[tps_title]4. Arizona offense has lacked big plays[/tps_title]
Rich Rodriguez prides himself on an effective uptempo zone-read offense that can keep the defense off-balanced, leading to big plays that eat up large chunks of yards.
He has gone hungry in that regard in the last three meetings against Jim Mora’s Bruins.
The longest running play in Arizona’s three-game losing streak to UCLA: A 24-yard gain by Ka’Deem Carey in 2013.
The longest passing play: A 36-yard pass from Matt Scott to Austin Hill in 2012.
That’s far below the norm for Arizona’s big-play offense under Rodriguez.
Last year, in the lackluster 17-7 loss to the Bruins, Arizona’s longest running play was only 15 yards by Terris Jones-Grigsby. Its longest pass was a 17-yard connection between Anu Solomon and David Richards.
After the 36-yard pass to Hill in 2012, the longest reception is only 21 yards by Nate Phillips on a pass from B.J. Denker in 2013.
Arizona will not win Saturday if it can not generate big plays against UCLA.
