Following Arizona’s second and final bye week, and a big loss for this week’s opponent — Colorado — at Utah, head coach Brent Brennan addressed in Monday’s weekly press conference a different feel at practice, what happened to the Buffaloes against the Utes, and the Wildcats’ run defense.
Arizona is 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12. Colorado is 3-5 and 1-4. The game kicks off at 4 p.m. at Boulder, Colo., on Saturday. It will be televised on FS1.
Intense Practices
In his opening remarks, Brennan said, “I felt like our players attacked this bye week with a much different edge. There was a physicality and anger in the practice environment. A lot of enthusiasm but it was intentional and it was aggressive.”
Following back-to-back losses against BYU and Houston after a good start, it’s expected that the team would have a fire lit under them.
Brennan circled back to this week’s practices saying, “They’re pissed off about Houston, man. They’re upset about not finishing against BYU. To me, the fact that they’re more passionate or they’re angrier or attacking the opportunity to improve, I’m all for it.”
Visiting a struggling opponent like Colorado, it’s a good sign for the Wildcats that they haven’t given up on the season and seemed to be focused to finish the season strong.
Colorado
In the first question Brennan answered in Monday’s press conference, he went over Colorado, saying, “I think any given Saturday in the Big 12 is a challenge. They are a team that is incredibly tough at home. Going into this we know we’re going to have to play in an incredible atmosphere. It’s Homecoming, it’s sold out, it’s going to be an evening game.”
Colorado has shown up to play when tested at home losing only to No. 8 Georgia Tech to start the season and BYU in a walk-off field goal in regulation.
Coming off a 53-7 blowout loss to Utah in Salt Lake City last week, the Buffaloes might be going into this game with the same fire as the Wildcats.
Run Defense
“For us as a coaching staff and as a team, there was a big return to fundamentals,” Brennan said. “We felt like there were a lot of opportunities missed, especially in the Houston game.”
Arizona, in its two previous games, gave up 258 rushing yards to BYU and 232 to Houston. After two big rushing games against the Wildcats, many fans questioned the defense’s ability to stop opponents.
“Getting guys to the football, and finishing when we get there,” Brennan said of one way to cure the run-defense woes.
This Colorado game will carry a lot of questions if the Wildcats lose, or a sense of increased optimism for a bowl-eligible season with a win.
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