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AG's Wildcat Report - Dispatches on the Wildcats, from Anthony Gimino

Arizona Wildcats football: Losing faith

by on Oct. 09, 2011, under Arizona football

Arizona's Kyle Dugandzic had this punt blocked and returned for a touchdown by Oregon State. Photo by Thomas Patterson, Salem Statesman Journal

“Hi, Chris. This is your old buddy, Greg.”

Too soon?

The Arizona Wildcats football team, following a full-of-folly 37-27 loss at Oregon State on Saturday, has lost 10 consecutive games to FBS teams. It’s easy to imagine Greg Byrne checking out that list of coaching possibilities that every athletic director has at the ready and starting to gauge the temperature of certain candidates.

That’s just doing his job.

Who would your first call go to?

Boise State’s Chris Petersen?

Petersen has turned down job-pursuing opportunities at all manner of big-time schools in recent seasons, so it’s not logical he would jump at Arizona. But things change, and he does have a relationship with Byrne (both were at Oregon in the mid-1990s) … so it never hurts to catch up with an old pal, right?

The point is, nobody on the Arizona coaching staff can be feeling safe, and Byrne has to be weighing his options.

With the loss at Oregon State, Mike Stoops just might have crossed a line of no return. Any coach who is into his eighth season with a losing record, on a 10-game losing streak to FBS teams, just doesn’t survive in this hyper-competitive business.

This will not come as a news flash to Stoops.

A close, recent example: Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe, now in his 11th season, went through a nine-game losing streak last season but he still managed to barely keep his record above .500 … and he had the 2006 ACC title to fall back on.

Stoops — while deserving of credit and admiration for pulling the Cats out of the depth of the John Mackovic sludge — doesn’t have any such conference title, any such good will, to fall back on.

His sideline behavior has alienated at least a significant section of the fan base. I see and hear few people lining up to give Stoops the benefit of the doubt through this troubling time.

The Cats have been consistently unprepared, unmotivated, at the start of games this season. They have trailed by double-digits in the first half in each of the past five games. Stoops says he doesn’t have an explanation for the slow starts. If not him, who?

The defense can’t stop anybody, abysmal against the pass and the run. The special teams … well, the less said, the better.

An incredibly difficult schedule in the past year, combined with more than a fair share of injuries, have contributed to the plunge to the bottom. The most ardent Stoops-bashers have to admit that.

But when the Wildcats had a chance to answer their critics with a game at previously winless Oregon State, they did all of the stupid stuff they have been doing against elite teams — and then some. Instead of hitting the accelerator and turning the corner, they stayed the course and skidded off a cliff.

The Oregon State game was supposed to be Arizona’s rescue shot. Get back on the fairway. Try to get to par — 6-6 — for the season.

Now, what’s left?

Ticket sales from here to the end of the season will be non-existent. Who is going to show up for UCLA on a Thursday night? Who wants to be at the season-ender vs. Louisiana-Lafayette? Even with a decent second half of the season, Arizona football will be a tough sell for next year.

When the fan base loses faith, bad things happen to the coach (see, Dick Tomey, 2000).

Stoops is 41-50. He should get a pass on going 6-16 in his first two seasons while cleaning up for Mackovic. But that’s .500 football for the past 5 1/2 seasons.

Time is running out for Stoops to show he can take the program to a higher level, and reasons to believe are few.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 9th, 2011 at 11:14 am and is filed under Arizona football. Tags for this post: . 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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  • Jaime Guttierez

    We have a culture problem at Arizona more than anything.  I believe today we have still a significant and powerful group who think all is well and we need to give this guy more time.  We have a car dealer booster, very much like the Buddy Garrity character on Friday Night Lights, that is just too much involved in our football team.  We need a new group of boosters who understand competition and winning at the highest levels.  Otherwise, might as well keep this guy and suffer.  There have been red flags all over the place.. the real dip in recruiting over the last few years, for instance.  The Stoops name meant something the first few years he was here; now it means nothing.  The Duane Akina fiasco.  They tried to paper over the guy leaving Texas, coming here and then leaving a few days later, but it is obvious he got a load of the Mike Stoops system and bailed.  Akina was lucky to have a job to go back to.  ANYWHERE ELSE in Division I, he would have been gone long ago for his sideline behavior alone.  The Arizona way, the losing way in football, is to give them chance after chance after chance.  Fans, brace yourself because the Arizona way gives him yet another year… for what I don’t know… but don’t be a bit surprised if he is retained.  I’m sure some in the inner circle may even be talking extension.  Then watch the season ticket sales plummet.  Cowabunga, what a mess.  

  • Bret

    Petersen wouldn’t even give the Arizona jog a sniff. We need to be realistic about how attractive the Arizona really is (or isn’t). There is no proven major coach out there who is going to come here to save us. Okay,maybe Mike Leach. After watching Stoops constantly looking unprepared, outschemed, and out of control, I like the idea of going for a head coach of a smaller program over a hot assistant.

  • will copeland

    Cats have been running the Mike Leach program since Sunny Dykes why not run the same program with Mike Leach at the controls. 

  • http://Aol.com Brian

    As long as Jim Click says who is the coach and who isn’t Stoops will stick around and run the program back into the ground where it was and has been most of the time. People write about a ” tough ” first part of the scheduale ? If your going to be an elete program that has to be part of every season. Stoops has anger issues, just ask his ex wife.

  • Jim Keyes

    Have you ever listend to Mike Leach on his daily radio program on Fox radio?  If anyone has – they would never want this guy representing our university.  He is a negative, sour, defensive, and antagonistic guy – who is bitter at  the world.  Ever wonder why no other football program the last two years hasn’t hired him?  He is a  malcontent  - we had John M. once  we dont need another.  Remember when John M was hited  everyone thought – wow this former UT guy coming to us   – this will be great  - but when you did the research on him  he was a  negative, divider and pessimist every where we had been.  Look past the first layer of Mike Leach  and we dont need that attitude here.

  • Jim Keyes

    ….look at Sonny Dykes record at Louisiana Tech – it is atrocious..   we need a young head coach from a smaller program  like Utah State or Cincinnati  etc.  Both these young coaches would be great hires  here – one guy from Cincinnati sure has worked  (S Miller!) 

  • Steve

    I am a diehard Arizona Wildcat football fan! But there are just a few things this year that I am tired of!!I am tired of a predictable offense.  Why do we run Keola Antolin in a critical third down situation with no backfield blocking? It hasn’t worked all year and we still continue to try it.I am tired of the defense that just looks lost most of the time.  Why don’t we blitz the linebackers more? Our linebackers do nothing in pass coverage to help the defensive backs, so why not just blitz them….hey maybe just once their quarterback won’t have all day to throw the ball.I am even tired of the “the World’s first alternative marching band”.  The band’s name and music selection is about as exciting and predictable as our football program.   A little change is needed!  Let’s start with having the band play traditional football cheering music such as “Bear Down, Arizona,” or “Fight, Wildcats, Fight”.   Maybe this will lead to other changes in the program that is drastically needed…

  • Carlos J. M.

    Why not give QB Coach Scalfo a chance as Head Coach, outright, or as Offensive Coordinator in a new (Ricky Hunley’s?) regime?  The guy can coach, develop QBs and recruit.  He seems to have a presser-winning personality, a way with the boosters and would be welcomed in living rooms everywhere.  He knows offense, and I’ve got to believe our Red Zone success-to-failure ratio and general play-calling have got to improve under the Louisianan. 

    Scalfo’s first move should be to hire Ricky Hunley as his Defensive Coordinator.  One hand and one arm tackling attempts — matador D — be gone.  For sure. 

  • Vegasallen®

    Chuck Cecil, in a subtle way threw his name in last week when he stated that he would like come back to Tucson and coach someday.  

  • Vegasallen®

    Btw AG,  kudos to you for writing what the gutless Ryan Finley is so afraid to do.

    • oldwest2

      I totally agree this article was spot on, but handled in a very professional matter. AG stated the facts just as they are and just as they have been for the last 8 years.

  • Bay Cat

    Mike Bellotti, built Oregon, knows Byrne and wants to coach again. Leach is bully and not a Byrne type of hire, too much baggage. Regardless Stoops needs to go.

    • Bret

      Now Bellotti would be interesting, assuming he has enough gas left in the tank to take on a rebuilding project at a program without the financial advantages of Oregon.

  • LaJollaCat21

    I’m not so sure Peterson wouldn’t be interested in Arizona.  If he can recruit to Boise, he should be able to recruit to Tucson, and with the changes in conference affiliation on the horizon, a head coaching position in the soon to be Pac 16 is certainly a coveted head coaching job. Consider the renovation of the stadium and the overall development of the facilities to come very soon.  He would be wise to take a close look.  The future might be very bright in Tucson.

    Whoever it is however, he is going to be challenged by something no other head coach at Arizona has done consistently and successfully–recruit dominating offensive lineman and interior defensive lineman and defensive ends like schools such as LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and a few others do.

    The key to success in college football is a dominating running game–and the ability to stop the run.

    Arizona’s 2 best season’s historically, 1993 and 1998, included defenses that could indeed stop the run, but did not include a roster filled with dominating offensive lineman that prospered in the NFL. and those great seasons were not enough to establish an identity that young recruits could relate their future success to.

    There are only so many of those types of athletes that can turn a program around–Arizona basketball, and even Arizona baseball, and certainly Arizona Softball and Arizona Swimming have all been successful recruiting these true “blue-chippers” that a program needs to compete for a conference, and national title.

    Unfortunately, for Arizona football, those athletes have signed letters of intent with other more highly respected programs.

    Until that changes, expecting anything different is insanity.

    We need the big uglies, a lot of them, and we haven’t been able to get them…

     

  • Mark B. Evans

    RichRod ain’t doing nothin’ these days.

  • Fraser007

    Tell that loud mouth Oakie Click to take a hike.

  • magistrate

    Just the fact that he knew zsndejas was a liability two years ago and never addressed it until this year with a kicker just as bad, tells me he’s just out of touch and crazy. The sooner he’s gone, the better.

  • http://Tucsoncitizen NWCAT

    The last few years both the offensive and defensive coordinators have left the program. It is impossible for a head coach to lose the top two staff members and have continuity in the program two years in a row. It would not work in the business world and it will not work in football.
     Constant key management change equals at least short term failure and confusion. Complete system failure is the next step and it quickly sinks the program.   What made the coordinators leave? Money, Head Coach interaction skills, lack of recognition of their input, blame for all failures,  or the feeling they were part of a  program in decline.  
    On top of everything else, losing game after game effects recruiting. Who wants to come to a school and lose? Yes, you can sell you will play right away, because we are building a new program, but in reality it is not a new program or new regime, unless you count the coordinator revolving door.
    Prior to the OSU game it seemed we have been too harsh on the team, we knew we were playing elite programs in their prime. Losses were not a surprise  Last year it was the reverse, cupcakes were used to rack up wins, high rankings, lofty expectation  and some good competition were beaten, then the bottom fell out.
    I expected the Wildcats to bounce back and beat the Beavers, with a Foles led high octane offensive, it did not happen.     
    Mike Stoops, with no head coaching experience took over a dismal program that no one else wanted. He has done a good job of improving the program, but the flaws in his system are becoming obvious and have snow balled into  a losing streak of epic proportions.  The wheels have fallen off and no one knows how to fix the problem.

  • Native37

    Arizona can not afford to keep Stoops.  Its simply a business matter now. 

    The coaching and recruiting have been unsatisfactory.  Eight years is long enough to make that determination.

    Where was Arizona’s basketball program when Lute arrived?  It only takes a coach.  

    Finally,  have you been to Boise?  If one can recruit and win in Boise, it can be done in Arizona.  Its a favorable location and conference.  We simply need the right coach.   

    • nemuslaw

      Best comments of the bunch.  Succinct and to the point… at least my point as well.

  • Santo Domingo

    Ok, enough said regarding Mike Leach on a short list of candidates. I have one name and only one name on my list and that’s Rich Rodriguez. Tell me why he shouldn’t be considered over Mike Leach? Mike Leach is a problem and he’s not a very good citizen or coach.

    • jacobus

      Mike Leach RichRod is a problem and he’s not a very good citizen or coach.
      Fixed that for you.

      • jacobus

        Whoops, means to strike through “Mike Leach.”
        But RichRod, seriously? If he can’t win at Michigan, how do you think he’d do here?

  • http://stadiumgameday.com rickyk

    I agree Leach is a problem but so is RichRod.  Just ask WVU how they feel about him after the fiasco with thrashing the files after being hired by Michigan.  RichRod is a jerk just as much as Leach.  There are a bunch of young up and comers out there better than both of them; Sumlin at Houston or Hudspeth at LaLa, who we’ll see first hand in Tucson after Thanksgiving.

  • handwind

    Dear Greg Byrne,
    Due to the nature of the beast we call college sports, you simply cannot mess up on the Coach Stoops replacement. Period.

  • Jim Keyes

    Look at Gary Anderson at Utah State or Kevin Sumlin at Houston or Butch Jones from Cincinnati - these are all the young and up and coming coaches that we need – all great recruiters..    Do your homework fans –  most of you never heard of Sean Miller before he was hired…  you wanted Rick Pitino and other retreads – a young 40 something coach from a smaller school is what we need ……a great recruiter.  Chris Peterson from BSU – will be going to UCLA  and paid $4 plus million (he already makes $1.6M at BSU – Stoops makes $1.2M)  - look for these other guys – the ones that are on the cusp on big time. 

    • Vegasallen®

      Miller was a proven commodity with several years of success as a head coach. If possible, Arizona needs a similar pedigree for a head football coach.

      We already tried it with the assistant “flavor of the day” Stoops, and see where that got us.  The temptation to grab a suddenly hot coach at a lesser school  will be there but Arizona should look for someone more established.

  • Mal

    Nigel Burton Head Football Coach Phone: (503) 725-5625 Email: nburton@pdx.edu
    As defensive coordinator for Nevada in 2010….whipped Boise State.     Excellent recruiter.   Loves smash mouth running style.       Player’s coach.    
    Not a retread.    Think proactively.     
     
     

  • Vegasallen®

    One point not made here yet is we have an AD who is, with the possible inclusion of Ced Dempsey head and shoulders above previous Arizona AD’s. I have 110% confidence that Greg Byrne will make the right decision.

  • Bret

    I agree 100% with Vegasallen. I don’t question Byrne’s competence or ability to think outside the box.

    I asked Tom Dienhart, currently of Rivals.com and formerly of Sporting News, his thoughts about a replacement for Stoops. His exact quote, “Offensive minded coach with head coaching experience.” He then gave the following names:

    Mike Leach
    Rich Rodriguez
    Al Borges
    Jim McElwain
    Kevin Sumlin
    Todd Monken
    Larry Fedora

    Thoughts anyone??

    • Vegasallen®

      Rich Rodriguez? Very ugly exit at WVA followed by program implosion at Michigan.

  • chris woods

    we have a pretty decent class coming in this year. we will have our whole offensive line back, Matt Scott, Kadeem Carey and Dan Buckner. Mcknight will be back with Hall and Flowers.  Hopefully someone else and can step up. We have 8 home games. @ucla @utah and then two others. USC and ASU at home. I have been the biggest stoops homer since he came here my freshman year. I say give him one more year. If he cant do it next year. Than we can get rid of him

    • Bret

      The incoming class looks good now, but we’re going to lose at least a handful. That’s inevitable when the team is losing and the coach is on the hot seat.

    • LaJollaCat91

      I think you hit the nail on the head. Like it or not, it’s likely that Stoops gets one more year–regardless of how this season turns out. I actually think he’s going to salvage the season with wins against UCLA, CU, Utah, and La. Laf.  If he can pull off an upset at UW or ASU, they would advance to a bowl payout game with a final chance at a 7th win. No way he gets terminated if that happens.

      Lose next week at home however, and the rest of the schedule, and Mike Stoops’ future in Tucson becomes a real question mark.

      I thought Oregon State was going to be a “final answer” type of exam–but now I think a win this week saves his job, but a loss this time removes all doubt.

      This team needs some confidence real quick, and another loss at home, before achieving a conference victory,  just might be the final death blow for the Stoops regime…

      It fell apart soooo fast.

      • jacobus

        “It fell apart soooo fast.”
        Nah, not really. Stoops has never been able to win an important game. Oh, they could win a big game against better teams, but as soon as something was on the line, as soon as a win would put them into the Pac-whatever elite, they would always come out ill prepared and get stomped (see: 0-33 vs Nebraska). That points to the top.

  • oldwest2

    Heck while we all are throwing names around and day dreaming, let’s think big, dream outside of the box. How about Jon Gruden or Tony Dungy, they can coach, are proven coaches, hmmm might take a few bucks to sway one of them.

    Who knows maybe they are tired of sitting around, maybe one of them might even like the challenge of teaching football again to younger adults in college, but would they be willing to take on a challenge such as rebuilding Arizona football? I don’t know, but hey if you don’t ask or think big, one never knows what could happen now do they. 

  • Joe

    Guys-Rodriquez-no-Byre thinking we’re going to a bowl this year-whats he smoking? We need to get a young hungry guy in here that wants to recruit heads up with the rest of the PAC-when I saw the amount of Junior College transfers on the spring roster I knew we were in TROUBLE!

  • zona2010

    Sorry man, but you must be an idiot to think a former Super Bowl winning coach like Tony Dungy or Jon Gruden would even consider coming to Tucson, Arizona to coach our mediocre college football program. Even if they wanted to coach college football (which they clearly don’t), they would never take our job when they could easily land a premiere job at a real football school like Ohio St., who will be looking for a coach at the end of the season.

    • oldwest2

      Idiot I think not, I do know my IQ, you have no such information or insight on that matter, I’ll go out on a ledge here and state I think It may be a tad bit above where your’s might be, but none the less I do appreciate your commenting on my day dreaming thoughts. I am sure you are spot on with your thoughts, but then again you must be satisfied with average coaches and results. Remember if you aren’t ambitious enough to try for the best then be happy with the results the last 8 years.

      Oh by the way It was day dreaming and wishful thinking, you know using your imagination, surely they have been teaching you that In school lately, right? 

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