SB Nation Arizona - Arizona Wildcats Fall Camp: Rich Rodriguez Brings New Schemes To Tucsonhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2012-08-21T19:00:38-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/30023802012-08-21T19:00:38-07:002012-08-21T19:00:38-07:00Arizona Wildcats Fall Camp: Justin Washington Suspended
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<img alt="July 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez answers media questions during PAC-12 Media Day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-BCfZU5jP-krYged7_ViFzOmjwQ=/0x35:4000x2702/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/8021921/20120724_ajw_aj4_112.jpg" />
<figcaption>July 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez answers media questions during PAC-12 Media Day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Defensive lineman Justin Washington was suspended by the Arizona Wildcats and Rich Rodriguez.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/77402/justin-washington">Justin Washington</a> was suspended by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a> head coach Rich Rodriguez earlier today. Here is the quote from Rodriguez concerning Washington's suspension.</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/?q=%23arizonawildcats"><s>#</s><b>arizonawildcats</b></a> DT Justin Washington has been suspended. Said Rodriguez: "he's got some things to work on."</p>
— Ryan Finley (@ryan_finley) <a href="https://twitter.com/ryan_finley/status/238083260478001153" data-datetime="2012-08-22T01:20:47+00:00">August 22, 2012</a>
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<p>This is a year of transition for Arizona. The Wildcats are installing a new offensive scheme that should hopefully generate points by the bunches in Tucson. Rich Rodriguez's spread option torched through the Big East (and occasionally the Big Ten) en route to touchdowns galore. And the defense does not have a lot of depth.</p>
<p>This is not a particularly good time for a suspension to a noted starter. The Wildcats are thin in their front seven. With Washington moving to the inside at defensive tackle, his suspension puts the load on <span class="sbn-auto-link">Sione Tuihalamaka</span> to perform on the interior of a 3-3-5. It also puts additional pressure on a linebacking corps that is paper thin Washington had a solid redshirt freshman season in 2009 before regressing a bit in 2010, but his loss could be a significant one for Arizona.</p>
<p><i><b>Talk about the Washington suspension and Arizona football in general by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com">heading on over to Arizona Desert Swarm</a>.</b></i> <i><b>Check out the</b></i><b><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football"> SB Nation college football hub </a></i><i>for more NCAA football coverage.</i></b></p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/8/21/3259280/arizona-wildcats-justin-washingtonAvinash Kunnath2012-08-13T13:41:48-07:002012-08-13T13:41:48-07:00Pac-12 Football Picks: Arizona Predicted To Win Less Than 5.5 Games
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<img alt="July 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez answers media questions during PAC-12 Media Day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-BCfZU5jP-krYged7_ViFzOmjwQ=/0x35:4000x2702/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/8021921/20120724_ajw_aj4_112.jpg" />
<figcaption>July 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez answers media questions during PAC-12 Media Day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Arizona Wildcats are projected to win five to six games. We think taking the under is the wise course of action.</p> <p><a href="#" class="sbn-auto-link">Rich Rodriguez</a> has a tall order ahead of him in the desert at Tucson. Not only do the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> have to change their entire offensive scheme to get things rolling with his spread option offensive attack, but his defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel has to revamp an inexperienced and depleted defensive unit that wasn't particularly good from last year. There's a lot that needs to be fixed in a short period of time.</p>
<p>However, there's a lot to like about Arizona, and the team could end up doing a little better than expected. They play in the Pac-12 South (which is the easier division) and they avoid some tough Pac-12 North teams. If everything is running smoothly, their offense is dynamic enough to beat anyone on the right day, although their defense is just as capable of giving it away.</p>
<p>Here's why <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/8/13/3238364/college-football-picks-2012-usc-oregon-betting" target="_blank">Bud Elliott of SB Nation picks Arizona to do a little bit worse than expected</a>.</p>
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<p><b>Arizona Under 5.5 Wins (+100), 5Dimes: </b>I do think Arizona has a solid chance of reaching five wins. It's getting to fix that looks tough. Oklahoma State and USC are both likely to be favored by double digits in Tuscon. Arizona does project as a touchdown favorite over rival Arizona State.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/6/15/3089242/2012-arizona-wildcats-football-preview">As SB Nation's Bill Connelly points out</a>, Arizona has six very winnable home games in Toledo, South Carolina State, Oregon State, Washington, Colorado and Arizona State. The Wildcats figure to be favored in all. That's good, because they'll be underdogs in all four road games. Still, I'm not ready to trust this Arizona team.</p>
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<p><i>Check out <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com" target="_blank">Arizona Desert Swarm</a> for more Wildcat football coverage. Hit up the SB Nation college football YouTube channel for more action.</i></p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3240364/arizona-football-betting-lines-vegas-oddsAvinash Kunnath2012-08-12T15:29:53-07:002012-08-12T15:29:53-07:00Arizona Wildcats Football: Offense Dominates Defense In First Scrimmage
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<p>There is a lot to like about this year's offense with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a>. Quite honestly, it might be one of the better units on the west coast. Senior quarterback Matt Scott is a perfect fit for new head coach <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="#">Rich Rodriguez's</a> scheme, running back KaDeem Carey looks like a player poised for a breakout year, and the entire offensive line returns from last season.</p>
<p>For as many points as the offense may score, the defense might give up twice as many points. There are more questions than answers with the unit right now, especially with very little depth in the front-seven.</p>
<p>As the Wildcats scrimmaged for the first time on Saturday night, the offense completely abused the defense as they won 53-34. RichRod was not happy afterwards, especially with a defense that he said lacked focus and struggled miserably with their tackling in the open field.</p>
<p>Scott was excellent in the scrimmage, completing 16 of 18 passes for 193 yards. He also rushed for a touchdown. Just about every running back in contention for playing time saw equal time in the scrimmage, with Carey rushing for 25 yards and a touchdown on four carries. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/77414/terrence-miller">Terrence Miller</a> led the receivers with 91 yards on six catches.</p>
<p>UA will now head back to Tucson for the remainder of fall practice.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-wildcats/2012/8/12/3238344/arizona-wildcats-football-scrimmageScott Coleman2012-08-03T07:01:15-07:002012-08-03T07:01:15-07:00Arizona Wildcats Begin Fall Practice, Rich Rodriguez Looking For Veteran Leadership
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<p>RichRod knows what it takes to get a program to the next level. A new era in Tucson has officially begun.</p> <p>Rich Rodriguez has <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/arizona-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> fans excited once again for football season. After an inconsistent and mostly-frustrating Mike Stoops era, 'RichRod' brings a new energy and hunger to the program.</p>
<p>Season ticket sales are up, as is hope and optimism for that elusive Rose Bowl bid. There will be bumps along the way, but coach Rodriguez's numbers speak for themselves. And now that he has transplanted nearly his entire coaching staff from his days at West Virginia -- days where he led the program to the highest of highs in school history -- you can only feel the 'Cats are in good hands.</p>
<p>As is normally the case with first-year coaches, there are a number of red flags surrounding the team as practice began on Thursday evening. One of them is a limited number of veterans who have seen meaningful playing time. RichRod has acknowledged this in the past, and now he turns to his seniors for leadership.</p>
<p>"I met with seniors as a group yesterday and asked them to take leadership of this team," Rodriguez said. "I saw that today and they did a great job of teaching the freshman what to do and keeping them engaged in practice."</p>
<p>After some disappointment in the conditioning and shape of the returning players during spring practices, the coaching staff has preached the importance of working hard and getting better every single day. Simply put, if a player wasn't in shape, he isn't going to play.</p>
<p>The Wildcats had not trained at the necessary level to take that next step in the college football world. In this new era of football in Tucson, that will change. And it's about time.</p>
<p>"I think most of the guys were in pretty good shape and I think it showed," Rodriguez said.</p>
<p>"It's a night and day difference certainly from our first practice in the spring to the first practice now. Our execution wasn't there but I liked our enthusiasm and I liked the way we moved around."</p>
<p>Arizona will continue to improve every day from here on out. Changing the program's culture will not be an overnight process, but Thursday's practice officially signaled a new brand of football.</p>
<p>With hard work, dedication and a little bit of luck along the day, football season will no longer be "the season before basketball season" in Tucson.</p>
<p>The next six months are going to be a wild, wacky and unpredictable ride. It's a scary leap, but one that the University of Arizona is ready to make.</p>
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<p><i>For more on the 'Cats, check out </i><a href="http://azdesertswarm.com" target="_blank">AZ Desert Swarm</a><i>. Visit </i><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football" target="_blank">SB Nation's College Football hub</a><i> for continued updates throughout the year.</i></p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-wildcats/2012/8/3/3217010/arizona-wildcats-football-rich-rodriguezScott Coleman