Trimmer, more energetic Rodriguez fired up for Year 3 at Arizona
TUCSON, Ariz. -- You know when your children tease you, the challenge is on. And if there's one thing that gets Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez fired up, it's a challenge.
He's a competitor; he likes winning.
Or in this case, losing.
So when his kids said he couldn't get down to 205 pounds, he was determined to prove them wrong. He's 6-foot-2 and started just north of 230 pounds when the challenge began this summer.
"I figured that if I can get focused, I can get down to 210, 205," he said.
At this point -- a day before Arizona opens its season vs. UNLV -- he can't say what he weighs in at. He's got enough other things occupying him that he hasn't stepped on a scale in a while. But he says he's lost about 20 pounds since the challenge began. He looks fit and trim. He's eating healthier and in smaller portions.
He's doing pushups more often and "doing some boxing stuff," he said.
He's also vowed to get more sleep, but that hasn't happened.
But as a whole, it's been a successful transformation.
"He's in great shape and probably as good as any guy we have on this team," said assistant coach David Lockwood, who goes back with Rodriguez more than 20 years.
The 51-year-old Rodriguez says he's "in the best shape I've been in in the last 20 years. I have an energy."
That's apparent in his demeanor at practice this fall -- as fiery as he's been in three seasons in Tucson. He's poked and prodded and barked -- especially at his quarterbacks -- but said he's easing up this week as game day approaches.
"I've been engaged more," Rodriguez said when asked if he's yelled more compared to recent years. "I felt I needed to do that to get the team focused. I wanted to make sure the first three weeks we had their focus. We don't take the team anywhere or isolate them, so we have to get their focus and be pretty sharp."
Lockwood said there's a perfect explanation: It's a new season and there are plenty of new guys getting ready to play.
Fresh starts call for strong thoughts, strong statements.
"What (he's) doing is setting the tone for the year," Lockwood said. "As the coach you expect great things from yourselves and from the players. He's doing his job as the head coach in getting everybody fired up and ready to go."
For every action, he hopes to get a reaction. It's what good coaches do.
"I tell them when you all are screwing up and no one is saying anything to you, that means we've given up on you," Rodriguez said. "I'm not giving up on anyone in our program."
And that's from the first-string quarterback to the fourth-string cornerback.
"I get on all of them," he said. "The expectations on all of them are there."
He said he got together with the seniors before the season started to tell them he'd be tough on them -- "harder on them."
"I want the underclassmen to see our expectations for the seniors are more than the younger players," he said.
His stomping and getting after it hasn't gone unnoticed. Count his wife, Rita, among the witnesses.
"He gets upset sometimes," she said. "I just want him to take care of himself."
And so he has, working out like a Stairmaster champion, conquering the workout equipment this summer. He started off on level 10, then 12, moved to 15 and is now at the 20 level for a consistent 20-plus minutes.
"I'd put him up against anybody on that," Lockwood said. "He's in great shape."
Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne agreed, having worked out with Rodriguez enough this summer to know. Rodriguez suggested the Stairmaster to Byrne, too, after he had been having back problems.
"The first time I did it I thought we'd have to call a paramedic," Byrne said. "And I was in good shape because I was running. But now, I can do 20 for 30. He's the one who inspired me."
Byrne too has been in practice and has seen Rodriguez being his "fiery" self.
"There are a lot of different approaches to coaching," Byrne said. "But the one thing that is apparent is the kids have bought in. He's tough on them, but the kids also love him."
Earlier in camp, senior center Steve Gurrola called him a "people's coach" after the two got into a semi-heated conversation before later talking and eventually hugging.
"I never want them to feel they are not getting coached," Rodriguez said. "You can't overlook anything ... I don't plan on overlooking anything."
He then recalls a story about quarterback Peyton Manning and how he goes about his business and why he's such a success. "Someone asked what the most important thing was," Rodriguez said, "and he said, 'it all matters to me.' I liked that; it all matters to me -- everything."
Including his weight and health, something he really hadn't paid all that much attention to. But he admitted now that he's over 50 and slated for a doctor's appointment soon, he's paying attention.
"I have high cholesterol, and before I get it checked I wanted to make sure the doctor is not ticked," he said. "I want to have a good appointment when I get with the doctor."
He already has the approval of Rita.
"I'm proud of him," she said. "I think he looks great, but I thought he looked great before. As a coach's wife you always worry because it's a stressful job. So I'm always after him about taking care of himself."
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