TUCSON, ARIZ. – Last time Washington and Arizona met on a football field, it was Wildcats coach Mike Stoops who seemed to be a dead man walking.
Stoops was in his fourth season, hadn’t yet taken his team to a bowl game or managed a winning record, and those Wildcats arrived at Husky Stadium with a 2-6 record. They seemed well on their way to a seventh defeat as the Huskies took a 41-26 lead in the fourth quarter. But then Arizona scored the last 22 points for what is increasingly looking like a program-changing victory.
The Wildcats have gone 6-2 dating back to that day, and they take a 3-1 overall record and 1-0 mark in the Pacific-10 Conference into their game against Washington (0-4, 0-2) at 4:30 p.m. today at Arizona Stadium.
“We were in a little bit of disarray last year at this time and our kids pulled together and pulled that game out from being 15 down in the fourth quarter,” Stoops said this week. “Sometimes you think you’re down and out, and your kids are very resilient. That’s what I found out with our team. Our team never quit on us. We didn’t play as good as we would have liked, but we always felt like we were getting better and close to becoming a good football team. You never lose hope of who you are.”
Then, without being asked, Stoops detoured his answer to include Washington coach Tyrone Willingham, who is feeling even more heat in his fourth season than Stoops had.
“I know Tyrone and his staff (and) we have tremendous respect for what we’re going to get from them and understand we’re going to have to play an excellent football game to win,” he said.
“... I understand their situation, but we’re going to worry about our team and what we need to do and practice the things that are necessary to win this game. We can’t worry about what is going on at Washington. We understand we’re going to get a great effort from Washington, and that’s what we’ll prepare for.”
Stoops added that Mondays and Tuesdays after losses are tough. But then players begin focusing on Saturday, the next game, the next chance for a breakthrough.
Willingham picked up on the theme, aiming this week for that victory that could blossom into the kind of turnaround Arizona is enjoying.
“What we have to do is figure out a way to get over the hump,” Willingham said. “So that’s my job to figure out something to just change, switch, do something to get us over the hump. It’s the players’ responsibility to make plays when they get the opportunity.
“... So we’ve got to do both of those, and that’s been consistent since the day I arrived here. We’ve got to find a way to get over the hump, and when we do that it’s really pretty nice.”
The hump seems steeper this week as the Huskies will be without their No. 1 quarterback, tailback and receiver.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Ronnie Fouch will make his first college start today, replacing Jake Locker, who will be out six to eight weeks after surgery on his broken right thumb. Tailback David Freeman (ankle) is out for an undetermined period, as is receiver D’Andre Goodwin (ribs).
If there is a bright side, it might be that the Huskies seem to play well at Arizona Stadium – going home winners after their last two visits.
In 2006, Washington took a 21-3 lead in the second quarter and won, 21-10.
In 2004, the Huskies rode Isaiah Stanback’s 69-yard touchdown bomb on the last play of the first half to a 38-14 win over the stunned Wildcats.
That game also marked Willingham’s first Pac-10 win as coach of the Huskies.
“It’s never easy when you go on the road because there are so many things that you can’t account for,” Willingham said. “... I don’t know if there is something special about their place, or if there is some memory that some of our guys pass on to each other. But usually teams have a tendency where there are certain places where they just seem to feel comfortable and they just seem to play well.”
Extra points
Temperature at kickoff is expected to remain in the upper 80s, and there is a chance of rain. ... Locker is on this trip as part of the Huskies’ 64-man travel squad.
Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808
blogs.thenewstribune.com/uwsports
HUSKIES GAMEDAY
WASHINGTON (0-4, 0-2 PAC-10) AT ARIZONA (3-1, 1-0)
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m., Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.
TV: Versus. Radio: 950-AM.
The series: Washington leads 16-7-1. The visiting team has won four straight. Last season, Arizona came from 15 points behind in the fourth quarter for a 48-41 victory in Husky Stadium. The last meeting at Arizona came in 2006, when UW won, 21-3.
What to watch: UW freshman quarterback Ronnie Fouch makes his first start. His path could be more difficult with the Huskies’ leading receiver (D’Andre Goodwin) and tailback (David Freeman) doubtful because of injury. They’ll try to keep up with an Arizona offense averaging 42.5 points and 423 yards per game, while going against a defense that allows an average of 222 yards (best in the Pac-10 and second nationally) and 15.5 points. The UW defense must contain a quick-strike Arizona offense that has 11 touchdown drives of two minutes of less (tied for fifth nationally). The Huskies also will have to adjust to temperatures expected to remain in the upper 80s at kickoff. There also is a chance of rain.
What’s at stake: The Huskies will put three zeros on the line: no interceptions thrown, no sacks recorded and - most of all - no victories. They’d also appreciate some good news heading into a bye week. Meanwhile, the Wildcats can move two-thirds of the way to bowl eligibility. However, Arizona fans are thinking even bigger, hoping to move among the top tier of teams in this season’s wide-open conference race.
TNT pick: Arizona, 47-17. Wildcats figure to score far more than the injury-ravaged UW offense can match.
Prime numbers
WASHINGTON
7 Cody Bruns, WR, 5-11/168, Fr.: Former Prosser star expected to see first college action.
8 Ronnie Fouch, QB, 6-1/203, Fr.: Pocket passer gets first career start, replacing injured Jake Locker.
21 Willie Griffin, TB, 5-8/198, Fr.: Seven career carries, but could triple that today in thin backfield.
41 Victory Aiyewa, SS, 6-1/209, So.: Groin injury finally well enough to let key player onto the field.
66 Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, DE, 6-4-/263, Jr.: Leader of UW defense still looking for its first sack of season.
ARIZONA
2 Keola Antolin, KR, 5-8/180, Fr.: Pacific-10 Conference’s leading kickoff returner (32.25 yards per return).
5 Nic Grigsby, TB, 5-10/178, So.: Second in Pac-10 averaging 109 rushing yards per game.
7 Willie Tuitama, QB, 6-3/220, Sr.: Four-year starter climbing in several Pac-10 career categories.
10 Mike Thomas, HB, 5-8/195, Sr.: Conference leader with 7.25 receptions per game.
35 Sterling Lewis, LB, 5-11/225, Jr.: Leads the Wildcats with 7.75 tackles per game.
Don Ruiz, The News Tribune
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