Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Football: 3 Takeaways from Rich Rod's postgame press conference

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Arizona football just lost a game to USC on Saturday 48-14, but have they lost their desire to win? Here are three key takeaways from Coach Rich Rodriguez‘s post-game press conference.

Seventeen-year-old Arizona Football quarterback Khalil Tate took the field as one of the youngest quarterbacks to start a game. Hopes were high all around, but starting a very young quarterback can’t make up for losing DB Cody Ippolito, multiple running backs, Isaiah Hayes to a concussion and others who to injury or who have recently just come back from injury.

The Arizona Football team has lost four games in a row, and it hasn’t been pretty. Rich Rod addressed fans woes and more after the loss to the Trojans.

You know someone was going to ask Rich Rod about the losses and the fans being upset, that person was a Scott Bordow from the AZCentral.com. Bordow was stunned at the empty seats in the fourth quarter. He was not sitting in the sun obviously. And frankly, the students couldn’t bear to watch the dumpster fire going on, it hurts them too.

Rich, fresh off a fourth loss in a row, took it personally and responded, “What do you want me to say?” Duh! Of course, the fans are upset, so is the team and the coaches! You would be pissed off if he took this losing trend lightly. Rodriguez is a ‘the buck stops here’ type of boss and that is commendable.

Oct 15, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Nick Wilson (28) stiff arms USC Trojans defensive back Marvell Tell III (7) during the first half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Takeaway No. 1 – Everyone has an opinion

When Rodriguez was asked about all the losses and what he  would say to unhappy fans, Rich’s response was reasonable. “I can’t control people’s opinions,” he said, “Other people’s opinions are other people’s opinions, I can’t control it.”

Zona Zealots has the benefit of hearing from and conversing with fans with a variety of views. Some we agree with, and some we don’t. Our Contributors and Experts don’t always agree as well. One thing we all agree on is that putting down the players and calling for the coaches head is not reasonable.

Oct 15, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez looks on prior to facing the USC Trojans at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

In this era of recruiting, consistency may be the best way to rebuild. Plus a lot of fans and the media enjoy Rich Rodriguez. As a fellow writer confessed to me, “We get him starting Monday, when he is in a much more jovial mood.” Basically, if you just catch him after a loss on a Sunday, you may come away with a different opinion. Honestly, the mom in me just wanted to put down my iPad and go hug him! The loss was obviously insufferable for our coach.

Rodriguez started the season with humor, as if he saw the writing on the wall regarding this season, knowing it will take a couple of years before anyone sees the benefits of the new coaching staff’s defense and recruiting class. Then he and his team was hit with a disaster; losing a key to their offense, senior center Zach Hemmila.

That said, do we want to act like USC fans and ask to fire a coach as they come off of a team plane after a loss? Or Oregon fans who have one down year and it’s time to bring out the pitchforks?

If you are not in the program, not working with the team, not his boss Greg Byrne, your opinion is your opinion. We implore you to voice your opinion in a civil way without intentionally attempting to hurt players or coaches. When you hurt players, you hurt their families too.

Rich Rod appreciates Arizona fans, says they are significant to the program and support the team. “Hey if they aren’t happy with not winning, hey, nobody over here is either.” He blamed himself for play calling, and took responsibility for the state of the team, at least what he can control. No excuses except Injuries, which is valid, but depth would help.

Here is Denver Bronco safety Will Parks opinion on Coach Rod, support coming from Parks:

Next: Takeaway No. 2

Oct 15, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez looks on against the USC Trojans during the first half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Takeaway No. 2 – Let’s be Realistic

Coach Rodriguez could join some fans in the negative pool. He could join others on the positive hill at any cost. Rodriguez chooses neither, he prefers to be realistic, “I’m not a — pessimist or optimist, I am a realist; this is how it is. Some of the problems didn’t occur overnight and can’t get fixed overnight, and they are on my watch.”

Let’s be real.

The team has lost four games in a row. Whether or not the team was close to winning save a few errors or not, the Cats record is 2-5. Arizona was given the fifth-hardest strength of schedule in the Pac-12 as we reported earlier. Most of us thought that the Cats could win at least a couple of the first five, including the team, it just hasn’t happened thus far.

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The team has lost key players to injury, like their senior center and senior middle linebacker. One protects Arizona’s quarterback, and one sacks the opponents quarterbacks, Arizona has less experienced players in these positions, as a freshman Center, for example.

The team has a well-needed bye week coming up this week. So the Cats get two weeks to adjust, get well, and start fresh for the second half of the season. Last season they had similar injuries and did rise in the second half of the season, they never got a bye week.

No one wants to lose. It’s everyone in the program’s responsibility to win. If you could have seen the players faces coming into the locker room on Saturday, and the mood with parents afterward, it would have broken your heart.

Some bright notes on the team, Wildcats punter/kicker Josh Pollack is ranked No. 4 in the Pac-12 in field goal percentages. Arizona defender Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles is third in the conference in solo tackles with 36.

Also, you heard this player’s name over and over again; Jace Whittaker. Whittaker was a top-two cornerback in the NCAA after the Utah game. Whittaker had five pass breakups and four tackles in 36-23 loss at Utah. He remains at No. 1 in the Pac-12 tied with Colorado Buffalo Ahkello Witherspoon with ten passes defended and the two are tied for second nationally. Even with this success, Jace offered this sentiment that he felt he needed to get off of his chest:

Thankfully, according to Rich Rod, his senior leadership is doing a fabulous job, they never give up. I asked Sani Fuimaono what the defense was going to work on in the next two weeks, “Everything,” said the senior leader.

These student-athletes give it all they have seven days a week. They want you to enjoy cheering for them. They want you to feel good about them. They want all their hard work to pay off. Most of all, they want to win and have their fans be proud of them.

When fans start calling for the coaches head, publicly attempt players by tagging them while demeaning them, and scrutinizing the program it hurts. It hurts everyone involved who work tirelessly to bring the best product they can under the circumstances.

Parents of these athletes hurt the most. It’s not that they feel there is no blame to be placed on their sons, it’s the way some fans treat their sons. It’s as if these student athletes aren’t doing everything they can to be successful. “They work so hard for the fans,” one parent told ZZ in confidence.

October 1, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez reacts watching game action against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

We can tell you, from what we have seen behind the curtain, the players do care, they care a lot! They want to win, and sometimes things are out of their control.

Running back Zach Green (Freshman) was asked about the broken play on the four-and-one play near the goal line and what happened. His answer was plain and simple, “My job is to carry a fake-out — Coach Rod is always trying to make a statement, we trust him with the offense, he’s one of the best coaches in college football I think, so he knows what he is doing.”

So let’s all try to be realistic. This same coach and his same training techniques his staff uses today brought Arizona a Pac-12 division Championship and several bowl game wins. His players believe in him, and he believes in his players. Sani Fuimaono stated just that; he feels they have a lot of work to do these next two weeks and try to put four quarters together.

This season is what it is, so why complain? Know that the team feels the same way and they are trying to do what they can to salvage the season.

Oct 15, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Zach Green (34) carries the ball past USC Trojans defensive back Marvell Tell III (7) during the second half at Arizona Stadium. The Trojans won 48-14. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Takeaway No. 3 – There is a bright future ahead

For several years, Coach Rodriguez and his staff have had to find diamonds in the rough; undiscovered talent with two stars or three stars who have heart and desire to work hard, OKG’S (Our Kinda Guys).

It’s not easy to lure players to play in Arizona where temperatures on the field during practice or a mid-day game can reach 137 degrees. Also, as Clay Helton boasts about his 496 former Trojan NFL players, Rodriguez doesn’t have that luxury.

Oct 15, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate (14) warms up prior to facing the USC Trojans at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

We spoke to Hawkins HS five-star WR recruit Jalen Hall. Hall wants to play right off the bat. He wants a promise that he will play immediately. That’s difficult for a program like Arizona’s to do since they rely on giving their freshman time to grow emotionally and physically.

Nearly two-thirds of the team have the words ‘red shirt’ before their class (like Freshman). Mostly because the commits they have gotten in the past have not been the four and five-star recruits you saw from USC this weekend. So the staff brings in the commits and teaches them until they are ready to play.

Rodriguez got a couple of messages from fans last season. And he acted on them. The first message was that the fans felt that the defense wasn’t working and the second was that something had to be done about recruiting.

This season’s freshman hope to red shirt to get physically and emotionally ready to play NCAA Division one college football. There are several freshmen at Arizona who will make a difference on both ends of the field. In addition to the freshmen who haven’t yet stepped on the football field in regulation, there is a top rated top 15 2017 class coming in next season.

Rich Rod explained what Khalil Tate was up against on Saturday, “He’s a competitive guy, and he competed, but it was a challenge, and a lot of the challenge was because they have some pretty good dudes over there [at USC].” USC started out slow this season, but the team is gaining steam and are on a three-game winning streak with their good dudes. Wildcats need some huge dudes to help with sacking, turnovers and blocking and protecting the quarterback.

Have you heard Arizona’s top recruit in the 2017 class, cornerback Greg Johnson, talk about what he wants to carry out in Arizona?

Maybe we should reflect on Stanley Johnson’s word of the week:

Being patient isn’t easy, but this is an excellent opportunity to hone your skills in this area, you will feel better about the future. For now, let’s be realistic and try to still support the team in any way we can. Yes, I am a realist too!

Just BearDown and give it a few years.

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