12 pm

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blog ... CwSbuP"%7D

Some love for Anu. Made the list in week one too.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 10:12 pm

Wilson already has more rushing yards than Ka'deem did his freshman year. Combination of Nick being solid and Carey being criminally underutilized.

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:55 pm

I talked a lot of shit about Anu tonight, but he never gave up and proved me wrong. I'll never lose faith in him again!

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:59 pm

Isn't that the single game passing record?

OSUCat · Post by **OSUCat** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:01 pm

The guy gets into his head too much (anxious/over thinking), but when he just plays it's a pleasure to watch.

pokinmik · Post by **pokinmik** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:08 pm

Ended up having one of the top QB stat lines of the day. Hell of a comeback. Hill and Jones are monsters too!

Zona_Soccer10 · Post by **Zona_Soccer10** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:15 pm

He's a gamer and a warrior. It also helps when you have a basket full of capable receivers. He's a man of heart!

OSUCat · Post by **OSUCat** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:15 pm

ASUHATER! wrote:Isn't that the single game passing record?

TuiTouchdown · Post by **TuiTouchdown** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:18 pm

OSUCat wrote:
ASUHATER! wrote:Isn't that the single game passing record?

You're telling me Anu played one half of football and still broke the record? Fucking hell.

OSUCat · Post by **OSUCat** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:20 pm

TuiTouchdown wrote:
You're telling me Anu played one half of football and still broke the record? Fucking hell.

That has to be the craziest part right? With how bad he played in the first half and the first half of the 3rd quarter, to put those numbers up. I wonder how many yards he had in the fourth quarter.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:21 pm

4th quarter line: 19 of 26 for 254 yards, 4 TDs, 0 ints.

TuiTouchdown · Post by **TuiTouchdown** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:33 pm

azgreg wrote:4th quarter line: 19 of 26 for 254 yards, 4 TDs, 0 ints.

Insane.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:56 pm

prh · Post by **prh** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:02 am

Chicat wrote:

I can't believe Lou Holtz is able to stay awake that late. Well deserved though.

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:40 am

I was throwing things at the TV on a lot of his early throws but eneded up genuflecting at the end.

I like that he doesn't let his misatkes get the better of him. He made the throws when he needed to.

(he does need to learn to put a little air on some of those passes

)

Salty · Post by **Salty** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:50 am

Anu has serious problems with anxiety.

If he can calm down and take his time, he's gonna be very good.

I'm shocked at how well he played at the end. If he can just play loose, we're good. Last nights victory can go a long way in a players development.

I think we will see him take a step back against Oregon. That environment will be tough for a freshman.

michcat · Post by **michcat** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:54 am

Salty wrote:Anu has serious problems with anxiety.

If he can calm down and take his time, he's gonna be very good.

I'm shocked at how well he played at the end. If he can just play loose, we're good. Last nights victory can go a long way in a players development.

I think we will see him take a step back against Oregon. That environment will be tough for a freshman.

Somebody get him some Xanax before the Oregon game please.

splitsecond · Post by **splitsecond** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 10:27 am

What we saw last night is why Anu was 43-3 with three state titles in HS. Winners win, no matter what. Could definitely do without the shaky starts though.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:39 pm

prh · Post by **prh** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:43 pm

splitsecond wrote:What we saw last night is why Anu was 43-3 with three state titles in HS. Winners win, no matter what. Could definitely do without the shaky starts though.

He ended up 57-3 with 4 state titles btw.

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