It is finally game day after months of waiting. Arizona is set to open its season against No. 20 USC at home Saturday afternoon after having last week's game against Utah canceled. It feels like a minor victory to even make it to kickoff, but once that feeling subsides the Wildcats have quite the task on their hands in the first game of the season.
The Trojans narrowly escaped with a one-point win last week against Arizona State and didn't quite look like the heavy preseason favorite to win the South Division. Arizona has been picked to finish last in the conference, but this season has already been filled with twists and turns so you can't rule any team out from winning games this season.
To fill you and and get you ready for Arizona's first matchup of the year, GOAZCATS.com senior editor Matt Moreno is back to answer subscriber questions ahead of Saturday's kickoff.
What new wrinkles might we expect on offense this year given the limitations of Tate's game are gone and Mazzone has his system and QB in place?
The first thing to look at is how much the the team is going to pass the ball and what types of passes will lead the way. We were able to get a glimpse of that last season when Grant Gunnell was in the game as offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone had a more controlled approach with his freshman signal caller in the game. Expect plenty of safe passes that limit the chances for mistakes. The Wildcats have an impressive receiver group that can do a lot of the heavy lifting for Gunnell as long as he can simply get them the ball. There are likely to be fewer deep balls thrown, but I'd still expect the Wildcats to look for explosive plays down the field when the timing and situation is right. Naturally, there will be a lot fewer designed quarterback runs, but don't write that element of the game off completely.
As far as specific packages, I do think there will be more two-tight end looks this season and also plenty of moments when there are four receivers on the field. The one big mystery will be how much balance there will be between the run game and passing game. UA has to be able to take advantage of its talent at the running back position, so that is something we will just have to see play out once game time rolls around.
Now that you see the depth chart and the fact that we have very few Rich Rodriguez holdovers playing, do you see what appears to be better talent and if you do, at what spots specifically?
I don't think it's quite to that point yet, but if there are a couple positions where this staff has been able to make upgrades they are outside receiver and defensive line. This might be the most depth the Wildcats have had up front defensively in my time covering the team for nearly a decade. I like what the additions of Roy Lopez and Aaron Blackwell bring plus the addition of Kyon Barrs to the starting group is one that cannot be overlooked. There are players such as Trevon Mason and Myles Tapusoa who could be starting for other teams that UA will have as reserves. It's a big deal and something that should factor into the season with the Wildcats still unsure of what to expect at linebacker this year.
The outside receiver spot has been a big priority for Kevin Sumlin and his staff since they arrived. They have made sure to upgrade that position and there are a lot of options there led by Boobie Curry who has a chance to be a game changer now into his second season. Throw into that freshmen like Ma'jon Wright and Dyelan Miller and it is a stronger group than UA has had in previous years from top to bottom.
What will the reps at RB look like? Wiley's attention seems to indicate that he's just as effective, if not more, than Brightwell.
At this point I'd expect Gary Brightwell to receive the bulk of the carries, but the other members of the group will certainly have a chance to impact the game. When it comes to Michael Wiley it will be best to look at his numbers in terms of touches rather than just carries. He is going to be used quite a bit, but that could also mean catch passes in addition to running the ball. I do think both have a great chance to impact the game equally this Saturday because both have been focal points of the offense heading into the first contest of the season.
The drop off from the first to second and subsequent levels of the depth chart isn't a big one, so I'd expect all four of the scholarship players to get a decent amount of time on the field. Still, Brightwell is the player the team is going to lean on most at the position.
What goals does the defense as a whole want to accomplish?
The first thing is something that new defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads has discussed at ton already since his arrival – tackling. Arizona wants to conquer that key component of the game first and foremost. While it might seem basic to think of that as been part of the game plan it has not been Arizona's strong suit in many years. So, having that as a goal is important for what could happen with the rest of the game plan.
The feeling is that if the Wildcats can be effective tacklers the rest will fall into place.
Causing disruption will seem to be the biggest change under Rhoads this season. From the sounds of it the Wildcats have plans of being more aggressive than we are used to seeing from an Arizona defense and that is another positive. Whenever the Wildcats were able to play more aggressively and dial up some pressure it worked well under previous coaching staffs.
It didn't happen often enough to truly make a major impact, but that is likely changing even with all the depth issues the Wildcats have on defense this season.
How does the shortened season affect the redshirt rule?
The good news for coaches this season is that eligibility is not impacted at all this year. In essence, players are receiving a free redshirt year that won't count against them in any way. If a freshman plays the entire season he could still have a redshirt year because of the COVID-19 rules that have gone into place for the NCAA. Just as seniors will have an opportunity to return next season, freshmen get a free year to see the field without any impact to their eligibility. There will be no maximum number of games allowed to keep a redshirt this season.
So, the on-field impact of that is you likely see plenty of new faces for the Wildcats this season as the staff likes its freshman group and several of them should get in the games. We'll see how many that will be Saturday, but expect there to be more than just a few newcomers playing against USC.
We've seen shocking and bizarre results across every conference this year. What are the odds UA pulls off the Pac-12 shocker of the week and wins?
Right now I'll put it at about 30 percent, but there are plenty of people who will still think that's too high. I know Arizona feels more confident about its task after watching USC play Arizona State last week. The Trojans did not look like a team that is ready to win the Pac-12 this year and that is a positive thing for Arizona. This season has brought plenty of unusual games and results, and that is something the Arizona players have focused on heading into the season.
It is as difficult of a year to predict games as any, but the Wildcats will certainly have to play well to make that a reality. There is still a talent gap between the two teams that UA needs to overcome to earn a victory, but I don't think it's as unlikely as it was a week ago that the Wildcats could win Saturday's game.
What do you feel are the biggest keys that will swing the outcome Saturday?
There are a few key battles to watch starting with Arizona's secondary versus USC's receiver group and Arizona's running back unit versus USC's front seven. If Arizona is able to run the ball effectively against USC, like ASU was able to do, that could be the edge the Wildcats need to gain some momentum in the game and earn the victory. Arizona's running back group is impressive and has plenty of depth to stay fresh throughout the game. The Trojans did not look good agains the run last week and if that continues Arizona will be in a good position.
Arizona has strong cornerbacks but there is uncertainty at the safety spots after a wave of departures this offseason. The group is going to be tested against a talented and deep receiver group for USC. The positive is that UA defensive backs coach Greg Burns was at USC last season and should have some insight into how to slow down that unit.
Other than that, Arizona has to find a way to win the turnover battle. The Wildcats simply aren't talented enough to win the game by trying to go toe to toe with the Trojans in my opinion. They have to gain an edge some way and that will be through turnovers. Special teams will be a key part of that equation and if UA can find a way to create a special teams turnover or find a way to do so defensively its chances of winning the game will increase quite a bit.
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