Arizona dropped its second straight game on Saturday after falling to BYU 41-19. It was another game where the Wildcats scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the game before struggling to adjust the rest of the afternoon.

The defense for Arizona that was already depleted and lost Jacob Manu in the opening minutes of the game due to a targeting call held their own in the first half before BYU blew the game open in the second half.

The Wildcats will welcome Colorado to Tucson on Saturday who is coming off a heartbreaking loss at home to Kansas State this past weekend. Travis Hunter missed most of the game due to a shoulder injury, so that will be something to monitor throughout the week.

Here is what coach Brent Brennan had to say during Monday's press conference.

Opening statement:

"We're obviously coming off a frustrating day in Provo. Give a ton of credit to coach Sitake and that team and his coaching staff. They've got a good football team and unfortunately we didn't play well enough to win. We're hard at work fixing those things, whatever they are schematically or with our personnel. We had a good practice today and I'm excited about this week. I'm excited about this opportunity that is ahead of us, obviously we're playing a really good Colorado team. They're well coached, got good players, have talent everywhere, they play hard and so this is obviously a huge game for us. It's homecoming. We've got 300 football players coming back or football alumni coming back and then obviously all kinds of alumni coming back. It's going to be an incredible atmosphere here for gameday for this game. When you think about all the good stuff that's happening in terms of the support we're getting, the ZonaZoo sold out faster than its ever sold out. I think we have a chance to make Saturday's game a rocking, fun, exciting atmosphere for a hell of a football game."

Q: At the halfway point of the football season, what are some things you think are issues that need to be addressed and what are some things that give you optimism?

Brennan: "The thing I love about this team is that they keep playing. They play hard and they play for each other. I was optimistic about how we were on third down in that last game because that had been not consistently where we wanted it to be. I think we converted 11 of them. I think offensively were doing a good job moving the football, obviously we have to finish those drives to beat anybody good in this conference. You can't kick field goals every time you're down (in the red zone).

Defensively, I think those guys continue to improve. They continue to make adjustments. I love how they kept playing. Genesis (Smith) punching that ball out late. There is a lot of really good stuff on that film. We're focusing on that and we're cleaning up the stuff that's not where we want it to be."

Q: Do you think Noah Fifita is trying to do too much at times?

Brennan: "That's a tough question because all he wants to do is play for the guy's he's out there with. For us, we've got to do a better job of putting him in the right spot all the time. I think we can help him with that and he cares so much. He works so hard. His preparation is more thorough than any other player I've ever been around. We've got to put him in the right spot and give him a chance to make the plays he is capable of making."

Q: That 2nd-and-1 sequence where you had one yard to get on three plays and didn't get. How do you evaluate that?

Brennan: "We thought that we didn't block it. We got beat at the point of attack a couple of times which was disappointing. I think also for us because they were standing with nine guys on the line of scrimmage and blocking nine people is hard, I think that's something we can come up with a little bit more variation out of that formation because it's been a good formation for us this year."

Q: Halfway through the season, what would you say is this team's identity?

Brennan: "I think in some ways, we're still finding that. I think when you turn on the tape, we play hard which I love. I think if you don't have that, you're dead so I like where we're at in terms of our effort. I think right now that that's what we have to hang our hat on."

Q: It has happened a couple of weeks now where the first drive is really efficient, you march down the field and score a touchdown and then the wheels fall off after that. Why do you think you guys are struggling after that initial first drive.

Brennan: "I think that has more to do with that space we've struggled in inside the plus-30 and going in because we only punted one time in that game. We had 25 first downs, so we had good production offensively. I think that's the thing as a staff we're working on is what's our best stuff when we get into that spot in the field."

Q: How impressed are you with Travis Hunter and what he is able to do on both sides of the field?

Brennan: "I've been impressed with him for years now. I think his impact of the game and his ability to impact both sides of the ball is incredible. I think that's one of those challenges when you're playing this team is that you know he is on the field."

Q: How much does your play-calling change once you get into the red area?

Brennan: "I think the thing that changes it a little bit is that you're capped vertically, so any type of route concept where you're trying to control safeties or people on the third level can be a little bit more challenging because they're not worried about someone running by them for a 60-yard run or ball. It definitley changes a bit. I think not so much the 30, but I also think a lot of defenses will change once you get into that red zone. They'll play things a little differently."

Q: We saw some RPO that Noah had the nice run. Is that something you want to see more of or is it just dependent on the game plan?

Brennan: "It depends. We're just trying to take advantage of how the defense is playing us."

Q: Last year, Fifita's average time to throw was 2.55 seconds. This year, it is over 3 seconds. What does that indicate to you?

Brennan: "I think their are lots of parts to that. I think some of that can be the concepts that we're running. They require a little bit more time to develop. We're focused on trying to get the ball out of his hands because he has taken too many hits. We need to protect him because he's a great player and he's the leader of our team and we need to take better care of him."

Q: How much do you think injuries are impacting your secondary? What did you think about the guys who were able to get in?

Brennan: "I think those guys are fighting their tails off. I think the challenge with some of those guys that aren't available or weren't available last weekend is that they have so many reps and they're team captains and they're leaders and they've seen so much in their careers. I'm excited about how Genesis is playing and Owen (Goss) and I think coach Viney, coach Akina and coach Acre have a done a great job building depth and finding guys that can help us."

Q: After Saturday's game, you talked about how this is the halfway point of the season and it's up to you guys to decide what you do with the rest of the year. What did you follow-up and tell the guys this week and how does that influence the mindset going into this week's game against Colorado?

Brennan: "I think in football, you have to be in one-week seasons. You have to be focused on just this next thing. It doesn't do anything for us to be looking backwards. We have to be mindful about what's ahead and what's coming. For our team, the messaging has been a year ago, this team was 3-3 which is where we sit today. The only difference between those things is how we feel about it because of the expectations going into the season and so now all of a sudden, it feels worse. The good news is we have six opportunities left to play. We have so much football left to play and if we'll just focus on right now and the work that's required to give yourselves a chance to get the outcome you want, that's where we need to be."

Q: What is your message to the fans who are impatient, frustrated, etc.?

Brennan: "I hear you. I'm frustrated too. The reality is no one wants to win games more than I do. I understand, and that's the nature of college football. The truth is we didn't play well enough to win the last two weeks and we have to fix that and it's my job to fix it."

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