After 0-2 start, Arizona looks to Southern Utah for first win
The Kevin Sumlin era in Tucson has gotten off to a rocky start, to say the least.
The Wildcats, a team that some college football pundits thought might contend in the Pac-12 South, are 0-2 and coming off a 45-18 rout at Houston.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, Arizona appears to have a team it can finally beat Saturday night in FCS foe Southern Utah (0-2),
8 p.m. today, PAC12N
which lost 48-25 at Oregon State last weekend.
The Wildcats are in no position, though, to take anything for granted, especially with the status of quarterback Khalil Tate up in the air. Tate injured an ankle early in the Houston game and lacked the mobility and speed that is his greatest asset. Tate downplayed the injury this week,
“Things happen,” he said, “a little tweak, a little bruise.”
A lot of bad things have happened to the Wildcats since Sumlin took over for the fired Rich Rodriguez.
“They’re inexperienced at some spots,” Southern Utah coach Demario Warren said. “You can see them making mistakes where in a couple years they won’t be making those errors. But, Kevin Sumlin’s one of those coaches that I’ve always looked up to so I know he’ll get it right.”
After a 28-23 loss at home to BYU, Arizona fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter at Houston and, with Tate hobbling around, there was no chance for a comeback.
Instead of unleashing Tate’s considerable running skills, as Sumlin had promised, the quarterback became a largely immobile passer.
“That happened early in the game, so the game plan changed on the fly,” Sumlin said. “The mobility of Khalil is his strength. What we want to do, what we try to do, is play to our players’ strength, as we learn this team.”
Arizona’s stumbling offense, even if Tate is slowed, might get its ground game going against the Thunderbirds. Oregon State freshman Jermar Jefferson rushed for 238 yards and four touchdowns in the victory and praised the wide-open holes his line blew open.
That’s something the Wildcats’ offensive front has yet to do very often as tackle Layth Friekh returns from a two-game suspension.
“It’s a work in progress,” Sumlin said of the offensive line. “I think getting Layth back this week will help us.”