Arizona’s medical staff attends to quarterback Matt Scott, who suffered a concussion at UCLA on Nov. 3. Photo by Andrew Fielding-US PRESSWIRE
Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez, asked if he could make a statement on the status of quarterback Matt Scott, simply shook his head.
“I just made it,” he said at his weekly Monday press conference.
When the follow-up came at Rodriguez — has Scott progressed from the concussion that kept him out of last Saturday’s 56-31 victory over Colorado? — the coach reiterated his early comment.
“I just made it,” he said.
Read what you will into that. The thinking could go something like this: If Scott was cleared and ready to play this week at Utah, then Rodriguez would have signaled a big thumbs-up today. But he didn’t. Arizona took the unusual step last week of addressing Scott’s health at the beginning of the weekly press conference.
The decision on Scott’s availability will come from the department’s medical staff, athletic director Greg Byrne said last week.
“You’ll get the injury report just as always,” Rodriguez said.
Arizona releases a weekly report on Thursday afternoons. Scott was considered “doubtful” last week and did not dress out.
Junior college transfer B.J. Denker made his first start at Arizona, completing 12 of 14 passes for 136 yards, also running nine times for 44 yards.
“His decision-making was pretty much spot on, with maybe four or five plays he’d like to have back,” Rodriguez said.
“That was the part we were really pleased with. He was late on a throw or two, a read or two on some of the read-option stuff. But I thought he was really composed. I thought some of the speed option stuff where he took off for first downs were big plays for us.”
Scott was making a bid for all-conference honors before his injury, completing 242 of 386 passes for 2,848 yards, with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also has 369 yards and four scores on 83 runs.