2024 Season Thread

[Merkin]

What does Humberto and Click think of Brennan?

His buyout if fired is 100% the first 2 seasons, and 70% the final 3 seasons.

Being the lowest paid head coach in the B12 does have to account for something with the huge deficit the AD has to pay him off then hire someone at a huge increase.

Obviously not an insider like Winger and Choo, but just can't see it happening. If you toss out that kind of money they might have well just paid Fisch to stay another season.

[CatsbyAZ]

To quote Merkin from another thread:

Get the ball out in 3 seconds instead of 4 or 5. Work methodically down the field, and quit going for the homerun ball. Use the center of the field for downfield passing.

This came to mind while I was watching yesterday's game. In the second quarter, tied 7-7, Arizona was on a long drive, starting from their 25 and working their way to BYU's 28. On 3rd & 7 Fifita then tossed deep and into traffic for a BYU interception at the 1 (10:18 - 2nd). To me, that single play defined the game, and the coach's season-long lack of setting up Fifita for success, and there was no turning back. BYU then went on a 99 yard touchdown drive, outscoring us 34-12 the rest of the way.

[Winger]

What does Humberto and Click think of Brennan?

His buyout if fired is 100% the first 2 seasons, and 70% the final 3 seasons.

Being the lowest paid head coach in the B12 does have to account for something with the huge deficit the AD has to pay him off then hire someone at a huge increase.

Obviously not an insider like Winger and Choo, but just can't see it happening. If you toss out that kind of money they might have well just paid Fisch to stay another season.

I dont know on Click but Humberto was there when we introduced BB as head coach.

And we did raise the $$$ for Fisch. Despite shaking both Lopez and Kinerk’s hand and telling Robbins he was all in, he bailed regardless.

Was talking to another Cat friday night and we were both saying that we hope this ugly start doesnt mean anything because BB checks most all the off field boxes.

But man it has been really really ugly so far.

[azgreg]

Here's what's left on our schedule:

vs Colorado (2-1, 4-2)

vs West Virginia (2-1, 3-3)

at UCF (1-2, 3-3)

vs Houston (1-2, 2-4)

at TCU (1-2, 3-3)

vs Arizona St (2-1, 5-1)

Frankly, they're all winnable and ..............well...................

[CatsbyAZ]

This is just turning startlingly and unexpectedly bad. Brennan seems like a good politician with the friendly and sympathetic demeanor and all of the ties and public references to Tomey.

How in the world there's any kind of demand to chase the Tomey long gone years beats me. Chasing relics if that's the case. College Football has undergone a half-dozen evolutions since Tomey was on our sideline. The Tomey era is as much of a relic as Jude LaCava is anchoring local Phoenix sports coverage back when Barkley and Majerle were on the Suns. Why not put him back on the air?

[TheCatInTheHat]

Right. As I've said, I'll take the much-maligned Jedd Fisch's play-calling over punting on third down, and also note Tomey was fired, regardless of any attempted nuance or verbiage about "mutual parting of ways." But when the reality is that the practice field got named after Tomey with a larger-than-life decal of him, there's obviously at least a perception of some level of community goodwill there. There were obviously efforts to tap into that with making Bruschi an alleged consultant, Fisch hiring Akina, and Heeke (at the time) hiring a former Tomey assistant in Brennan. Arizona doesn't have much good football history, so Tomey is what's available as any kind of positive coaching icon. And I take it that Brennan isn't averse to an aw-shucks smile and dropping in a few "well as Coach Tomey used to say" comments in fending off criticisms of his team's performance. I don't need smiles, PR, or attempts to lower expectations; Just Win.

[azgreg]

Anybody have $10M lying around?

[84Cat]

How many more games do we win this year? I see 1 to 2 possible wins. ASU will eat our lunch too

[CalStateTempe]

CBB fucking sucks.

But thanks for the free afternoon to fix a toilet!

#badfan

[Winger]

How many more games do we win this year? I see 1 to 2 possible wins. ASU will eat our lunch too

Arizona under its season total was easy money and I wasnt nearly as high on the team as most but I am borderline shocked with how poor everything has been. Have been trying to put off coming to any conclusions but wow.

Edit to add: first thing BB needs to do imo is find himself a legit up and comer of an OC. Worry that he is too nice a guy to make tough decisions but we will see I guess.

[azgreg]

They're starting to reminisce about Rich Rod over at the other board.

[Merkin]

They're starting to reminisce about Rich Rod over at the other board.

Heck, I miss how Mackovic could move the offense. And he cared*, unlike RichRod and Sumlin who just wanted a fat check.

*- Although way too much.

[Carcassdragger]

They're starting to reminisce about Rich Rod over at the other board.

Heck, I miss how Mackovic could move the offense. And he cared*, unlike RichRod and Sumlin who just wanted a fat check.

*- Although way too much.

Missing Mackovic?

Oh my God we've sunk to an entirely new low.

[TheCatInTheHat]

It is a shocker, and even with the coaching turnover, the available personnel shouldn't be this bad. It's tough when the line doesn't block, but there's no reason they shouldn't be able to, and also no reason Fifita holds it so long. The promise was that the offensive terminology (and presumably the offense) would stay unchanged to accommodate the players, at least for this year. The way Fifita looks lost tells me that must not be the case. I don't expect or want Brennan to come out at mid-season and apologize, as that comes off as throwing the players under the bus. But, I also didn't appreciate the "hey, we're 3-3...just like last year" politician's spin. Not quite, when last year's 3-3 record included two overtime road losses and a 7-point loss to an eventual national championship game participant. He seems happy to have the job and confidant he's got plenty of time to build "his" team from scratch, maybe inevitable from somebody coming from the low-urgency SJSU job. He was hired by the departed Heeke under Robbins, but there's his contract and Arizona's financial circumstances. However, if big donors start screaming and there's no sign of more of a spark than Sumlin showed, without even having the Covid excuse, things may not feel as comfy for him after Year Two, and he might consider some changes both now and immediately after the season. But mostly, I feel bad for the players.

[dovecanyoncat]

We were not without accomplishment this game: Bama lost.

[Merkin]

Missing Mackovic?

Oh my God we've sunk to an entirely new low.

Guess I wasn't clear, I miss how Mackovic could run an offense. Made Jason Johnson into a record setting QB. He most certainly deserved to be fired.

Mackovic was hired due for his offensive mind after Tomey refused to have an aggressive offensive game and the fans tired of Tomey ball.

Another record setting UA QB chimes in on this game:

[azcat49]

Tired of giving the players a pass. They are playing like Shit, led by Noah. OLine can’t get a push(is that play calling?), Noah % rate is 20 points lower. Players just are not executing at the same level

[BBQ wildcat]

The plays just seem very, very slow developing. That is just to my very untrained eye.

[Winger]

Missing Mackovic?

Oh my God we've sunk to an entirely new low.

Guess I wasn't clear, I miss how Mackovic could run an offense. Made Jason Johnson into a record setting QB. He most certainly deserved to be fired.

Mackovic was hired due for his offensive mind after Tomey refused to have an aggressive offensive game and the fans tired of Tomey ball.

Another record setting UA QB chimes in on this game:

Wasnt the biggest rich rod guy on the planet but what he did w denker, who essentially could only throw to one side of the field, was amazing.

One thing that stuck out to me today was our sub initially at left tackle (fairly quickly moved to right tackle) was completely unready for game action. Like 5 penalties and gave up at least that many qb pressures.

Not only is the starting o-line terrible (i know … injuries) but the guys we sub in arent ready to/capable of play/playing.

Fifita Brennan/Babers is starting to feel like Tate/Sumlin to me as well.

Still 5 games to go and even in this era season 1 for a head coach has to be taken w a grain of salt but man its been really ugly to date.

[Carcassdragger]

An announcer said that Noah has THE LONGEST time before release IN THE NATION!

Not one question in the presser about this either.

I know nothing about Xs and Os but my God. Anybody can see the offensive staff is failing.

Game after game Noah is not getting the ball out and the situation seems to be regressing.

[BBQ wildcat]

You know it's really bad when I have to go to the Politics, Religion, and Beer forum for a little comedic relief.

[RawleArenas]

How many more games do we win this year? I see 1 to 2 possible wins. ASU will eat our lunch too

Arizona under its season total was easy money and I wasnt nearly as high on the team as most but I am borderline shocked with how poor everything has been. Have been trying to put off coming to any conclusions but wow.

Edit to add: first thing BB needs to do imo is find himself a legit up and comer of an OC. Worry that he is too nice a guy to make tough decisions but we will see I guess.

I really miss Spiff. He was a voice of reason and logic in a world of chaos. He would use his legal powers and his sports knowledge and together they made a nice little Gerber Wildcat baby. I used to tell him my pet theories, he would gently mock them and embrace his own. It was a beautiful relationship.

In honor of Spiff, I'm going to speak on his behalf and offer my own version of what he say about Brennan and his tenure up to this point. In law school, the first thing you learn in contracts is that there are three main parts of a legal agreement: offer, acceptance and consideration. The problem with Arizona Football is two fold. Heeke should have never offered CBB, and Brennan should have never accepted. Regardless of how high the stakes were surrounding the coaching search after Fisch left, there are far too many qualified assistants at the high major and mid major level to wax nostalgic and take a flyer on someone who has limited ties with AZ football.

For all the talk about loyalty and 'OKG's,' Brennan was only here for a year as a GA. Brennan Carroll has more ties than Brennan based on that logic. Also, all of the coaches that made a significant mark on our athletics program came from backgrounds with no connections with our school and fanbase. I actually prefer it that way, forget the hoopla and just focus on the task at hand.

I disagree with Winger and anyone else within Wildcat Country that believes CBB is a nice guy. He's not, and he isn't really a fan to boot. He took this job for selfish reasons and hoped that he could pull a sneaky downgrade in hopes that we would fall for his 'nice guy' persona while he enjoyed a pay increase, cheaper cost of living, NFL athletes and ranked squad going into the season. Not to mention drastically better facilities. The athletics department needs to cut bait as soon as possible. We can more than make up the buyout by hiring someone who is legitimately qualified for this job. Just look at Indiana's coach. He has them knocking on the top ten in year one. The runway's shorter (NIL and the portal), so a great coach can come in and in less than two years can build this program back to where it needs to be. Like some have said, if CBB was really fan that he has put himself out to be, then he would look out for the needs of the program FIRST (including negotiating a lower buyout or waiving it altogether) and recognize this job opportunity was never a good fit.

[Carcassdragger]

How many more games do we win this year? I see 1 to 2 possible wins. ASU will eat our lunch too

Arizona under its season total was easy money and I wasnt nearly as high on the team as most but I am borderline shocked with how poor everything has been. Have been trying to put off coming to any conclusions but wow.

Edit to add: first thing BB needs to do imo is find himself a legit up and comer of an OC. Worry that he is too nice a guy to make tough decisions but we will see I guess.

I really miss Spiff. He was a voice of reason and logic in a world of chaos. He would use his legal powers and his sports knowledge and together they made a nice little Gerber Wildcat baby. I used to tell him my pet theories, he would gently mock them and embrace his own. It was a beautiful relationship.

In honor of Spiff, I'm going to speak on his behalf and offer my own version of what he say about Brennan and his tenure up to this point. In law school, the first thing you learn in contracts is that there are three main parts of a legal agreement: offer, acceptance and consideration. The problem with Arizona Football is two fold. Heeke should have never offered CBB, and Brennan should have never accepted. Regardless of how high the stakes were surrounding the coaching search after Fisch left, there are far too many qualified assistants at the high major and mid major level to wax nostalgic and take a flyer on someone who has limited ties with AZ football.

For all the talk about loyalty and 'OKG's,' Brennan was only here for a year as a GA. Brennan Carroll has more ties than Brennan based on that logic. Also, all of the coaches that made a significant mark on our athletics program came from backgrounds with no connections with our school and fanbase. I actually prefer it that way, forget the hoopla and just focus on the task at hand.

I disagree with Winger and anyone else within Wildcat Country that believes CBB is a nice guy. He's not, and he isn't really a fan to boot. He took this job for selfish reasons and hoped that he could pull a sneaky downgrade in hopes that we would fall for his 'nice guy' persona while he enjoyed a pay increase, cheaper cost of living, NFL athletes and ranked squad going into the season. Not to mention drastically better facilities. The athletics department needs to cut bait as soon as possible. We can more than make up the buyout by hiring someone who is legitimately qualified for this job. Just look at Indiana's coach. He has them knocking on the top ten in year one. The runway's shorter (NIL and the portal), so a great coach can come in and in less than two years can build this program back to where it needs to be. Like some have said, if CBB was really fan that he has put himself out to be, then he would look out for the needs of the program FIRST (including negotiating a lower buyout or waiving it altogether) and recognize this job opportunity was never a good fit.

From what I can see, CBB made one big mistake: hiring his buddy Babers as OC. Week after week, this offense is getting progressively worse and Noah is repeating the same practice of holding onto the ball and sure appears to not be getting the coaching he needs and deserves. Meanwhile, CBBs program is sinking.

The way I see this shaking out is, at the end of the year, the offensive staff will be gone. That, and this year's crappy play will result in failure to get any recruiting momentum.

Next year we'll have overall less and younger talent, but better coaching, resulting in about the same lack of success as this year.

By year three it'll be too late and CBB will be fired at the end of the season.

It's too bad because I see CBB as having a good chance of succeeding if he hadn't hired such ineptness to oversee the offense.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Lev didn't pull many punches:

"It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Brent Brennan was supposed to take the baton from Jedd Fisch and keep the resurgent UA program humming." "It can’t be sugarcoated: Brennan’s tenure has been a borderline disaster so far." "The roster lost several key pieces and lacked depth but had plenty of returning starters and top-end talent not seen at Arizona in decades."

https://tucson.com/sports/subscriber/ar ... 5bb0d.html

When a very knowledgeable, and by all accounts nice-guy, local writer makes those kinds of comments 7 games into a coaching tenure, it's probably advisable for some serious coaching self-assessment beyond any smiling dismissiveness of what may be viewed as unreasonably impatient fans.

[CalStateTempe]

CBB is a hack

[ChooChooCat]

The relationship between Brennan and the fans at this point is so strained that it doesn't even matter who he hires as OC next year. This tenure is fucked and if there's any way it can happen he needs to be let go after the end of this season.

[Chicat]

After the first loss when Brennan said that it starts with him and he needs to be better I thought it was great he took responsibility.

Now that he’s said the same exact thing after every loss I just think shut the fuck up. Talk is cheap and if you’re not going back it up with action and get better then just shut the fuck up. I don’t need to see that dopey look on your face you think looks sufficiently responsible while you talk about how you let the fans down. No shit Sherlock. Shut up and get better.

[CalStateTempe]

I should’ve become a college fb head coach with how generous these guys are payed for being mediocre

[Merkin]

I should’ve become a college fb head coach with how generous these guys are payed for being mediocre

A&M paid Jimbo Fisher $77.5M when they fired him. This after they paid Sumlin $10M to fire him which is what CBB will get if fired.

[azcat49]

The relationship between Brennan and the fans at this point is so strained that it doesn't even matter who he hires as OC next year. This tenure is fucked and if there's any way it can happen he needs to be let go after the end of this season.

And who in leadership pulls this trigger. Our Lady AD seems to have as much negativity as Brennan and our new school president has never resided over a football program of any kind, much less a P4 program.

I think the whole department is the Titanic. You think it could never sink but it has hit an iceberg and things are looking bleak

[Merkin]

Seems to me that DRF and Dr. Garimella have only one mission.

Balance the budgets, both the schools and the AD.

Paying $10M to CBB to get rid of him, then hiring a new coach at $5M+ will really test that.

Whoever the donors were that talked to CBB outside of the stadium before the game has to have her ear.

https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/s ... 685971007/

She’ll take over an athletic department at a school in financial turmoil. In recent years, the university has loaned the athletic department $86 million, which university president Robert Robbins has publicly acknowledged might not get paid back. In the 2023 fiscal year, the Arizona athletic department overspent by $32 million.

Reed-Francois likely won’t have to make head-coaching hires in the major-revenue sports — football coach Brent Brennan was hired last month and successful men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd inked a five-year extension on Monday — but she’ll have other, more significant challenges to navigate.

“I haven’t met very many athletic departments that say, ‘Hey, we’ve got so much money we don’t know what to do with it,'” she said. “This is not a problem that’s incredibly unique, but what we have to do is just be very diligent in our approach and very thoughtful. Let’s listen and let’s learn and let’s analyze, put together the best plan and move forward.”

[azgreg]

Money to fire Brennan won't come from the school.

[CatsbyAZ]

It is a shocker, and even with the coaching turnover, the available personnel shouldn't be this bad. It's tough when the line doesn't block, but there's no reason they shouldn't be able to, and also no reason Fifita holds it so long.

Again, nothing went well to start the game, which is happening more than once. Arizona lost the opening act of the game because of the OL (quickly falling down (14-0) and lost the rest of the game (Colorado outscoring UA 20-7 the rest of the way) because everything else went into the tank - defense giving up 3rd downs, no running game, downfield passing going cold.

Aside from the dud of a game, everything else about my weekend back in Tucson went well. Attended a big alumni event on Friday with my brother. Caught up with college friends. Saturday's pregame events at Maingate Square and on the Mall were fantastic. Huge showing from Wildcat fans filling the stadium. Weather was gorgeous.

[Merkin]

Two people I really felt sorry for their pathetic play, Holman, for not falling on that onside kick when he was right there, and this guy.

[UAEebs86]

Is that bad?

[Merkin]

Is that bad?

If there was a negative PFF, it would be him.

[TheCatInTheHat]

It is a shocker, and even with the coaching turnover, the available personnel shouldn't be this bad. It's tough when the line doesn't block, but there's no reason they shouldn't be able to, and also no reason Fifita holds it so long.

Again, nothing went well to start the game, which is happening more than once. Arizona lost the opening act of the game because of the OL (quickly falling down (14-0) and lost the rest of the game (Colorado outscoring UA 20-7 the rest of the way) because everything else went into the tank - defense giving up 3rd downs, no running game, downfield passing going cold.

Aside from the dud of a game, everything else about my weekend back in Tucson went well. Attended a big alumni event on Friday with my brother. Caught up with college friends. Saturday's pregame events at Maingate Square and on the Mall were fantastic. Huge showing from Wildcat fans filling the stadium. Weather was gorgeous.

I came in for the dud of a TT game, so it doesn't look like there's a team on our schedule that's a safe bet for a competitive game, much less a win. In my case, I had the misfortune on the return flight of being in the vicinity of a group who purported to be some of CBB's UCLA bros, who apparently flew in to celebrate the reflected glory of his high-profile job. (I wasn't spying; they were loud.) At least one of them even claimed to have wangled a field pass. Obviously, I was mostly annoyed by the loss, but that added to it, and it didn't particularly add to my confidence regarding a commitment to win now. Considering how the players are performing, it seems like we may have incredibly already reached that point that we have so much unfortunate experience with: where you start to wonder if he's lost the team. And I'm not remotely interested in some Tomey-esque players-only meeting or commitment to beat ASU as some panacea; ASU feels about like SDSU to me now. It was never unreasonable for this Arizona team to win 7 or 8 games as a Big XII member and win a minor bowl game, and that shouldn't be an unreasonable expectation most of the time.

[TheCat]

The plays just seem very, very slow developing. That is just to my very untrained eye.

Absolutely right and holding the ball way to long because there not enough short routes to get the ball out of Noah's hand quick enough.

[gronk4heisman]

Everything that Brennan has brought to this team other than the roster he was able to keep intact has been mid major, from the strength and conditioning staff up. He has a low mid major mindset and I am not sure he can shake that.

[azgreg]

[UAEebs86]

[CalStateTempe]

Omg lame

[dmjcat]

Two people I really felt sorry for their pathetic play, Holman, for not falling on that onside kick when he was right there, and this guy.

This fellow, Wooten, is a microcosm of the teams issues this year.

Brennan is getting WAY too much blame for a simple lack of talent. With all of the injuries on defense, coupled with all of the folks who NIL'd out of the program when Fisch left for greener pastures, the UA football team has been decimated. We now have 2 starters left on defense from last year, and 6 on offense. 14/22 of last years starters (63.6%) are gone, and they were NOT replaced with anywhere near the talent that we had last year.

At offensive LT we lost a high NFL draft pick (Jordan Morgan) and replaced him with a guy that could not pass block (and now he's out for the year). We also don't have a competent pass blocking right guard. Bottom line, Fifita has spent the year running for his life where last year he had all day to throw.

When Fifita does get time to throw 2/3rds of his NFL level receivers (TannerMc and Cowing) are gone. The one thats left (TMAC) is getting double and triple coverage. Nobody else in this receiving corps can consistently get separation. The result, Fifita is getting sacked and hurried and even if he does get time there is nobody open.

I don't see that there is anything short term that Brennan can realistically do. Wooten, who is even worse than RhinoT, is going to get Fifita killed sooner or later. Fifita doesn't have time to throw and the receivers he has can't get open.

[Chicat]

Then you slant and screen pass teams to death to get the ball out quick and neutralize the rush. Then that opens things up down field later because teams will blitz less to keep their linebackers home and Noah & TMac should have more time for those longer developing routes.

In other words, take what the defense gives you. Pounding a square peg into a round hole drive after drive is definitely not working.

[CalStateTempe]

Tomey ball from the GA. Not surprising

[Carcassdragger]

Not one question in today's presser about Noah having the longest time to release in the nation, or whether Breenan recognizes this and plans to address it.

Sheesh.

[ChooChooCat]

The relationship between Brennan and the fans at this point is so strained that it doesn't even matter who he hires as OC next year. This tenure is fucked and if there's any way it can happen he needs to be let go after the end of this season.

And who in leadership pulls this trigger. Our Lady AD seems to have as much negativity as Brennan and our new school president has never resided over a football program of any kind, much less a P4 program.

I think the whole department is the Titanic. You think it could never sink but it has hit an iceberg and things are looking bleak

It'll come down to the boosters. Our Lady AD could truly give a shit less about Brennan, it wasn't her hire, but she can't use AD funds to let him go, not for how much it costs to fire him. I doubt it happens, we don't have enough football boosters or boosters who care enough to pay as much as it would take to fire him and hire a new guy.

[pc in NM]

The relationship between Brennan and the fans at this point is so strained that it doesn't even matter who he hires as OC next year. This tenure is fucked and if there's any way it can happen he needs to be let go after the end of this season.

And who in leadership pulls this trigger. Our Lady AD seems to have as much negativity as Brennan and our new school president has never resided over a football program of any kind, much less a P4 program.

I think the whole department is the Titanic. You think it could never sink but it has hit an iceberg and things are looking bleak

It'll come down to the boosters. Our Lady AD could truly give a shit less about Brennan, it wasn't her hire, but she can't use AD funds to let him go, not for how much it costs to fire him. I doubt it happens, we don't have enough football boosters or boosters who care enough to pay as much as it would take to fire him and hire a new guy.

And, I believe her #1 priority is fixing the deficit...

[Merkin]

I imagine the same with the campus president who came from an university with no football program. And like Robbins said, the loan the university lent the athletic department may not ever get paid back.

UA deficit down to $65M https://www.kold.com/2024/09/06/univers ... al-crisis/

[Postmaster]

I took the "Tomey era hire" more as trying to hire someone with honor and integrity. Not necessarily the style of football.