TUCSON – Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez didn’t argue the statement: There are times when it takes tough lessons to eventually see improvement.
He’s well aware that tough times forge future champions. Or at least he hopes.
“You hope that (when) you get sand kicked in your face and get beat up a little bit, you say ‘I got to get stronger,’” said Rodriguez. “You hope that message gets through to them.”
That applies to the Arizona football team in general and to the offensive line specifically.
The last two weeks haven’t been kind to the Wildcats. After losses to Oregon and Oregon State, the Cats are 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12 Conference.
Now would be the time to muscle up, if only it were that easy.
Arizona is what it is: A smallish, needs-to-improve-in-all-areas team.
In facing No. 18 Stanford (3-1, 1-1) on Saturday in Palo Alto, Calif, Arizona must find a way to outmuscle one of college football’s biggest defensive lines, one Rodriguez became a bit envious of when describing its size and strength. The Cardinal are that good; that big; that imposing.
The Cardinal go 278 pounds, 305 and 275 across their defensive front. Their four linebackers average 249. (By way of comparison, Arizona's linebackers average 217.) Stanford's offensive line outweighs Arizona's by an average of 12 pounds per man.
Arizona is a speed bump to Stanford’s bulldozers. It’ll be guile vs. girth at its finest, on both sides of the ball.
“We’re not nearly what we need to be,’’ Rodriguez said. “I think the guys have worked pretty hard, but there is a whole other level of strength we need to have up front. We have a couple guys that are really serious about the weight room, but there are a couple more that need to get more serious about the weight room.”
To a man, everyone has said the Wildcats are much stronger and quicker compared with last season. But, when compared with teams like Stanford, the differences are apparent.
And although one cannot measure the size of one’s heart, Arizona must find a way of out-toughing and out-quick the Cardinal.
Admittedly, Rodriguez said more work needs to be done.
“The weight room has to be their friend,’’ Rodriguez said. “(There’s been) activity but not productivity. It’s a process.’’
The last two weeks have shown just how far Arizona needs to go – in all phases.
So, blessings do exist in defeat. Defeat exposes weaknesses.
Size and strength are two. And, oh yes, depth. It’s unknown if starting center Kyle Quinn will return to his role on Saturday after suffering an ankle injury last weekend.
Addison Bachman stepped in and did an admirable job on Saturday. He’ll have to do it again against Stanford. Already this season there have been plenty of shifts. Jacob Arzouman and Jack Baucus are out for the year. Right guard Trace Biskin was out last week, as was reserve Lene Maiava.
Their status is still up in the air.
“We have a lot of players that can step in and play, so we have been mixing and matching,’’ said Fabbians Ebbele, a sophomore offensive lineman. “There are no guaranteed spots. Everybody shows that they can play each week, and the best players get to play. Our strengths are that we have a lot of players who can play, want to play, and step in when the time calls for them.”
The next wake-up call comes at noon on Saturday.
“They’re good and (a bunch) of big boys,’’ Bachman said of Stanford’s defensive line. “They’re smart, and they know to decoy (their defense). We’re going to be playing fast and have to bring it.’’
That’s at every level and at every position. Versatility has been a necessity for the Wildcats.
“It has to be, because a lot of guys have been banged up and we’ve had to move a lot of guys around,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s not the ideal situation particularly up front, you would rather have seven or eight guys playing the same positions to get the chemistry better, but we’re not able to have that luxury at this time.”
Arizona had its second consecutive practice at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Rodriguez is having the early practices so his team can get used to being ready to play an early game on Saturday after playing at night for the first five weeks.
“We’re trying to get our guys to learn to adapt and overcome,’’ Rodriguez said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a huge difference but I hope it’s going to make a little bit of a difference.’’
Said Tra’Mayne Bondurant: “It’s tough waking up, but you get it over with. And then you have the rest of the day to sleep even more. It’s cool to just get it over with.’’
