NCAA Football
Bowl or bust for Arizona’s Mike Stoops
Four years, 17-29 record, no bowl games: Yeah, you could say this year is the last chance for Arizona coach Mike Stoops.
Last year, the Wildcats were 5-7 and 4-5 in the Pac-10. Stoops came to Tucson with a rep as a defensive guru much like his brother Bob. But yet again the defensive was average at best: the ’Cats were sixth in the Pac-10 against the run, fifth in pass efficiency defense, fifth in yards allowed, seventh in points allowed and seventh in sacks and tackles for loss.
And worse, with possible bowl appearances on the line the last two seasons, Arizona has lost to archrival Arizona State – which suddenly looks like a national player under Dennis Erickson.
The Wildcats have to make an overhaul on defense this year, which maybe isn’t such a bad thing. Only three starters return from a unit that lost everybody up front and its pair of four-year starting corners, including 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner Antoine Cason.
“Defensively we are just going to have to fight and play awfully hard, be prepared, and try to create some opportunities from all levels,” Stoops said. “We are going to have to be creative, but that’s OK.”
The offense has potential, however, as many are calling the Wildcats the Pac-10’s version of Texas Tech under former Red Raiders coordinator Sonny Dykes, now in his second season at Arizona.
Using a spread offense, Willie Tuitama threw for 3,683 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdowns last year. UA threw on average 44 passes to 27 runs, which improved production by about 130 yards and 11.5 points per game from 2006.
Tuitama says he feels more comfortable in the offense this year, and he threw for 231 yards (20-for-36) and a TD in the spring game.
When asked how much he felt he has improved since last year Tuitama said, “eight times. … We’re not trying to overdo ourselves but we’re still making plays; that’s how this offense works is that you don’t have to do every little thing.”
“We probably have the strongest nucleus of players – obviously offensively – that we’ve ever had. This is probably, far and away, the most firepower we’ve ever had. We’ve got playmakers and a solid line,” Stoops added.
Arizona’s schedule certainly is favorable: non-conference games against Idaho, Toledo and New Mexico should mean a 3-0 start heading in to conference play.
“It hasn’t been easy trying to turn this thing around. We’ve had some challenges, which you’re going to have, but I think our kids are really in a good place right now,” Stoops said.
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