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Steve Rivera Ventures

Where does Arizona football go from here? Does anyone know?

by on Oct. 08, 2011, under Sports

Now what?

That’s the question the University of Arizona football team – coaches, included – should be asking themselves.

It’s a question that could have been asked in any of the past couple of weeks as Arizona continued to reel from defeat after defeat after defeat after defeat.

Get the picture? It isn’t pretty.

That’s the case more so now after – yes, another defeat – as winless Oregon State defeated Arizona 37-27 on Saturday afternoon at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. Figure that OSU snapped a six-game losing streak in winning for the first time this season. (1-4)

In short, Arizona coach Mike Stoops called it “a tough day.”

Arizona is now 1-5 overall (0-4 in the Pac-12 Conference) and on a 10-game losing streak to FBS schools. Just this week, Stoops called it a “big game in a lot of ways” and a “desperate situation” to win.

OSU played like its life depended on the win; Arizona didn’t.

Maybe Arizona’s last-ditch second half attempt at a comeback – 21 unanswered points to make it 30-27 midway through the fourth quarter – was just a tease, or a noble effort to save face and ease some pressure on all parties.  Figure this, however, Arizona has now been down at least 22 or more points in each of the last five games.

“It’s a 60-minute game and not a 30-minute game (and) the sooner we realize that the better off we will be,” Stoops said, responding to Arizona’s late comeback.

One thing is certain: Arizona can no longer make the excuse of the toughest part of the schedule being gone after losing the first four games against three top 10 teams (Oklahoma State, Stanford and Oregon) and a blue-blood program in Southern California. On Saturday, Arizona went into the game facing a Beavers team that started the season losing to Sacramento State. Arizona went into the game a two-point favorite.

To read more visit FoxSportsArizona.com.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 at 6:10 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • http://none Jim Bodkins

    I have posted this before - 
     
    UofA – since 2008 has had recruiting classed in the 30′s, one 45, one under 45. It is clear that for whatever reason, coach Stoops cant recruit and we are watching his recruiting classes perform to spec. I have nothing against coach Stoops. His best recruiting class since 2008 is next year at 23 – this according to rivals.yahoo.com.
     
    Mr. Byrne has plans. He is spending folding money to achieve his goals. My opinion is the UofA wont meet his goals until they have consistent recruiting classes from 15 to 20 with one or two 5 stars. That will require a special coach – who can recruit.
     
    What has been happening of late has nothing to do with recruiting in my opinion (in terms of successes). Its transfers – specifically Folles (sp). Folles has made the team look better than it actually is for years. He has made the receiving corp look better than it is for years. And Folles has benched coach Stoops QB recruits. Coach Stoops is fortunate to have Folles.
     
    The question is – what will the team be like without Folles?  Who is the heir apparent? Freshman QB next year? Oh my.
     

  • http://none Jim Bodkins

    As a note there is one other issue. And that is local billionaire car dealers picking coaches for the UofA.
     
    One of two things will happen:
     
    1) Local car dealer will not back off and Byrne will leave sooner rather than later to a marquee institution or
     
    2) Local car dealer will either play nice or be checked and Byrne will be allowed to do the job he was brought in to do.
     
    The next 12 months could be bloody – administratively.

  • JSteven

    It really is time for the U of A Athletic Director to do the right thing, which is cut our losses, pay off Stoops,  sending  him and his whole staff down the road. Come on, face it, Stoops is not first class material like Sean Miller and the Basketball program. Arizona needs to “bite the Bullet” and pay for a top notch, big name, well known winner. If not Arizona football will continue to flounder and struggle along as the joke of the PAC.

  • JSteven

    Watch Stoops on the sidelines during a game and see if he exudes the professional, statesman like appearance and demeanor we all want to represent Arizona Athletics. NO WAY !!!!!

  • Carlos J. M.

    Jim, my friend, you don’t seem to think Byrne can do what Livengood couldn’t.  That being looking a gift horse in the mouth, piveting and going ahead with what’s best for the program.  We shall see.

  • Carlos J. M.

    Steve R., don’t want to get you in trouble, but care to  share with us your short list, if possible?  Scalfo has got to be retained as OC.  Might it be time to give him a chance at HC? 

  • Freedom

    A previous poster hit the proverbial nail on the head-he can’t recruit. Also, if it is true that the local millionaire car dealer really puts that kind of pressure on picking a head coach, well then, we get what we deserve.

  • mojo

    I think there’s a connection between Stoops’ sideline antics and his inability to attract top shelf recruits and top shelf coaches. Who would want to put up with that crap?
     
    Time to go, Mike. Thanks for the memories.

  • Santo Domingo

    Retain Foles? I like Nic Foles but I could not in good concious keep a quarterback as my starter who has lost 10 out of 11 games regardless on how great the teams were. No one seems to mention the triple threat quarterback Matt Scott. Come on 10 of 11 games we’ve lost! Who are you fooling? Yes, Stoops acts like a spoiled kid on the sidelines but he doesn’t throw, catch, kick, block or run the ball. I say hire Rich Rodriquez give him 4 not 3 years to turn this around. Look at his players now in Michigan. This guy can recruit and coach and he’s a class act.

    • Mark B. Evans

      Oh, c’mon. Foles doesn’t play defense, he just scores over and over again to try to keep his team in the game after the defense lets the other team build a huge lead The day he graduates he will go in the books as the greatest quarterback in Arizona history.

  • catlady4

    Yes, it’s time for Stoops to go. We should have gotten rid of him last season. Our kicking players is a mess. I thought that JC transfer was supposed to be good. He is as bad as Alex. Our so call trainers really need to go. There is no excuse for all of our pre season injuries. We really should have not had all the knee injuries that we have had. In my view it’s the trainers fault by not having the players ready or the player’s them selves did not warm up properly. We will be doing good if we win another 2 games. Greg, the U of A fans expected better from our coaching staff. It is time for Mike Stoops to go.

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