TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jacob Arzouman will miss the season with a knee injury.
Coach Rich Rodriguez said Arzouman, who starred at Tucson Salpointe Catholic, suffered what "appears to be" an ACL injury in Monday’s night’s practice and is scheduled to have surgery on the knee “sometime soon.’’
“He would have contributed,’’ Rodriguez said on Tuesday. “He had a good summer. He was in good shape.’’
The injury came in a one-on-one drill when the knee buckled.
In an interview last week, Arzouman said he was looking forward to playing in Rodriguez’s spread offense after redshirting last season. Arzouman said his redshirt season helped him adjust to the big step up from the high school to college level.
Rodriguez was a bit test in addressing the media after Tuesday's practice in full bad. Rodriguez said he was disappointed with the team’s effort.
What was the problem?
“I don’t have enough time to list all the reasons,’’ he said.
One or two?
“I just didn’t feel it was a real good practice,’’ he said. “The guys know we can practice better.’’
When asked if they were mentally worn out, Rodriguez quickly said, “In five days? Gosh, I hope not.’’
Asked if he thinks a change of venue would help the team practice better – UA is headed to Fort Huachuca today – Rodriguez simply said no. “You can practice in the street,’’ he said. “Young men sometimes come and practice real good and intense, and sometimes they are not as intense as we’d like. You know, it wasn’t all bad. I just have higher expectations. And they do too. We’re learn from this.’’
To say Arizona needs help on the defensive side would be an understatement. It’s the reason why Rodriguez is looking for help from the offense.
To that end, Rodriguez has played freshman tight end Keoni Bush-Loo and senior fullback Tami Tutogi at defensive end.
Let’s remember that UA had 10 quarterback sacks last year for the second worst mark in the nation.
“I really like him,” Rodriguez said of Bush-Loo, who played defensive end and tight end at Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu. “I think we’re in a little battle between keeping him on offense at tight end or putting him at defensive end. He’s a guy who has some natural ability and he’s really, really aggressive. He’s a young man who may get an opportunity to play as a freshman.”
Rodriguez has been known to quotes lines from movies and referenced one from The Lion King this week, in essence saying what’s past is in the past. But in reality, Rodriguez said he doesn't get out to see movies much.
He said he really hadn’t been to a movie theater in more than 10 years, recalling “The Crying Game’’ as his last in-theater visit.
“That was kind of … (well) I don’t think I went back to the movies for another 10 years,’’ he said, smiling. He added that favorite football moving was the original production of “The Longest Yard,’’ and he loves every Clint Eastwood movie, with “The Outlaw Josey Wales” being his favorite.
He also gave a big thumbs up to “Dumb and Dumber” and was hoping for a sequel. “I’d go to the theater for that,’’ he said.
Freshman defensive back Leo Thomas didn’t last long. He left after the first practice last week.
“Leo took the bus back to San Antonio, I guess,” Rodriguez said. “I think he was maybe a little homesick. He might not have been here a full 24 hours. I don’t know if he even got the chance to see his first monsoon.”
His heart might not have been in it early. He committed to Stoops last year, de-committed when Stoops was let go and then re-committed to Rodriguez in the winter. Now, he’s gone.
