A few days after Arizona’s loss to BYU, the biggest questions still circle back to Brent Brennan’s choices and whether the Wildcats are already showing some real limitations.
The decision-making on Saturday is what keeps sticking. Brennan explained afterward that he trusted the defense with field position on one call and said he trusted Noah on the other.
Those explanations do not really line up. If the defense is the bet, then the first easy field goal should be automatic and you live with the possibility that the defense gets a stop.
On the second call, with eight minutes left, the logic is the same: take the points, pin BYU back, and trust the defense to get the ball back with a chance to win.
This is where the philosophy matters. Playing to win is different from playing not to lose, and Saturday felt like the latter.
Oregon State’s decision against Texas Tech was the kind of example that stands out: with about 10 minutes left and up 24-21, JaMarcus Shephard chose to take a five-yard penalty and punt from the Oregon State 38 on 4th and 1. Texas Tech scored on the next drive and the game was essentially over.
Coaches who attack the moment tend to get rewarded more often than coaches who play conservatively, and Brennan’s approach Saturday came off as cautious rather than aggressive.
Arizona’s receiver situation is another major concern, especially if Giovanni Richardson is out. More clarity should come by the time this is printed, but losing Richardson would be a massive blow because he is clearly Arizona’s top target and not by a small margin. Seth Doege’s preseason comment that Richardson could catch 90 passes sounded outrageous at the time, but Richardson was on pace for even more than that before getting hurt.
Behind him, the options have not been good enough. Tre Spivey can deliver one highlight play a game, but he has not consistently separated.
Chris Hunter has carried more reputation than production and has been invisible through the first two games. DJ Jordan and Jordan Ross were added in the offseason, yet neither has broken into the rotation.
Rodney Gallagher had a strong camp and filled in well for Richardson against BYU, but he is still not Richardson.
That makes this week a good chance to get Caleb Smith, RJ Mosley, Isaiah Mizell, and Brandon Phelps more work than they have seen so far. Northern Illinois is not a strong opponent, so the game may not tell Arizona much in the long run, but the Wildcats need a better look at what they actually have. What they’ve done in the first two games has not worked.
The offensive line still deserves a little more time before the verdict gets too harsh. BYU’s defense and the road environment make that a tougher test to judge.
Rhino Tapa’atoutai and Matthew Lado were bad, and Tristan Bounds was not much better, but that matchup may end up being one of Arizona’s toughest all season. Texas Tech is the only other game that seems to belong in that conversation.
The line may not be a liability moving forward, but it needs to become more than average, and that depends heavily on Rhino and Lado improving.
The backfield looks deeper and should produce more often than not, but BYU exposed one weakness: there may not be a true game-breaker in the group. Kedrick Reescano can grind out yards with his strength, and Quincy Craig is solid, but none of the backs feels like the kind who can take over a game.
Antwan Roberts not getting a touch was surprising. In a perfect world, Ismail Mahdi returns this weekend, the hearing in a week goes his way, and he is available for the rest of the season.
Arizona should be able to survive with its current run game, but it would not be a shock if that unit struggles against better teams.
As for the defense, there is reason not to panic. Noah Fifita’s interception put BYU inside Arizona’s 10-yard line, and if that play is removed, the Wildcats held the Cougars to 21 points.
In college football, that should be enough to win. The offense never answered in the second half, never found rhythm, and never gave the defense any support.
Yardage can make for a nice talking point, but points are what decide games.
In Other News...
Arizona Faces One Big Test Even In A Lopsided Matchup
Arizona enters its upcoming game against Northern Illinois with the kind of spread that usually turns a matchup into more of a checklist than a contest. The Wildcats are expected to handle a Huskies team that has had real trouble getting anything going offensively, while Arizona is trying to reset after a stretch in which it has not covered the spread in recent games. The broadcast will be on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Even with the wide margin on paper, this is still the kind of game that can sharpen the attention of a coaching staff looking for cleaner execution. Arizona cannot afford a sleepy outing against an opponent that will be trying to make the game awkward and keep the score from getting out of hand, and the betting line reflects just how much separation there is supposed to be. The bigger question is whether the Wildcats can turn that advantage into the sort of complete performance that has been elusive lately. [Read more 🡒]