There has been no letdown by the Arizona football team in practice this week.
At least so far.
Coaches were adamant following the 70-0 victory over Idaho in the season opener last week that the players could not get too hyped about that success with Toledo coming into town for a game Saturday.
“They expect a lot more out of themselves and they believe they can do a hell of a lot more than we have and that is what we are attempting to do,” UA coach Mike Stoops said after practice Wednesday.
“We have really been focused. We’ve done a lot of good things. Hopefully that will continue to accumulate and help us win.”
In past years, UA has often been too high after a win or too low after a defeat.
Consistency has been a major issue.
“We have to move on and realize that was one game. I think we have to get better at that,” UA offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes said.
“I think last year when we stunk it up so bad against BYU, it took two or three weeks to get over that. We have to make sure it doesn’t take two or three weeks to get over this.”
Rain-soaked fans
The weather for Tucson at this time of the year is always unpredictable, but the Zona Zoo fans can be counted on for support.
UA students stayed in their seats against Idaho despite warnings to leave the stadium as lightning was in the area.
The students will surely be back to watch the Wildcats take on Toledo.
“I want to thank them. They are crazy,” Stoops said. “That was fun to see and I think our players appreciated the effort. Hopefully we continue to play and keep drawing from that.”
UA and Idaho went back into their locker rooms because of the lightning delay, but almost all of the 9,000 student fans refused to budge.
No TV, still game tape
Saturday’s game won’t be on TV. Neither was last week’s season opener.
Despite that, UA provided Toledo with film of the Idaho game to study. It’s good coaching etiquette.
“Just because we played a game and they didn’t, we gave it to them anyhow,” Stoops said. “That is how it works. It used to be you had to go to the black market to get one.”
Teams traditionally exchange game footage, but in the past if games weren’t on television, it wasn’t a sure bet that game film would be swapped.
“We are who we are, look at us, and this is what we do,” Stoops said of his team.