Follow TSS on Twitter @TheStudentSect
The saying is “What have you done for me lately,” and no one actually knows the origin of it, but Janet Jackson did a song by that title in 1986, so we’ll just credit her since she put her name on it.
At any rate, whoever coined the phrase clearly never had heard of things like hot takes, Twitter, or general sports journalism. Granted, that’s kind of obvious, but in our “must have it now” society, “lately” is five minutes ago and is followed up by, “and what will you do for me next?”
The Arizona Wildcats find themselves coming off a season that was like going to a decent steakhouse for the first time and having an amazing meal … then seeing pictures of one of those fantastic looking desserts on it and getting one, only to realize it was just another version of some sort of chocolate covered in cheap vanilla icing made to look better than it was.
All that said, and not to mention existing in what is arguably college football’s toughest looking division, national traction for the Wildcats seems to be tough to come by (or else I’m just manufacturing disrespect, maybe?).
While most of the preseason hype goes to Southern California and its should-be slaughterhouse offense; Arizona State; and even UCLA, Arizona seems almost forgotten at times as if the Wildcats are the guy in the sales meeting with higher than expected numbers, but no one believes it can be consistent yet.
The reality is, if there are ten offenses you can guarantee will flat mow through defensive souls this season, Arizona has to be one of them. Rich Rodriguez’s reclamation project not only of himself, but of Arizona football, is wildly ahead of schedule.
The ‘Cats return four of their top five rushers from 2014, including Nick Wilson, who stomped around to the tune of over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns. They also bring back six of their top seven pass catchers from last season. Stopping them should be slightly as easy as avoiding cars on roller skates at a NASCAR race going into traffic.
These ‘Cats have dispelled many myths about the Rich Rod offense, but perhaps the most promulgated one: that a Rodriguez offense only works against certain defenses (read: smaller) and he needs a dual-threat sensation to make it work.
Anu Solomon at quarterback is a lot of things, and no, he’s not some guy in quicksand, but he ran for only 291 yards as a freshman at 2.1 yards a clip. Those are not exactly Denard Robinson or Pat White numbers. However, Solomon did sling it for nearly 4,000, and if nothing else, showed that Rod’s offenses can kick your teeth in with more than just one size of boot.
The defense will have experience if nothing else, bringing back around nine projected upperclassmen starters, including all-world Scooby Wright at linebacker, one of the best in the nation in case “all-world” didn’t make that point enough.
Both the punter and the kicker are seniors, so they, too, will know how to operate when you absolutely need a kick or a punt pinned deep or away from someone.
The schedule is a pain in the backside, but such is life in possibly America’s toughest conference. Trips to Stanford, Southern California, Washington, and Arizona State loom … but you can’t play them all at home.
The task will be tough to match last year’s 10 wins, but it looks doable and more. The larger task is to gain that national respect that comes with being a top-shelf football program year in and year out. It’d be unwise to count these ‘Cats out.
Sometimes, reclamation projects take time. Sometimes, the new sales guy with the nice numbers is a one-hit wonder (think, Tonic). Rest assured, as long as Rich Rod is manning the post, there is no false bill of goods being sold. Beware the Wildcats of Arizona, for the sky is the limit (or at least the CFB Playoff, since cats can’t fly).
