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Arizona Wildcats Football

September 4, 2011 by · Comments Off on Arizona Wildcats Football 

Arizona Wildcats FootballArizona Wildcats Football, The Arizona Wildcats defeated the NAU Lumberjacks 41-10 on Saturday night, ending a streak of five straight losses that stretched back to October 2010. Although the game first exposed a few weaknesses of the Wildcats were able to meet in the second half after holding only four points at halftime. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly of the first game in Arizona.

The good:

– Derek Earls and D-line:

Senior linebacker Derek Earls finished with six tackles, including five solo tackles on Saturday. His physical presence, along with a good performance from the defensive ends CJ Arizona parish and Mohammed Usman, helped stop the running game NAU. Usman Parish and each ended with a sack.

– John Bonano:

The kickoff specialist seemed MVP of the first half. He remained the starting position of NAU in its own 20 with six of seven shots touchbacks. He averaged 69.3 yards per kickoff. Some in the ZonaZoo Bonano asked to try, uh, walk kicker with the continuous struggle of kicking game in Arizona.

-Crime:

Quarterback Nick Foles completed 34 of 42 passes, threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns.

After a summer surrounded by mystery, Juron Criner seemed as good football, finishing with six receptions for 151 yards.

Foles was able to run the ball, completing touchdown passes to Criner, Keola Antolin, Gino Crump, Richard Morison and Austin Hill.

Until someone can turn the Foles and their receptors, the passing game will be the surefire way to Arizona to get points on the board.

The bad:

– Penalties: The Wildcats had 10 points for 74 yards and the inexperience of the offensive line showed several false start penalties. UA had six total penalties in the first half alone. Arizona will have to be confident next week when he addresses a hostile Stillwater, Oklahoma, the environment. If the Wildcats want to go 2-0, it will not be able to make the same mistakes they did against NAU.

-Running: We all knew that Arizona offensive threat in the passing game, but the running game was very sad – only one team out of a total of 75 yards. In fact, most of the meters belonged to Ka’Deem Carey did not see action until the fourth quarter.

For comparison, NAU had a team total of 40 yards and Zach Woodman Bauman ran for 99 yards himself.

The ugly:

-Special teams: Just when we thought we could not get worse for the Arizona game kicks did. A wave of botched a field goal and missed an extra point missed were the highlights of Jaime Salazar, who replaced Alex Zendejas kicked in the template. So here are some questions:

1. When did coach Mike leans take a page from USC coach Lane Kiffin and go for two points after every match?

2. Is not it a little embarrassing that the Wildcats went for the fourth-and-11 rather than attempt a field goal?

3. When Arizona fans stop holding my breath every time the Wildcats try a PAT?

-Shaquille Richardson

The second-year cornerback, who is starting for the injured Jonathan McKnight, was picked up throughout the night. He finished as leading tackler in Arizona, but that’s because he went all through the game and especially in the second quarter, when NAU mounted his attempt at a comeback. NAU is Cary Grossart was 16-of-17 for 145 yards in the first half. Richardson was the defense Khalil Paden, when he scored a 12-yard touchdown.

The Wildcats found their rhythm on defense in the second half, but Arizona only after the defense moved to a nickel to help Richardson.

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