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This must be a good sign for Rich Rodriguez and his staff: Coming off one of their worst performances in a loss at UCLA, the Arizona Wildcats responded with one of their best against Colorado last week.
Arizona went from earning a season-low four helmet stickers against the Bruins to achieving a season-high 10 against the Buffaloes. The 10 stickers ties the season-opener with UNLV as the most this season.
The most significant sticker-producing element was the turnovers. Arizona did not turn the ball over for the first time since the Texas-San Antonio game the second game into the season. The Wildcats won the turnover battle for the fifth time this season. Colorado turned it over four times.
For the first time this season, Arizona earned a helmet sticker with a defensive touchdown, on Tra’Mayne Bondurant’s 22-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the second quarter. By contrast, Arizona’s opponent this week, Washington, leads the nation with seven defensive touchdowns.
The Wildcats are plus-7 in turnovers this season, ranking 19th in the nation. Washington ranks No. 8 with a plus-10.
Other helmet sticker notes:
— The Wildcats once again achieved a sticker for 10 plays with at least 12 yards. They had 12 such plays against the Buffaloes, four of which came in the fourth quarter when Colorado seemed to wear down to Arizona’s running attack with freshman Nick Wilson.
— Arizona had seven possessions of eight plays or more in the previous games against Washington State and UCLA combined. The Wildcats had five against Colorado, including the first two possessions of the game. Arizona scored only 10 points on those five possessions, however, a continuing problem of finishing what it starts.
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HELMET STICKER RESULTS
HS: Helmet stickers
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DATE,VS,W/L,UA,OPP,HS,Avg.
8/29,UNLV,W,58,13,10,10
9/4,at UTSA,W,26,23,9,9.5
9/13,Nevada,W,35,28,4,7.7
9/20,California,W,49,45,7,7.5
10/2,at Oregon,W,31,24,8,7.6
10/11,USC,L,26,28,6,7.3
10/25,at Wash. St.,W,59,37,9,7.6
11/1,at UCLA,L,7,17,4,7.1
11/8,Colorado,W,38,20,10,7.4
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Sophomore Scooby Wright
— Arizona’s defense, along with earning a sticker for forcing at least three turnovers, also earned a sticker for at least three sacks. Scooby Wright, Jared Tevis and Anthony Lopez each recorded a sack. It was Lopez’s sack of Colorado’s Sefo Liufao that resulted in a fumble and Bondurant’s return for a score. Wright’s 13 sacks trail only Tedy Bruschi’s 14.5 in 1995 and school-record 19 in 1993 during the Desert Swarm era.
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HELMET STICKER CRITERIA
The Wildcats earn cat claws for the Arizona helmet if they achieve these following marks. This helmet will be updated weekly as the Wildcats attempt to fill the helmet with the cat claws:
LAST SIX GAMES
[table sort=”desc”]
Goal,WSU,UCLA,COLO,WASH,UTAH,ASU
Win,
,–,,–,–,–
Pac-12 win,,–,,–,–,–
Win turnover margin,,–,,–,–,–
Score 24 points in win,,–,,–,–,–
No turnovers,–,–,,–,–,–
10 plays 12 or more yards,,–,,–,–,–
4 drives 8 or more plays,–,,,–,–,–
55% 3rd/4th down conv,,–,–,–,–,–
No sacks allowed,–,–,–,–,–,–,
Hold opp to 13 points or less in win,–,–,–,–,–,–
Defensive score,–,–,,–,–,–
Opp at least 5 3-and-outs,–,–,–,–,–,–
Stop opp inside 10 w/UA getting ball,–,–,–,–,–,–
Force at least 3 turnovers,–,–,,–,–,–
At least 3 sacks,,,,–,–,–
5 penalties or less,–,,–,–,–,–
Recover onside kick,–,–,–,–,–,–
Force/recover fumble on kickoff,–,–,–,–,–,–
Tackle kickoff returner inside 20,,–,–,–,–,–
Fake punt results in 1st down,–,–,–,–,–,–
Punt inside 10-yard line,–,,–,–,–,–
Force/recover fumble on punt,–,–,–,–,–,–
Kickoff return past 40,—,–,–,–,–,–
Punt return more than 20 yards,,–,–,–,–,–
Block punt,–,–,–,–,–,–
Successful fake FG attempt,–,–,–,–,–,–
FG 45 or more yards,–,–,–,–,–,–
Block kick,–,–,–,–,–,–
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FIRST SIX GAMES
[table sort=”desc”]
Goal,UNLV,UTSA,NEV,CAL,ORE,USC
Win,,,,,,–
Pac-12 win,–,–,–,,,–
Win turnover margin,,,–,–,–,
Score 24 points in win,,,,,,–
No turnovers,,,–,–,–,–
10 plays 12 or more yards,,,,,,
4 drives 8 or more plays,,,–,,,
55% 3rd/4th down conv,,–,–,–,–,–
No sacks allowed,–,–,,–,–,–
Hold opp to 13 points or less in win,,–,–,–,–,–
Defensive score,–,–,–,–,–,–,
Opp at least 5 3-and-outs,,,–,–,–,–
Stop opp inside 10 w/UA getting ball,–,–,–,–,–,–
Force at least 3 turnovers,–,–,–,–,–,–
At least 3 sacks,–,,–,,,–
5 penalties or less,–,–,–,–,–,–
Recover onside kick,–,–,–,,–,
Forced/recovered fumble on kickoff,–,–,–,–,–,–
Tackle kickoff returner inside 20,–,,–,–,,
Fake punt results in 1st down,–,–,–,–,–,–
Down punt inside 10-yard line,–,–,–,–,,
Force/recover fumble on punt,–,–,–,–,–,–
Kickoff return past 40,–,–,–,–,–,–
Punt return more than 20 yards,–,–,–,–,–,
Block punt,–,–,–,–,–,–
Successful fake FG attempt,–,–,–,–,–,–
FG 45 or more yards,,–,–,–,–,–
Block kick,–,–,–,–,–,–
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
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