April 14, 2012

Rich Rodriguez Post-Game Video

TUCSON -

Spring Game Stats

Spring Game Images

The UA football team nearly concluded its first spring under Coach Rich Rodriguez with its Spring Game Saturday afternoon, marked by Matt Scott's four touchdown passes amid considerable throwing by Wildcat passers.

Rodriguez put his defense on its heels with short-field situations much of the time in the scrimmage, and the Cats' offense came through with 10 touchdowns and 597 yards in total offense.

Senior Scott led the way with 315 yards passing on 22-for-35 throwing to post a 176.17 pass efficiency rating. Three other QBs -- Richard Morrison, Tyler D'Amore and Alex Cappellini helped to combine for a team PER of 163.96 in completing 35 of 55 tosses for 445 yards. Morrison and Cappellini also threw scoring passes.

Sophomore receiver Tyler Slavin caught three touchdown passes while sometime QB Morrison and potential starting slot receiver Morrison had two scoring catches. Dan Buckner had the sixth.Morrison, Johnny Jackson and Slavin led with five catches apiece.

Taimi Tutogi led all rushers with 41 yards on two totes, thanks to a bruising 34-yard run. Daniel Jenkins had a 5-30 effort and a score, while Ka'Deem Carey (4-22), Kylan Butler (8-18) and Jared Baker (3-12) also had touchdown runs.

Junior linebacker Jake Fischer, who missed 2011 with a knee injury, tied for the team high with six tackles, matched by defensives back Tra'Mayne Bondurant and Jared Tevis. Defensive tackles Willie Mobley had solo sacks while Fischer and DT Tevin Hood shared another. Safety Marquis Flowers had the lone interception (off a Morrison throw), while Fischer also led with two passes defended. Bondurant forced a fumble.

The team ran 98 plays in the two-hour workout at local Kino Stadium, the Tucson Padres' baseball park, and also had a number of kicking efforts including an eight-for-nine day on field goals by various kickers.

The Cats' offense converted 10 of 20 third-down situations and two of seven on fourth down. The scrimmage included a number of overtime-style possessions starting at the defense's 25 yard-line and a handful of 4th-and-goal tries from the 5 yard-line.

Few predict Arizona to throw the ball 55 times and run it 43 times in a game in 2012 -- the fare for Saturday afternoon in front of a public crowd estimated near 5,000. Rodriguez also did not tip his hat in terms of live special teams' coverage, a matter of considerable focus in the 13 practices leading up to the spring game.

The Cats get a final workout in shorts Monday before re-focusing their efforts in the weight room and voluntary conditioning before fall reporting date.