Michael Lev's
Football Report Card

Grades for the Arizona Wildcats’ 31-30 loss to UCLA


Sat, Oct 21, 2017
Arizona @ UCLA
Quarterbacks

Making his first career start in place of the injured Khalil Tate, Rhett Rodriguez struggled early, rallied late and generally handled himself well in a road night game. Rodriguez completed just 15 of 34 passes, although he was 13 of 23 after the first quarter. If he’s going to continue as the UA quarterback – an unknown as of Sunday – he needs to get over 60 percent. Rodriguez threw two touchdown passes but also two interceptions, including an ill-advised lob into the end zone when the Wildcats were in field-goal range. The other was a 50-50 ball that was more of a great play by UCLA’s Elijah Gates than a bad throw or decision by Rodriguez.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevC+
FansC+
Running backs

The overall production was excellent. J.J. Taylor and Gary Brightwell both topped 100 yards, with Taylor going for 154 and Brightwell 121. It was Arizona’s best rushing performance since Oregon State on Sept. 22. Both tailbacks ran hard and broke tackles. So why not an A? Taylor fumbled, and it was an absolute killer. On the way to the end zone after breaking through the defense, Taylor got caught from behind by UCLA’s Darnay Holmes, who punched the ball out inside the 5-yard line. Holmes also recovered the ball. Instead of seven points, or at least three, Arizona came away empty.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevB+
FansB+
Receivers/tight ends

A strong night for this group, in particular senior Shawn Poindexter, who led the way with six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. One came on a fade, the other a slant. Devaughn Cooper – who’s emerging as a real weapon – and Tony Ellison each had two catches, totaling 93 yards. There were a handful of passes the receivers didn’t come down with, including the aforementioned interception. Stanley Berryhill III was in position to make the catch, but Gates got a hand in and tipped the ball to himself.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevB+
FansB+
Offensive linemen

The line paved the way for a stellar 289-yard rushing performance. Taylor, Brightwell and Rodriguez averaged a combined 7.6 yards per attempt. It happened without senior left tackle Layth Friekh, who sat out to rest his sore ankles. The line didn’t surrender a sack, but the Bruins applied pressure at times, especially early, and got several hits on Rodriguez. The unit also was flagged twice for holding in the third quarter. Both of those drives ended in field goals.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevB
FansB
Defensive front

The front accounted for all four of Arizona’s season-high four sacks and nine of its 12 tackles for losses (also a season high). Linebacker Colin Schooler led the charge with 10 tackles and three TFLs, including a sack. Nose tackle Dereck Boles notched the pass rusher’s triple crown: a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery. That was all good. But the Wildcats couldn’t stop UCLA tailback Joshua Kelley (31 carries, 136 yards), and they let QB Wilton Speight get to the outside for a critical third-down run on the game-clinching drive.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevB
FansB
Defensive backs

We’re grading this unit on a curve because it didn’t have starting cornerbacks Lorenzo Burns (injury) or Tim Hough (no longer with the team) and had to start a pair of true freshmen. One of them, Christian Young, had been a safety until this week. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles led the unit with seven tackles. Flannigan-Fowles, Scottie Young Jr. and Tristan Cooper each had a TFL. But Young committed a critical holding penalty, and the secondary struggled to contain tight end Caleb Wilson (six catches, 82 yards). Speight and Dorian Thompson-Robinson combined for 307 yards and three TDs.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevC+
FansC+
Special teams

Josh Pollack made all three of his field-goal attempts – two 29-yarders and a 39-yarder. He had been 2 for 4 entering Saturday. Lucas Havrisik registered six touchbacks in seven kickoffs, and the other one was fair-caught. Shun Brown had one quality punt return, for 21 yards, against excellent UCLA punter Stefan Flintoft, who kicked the ball with hang time and placement. Dylan Klumph had an off night, averaging just 37.0 yards on four punts. Jake Glatting landed his lone attempt at the UCLA 4-yard line.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevB
FansB
Coaching

Kevin Sumlin’s team traded blows with UCLA despite missing several key performers on both sides of the ball. You can quibble with Sumlin’s decision to punt on fourth-and-3 from the UCLA 40 early in the second quarter, but Arizona wasn’t moving the ball at the time. (Later in the quarter, Chip Kelly went for it on fourth-and-6 from the Arizona 39. The Bruins converted and scored a touchdown.) Noel Mazzone’s game plan was a bit pass-heavy early; 21 of 34 first-half plays were passes. Mazzone wisely turned to the run, which was working, in the second half. Similar to the BYU game in Week 1, Marcel Yates’ defense couldn’t come up with a late third-down stop to get the ball back for the offense.

ReviewerGrade
Michael LevC+
FansC+
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