Arizona Offense vs Utah Defense
Rankings reflect ranking percentile for Offense or Defense vs NCAA
Chart reflect ranking percentile for Offense or Defense vs NCAA
0 is worst unit in NCAA 100 is best
0 is worst unit in NCAA 100 is best
Until Weeks 6-7 the model outputs are directional, but useful
The Arizona offense (#24) caught the injury bug from last year's Arizona defense and it isn't pretty. The Wildcats played 4th or 5th string running backs against UCLA and played the 4th string QB after Dawkins was injured and Werlinger was ineffective. Rodriguez decision to burn Khalil Tate's redshirt has been the talk of Tucson this week and opens the door to a lot of potential playing time, transfer, and recruiting scenarios. The most compelling argument that I think was made before the season about playing Dawkins ahead of Solomon was, if they are close in camp, the younger guy holds the tie breaker (nonwithstanding that Arizona isn't a great passing team and Solomon only gives you the pass). You might as well play him now and get more experience for the future. Well now that you tore the tag off Tate you have to play him and you can't come up with a reasonable scenario where either he or Dawkins sticks around next year if the other wins the job and if Tate wins it the chances that Braxton Burmeister comes to campus are not good either. It is one thing to be in a competition for job with Tate after Dawkins leaves. It is another to just sit behind Tate for three years while Arizona brings in another QB behind you. All that has little bearing on this game though (I just don't have time to be writing a separate Arizona blog). Arizona, on paper, is plenty good enough to put up some points on this Utah defense, but who plays QB remains a mystery. Either Dawkins or Tate would give this defense trouble by forcing them to account for a running QB and they haven't done that well historically, but Tate would have a limited package of plays and that isn't good against this defense. Though the ghost of Jerrard Randle might still haunt this Utah team.
Arizona is great at the per play measurables of drive data. They excel at Play Efficiency, Explosiveness, and avoiding Negative Drives, though they had a bunch of 3 and outs against UCLA. It really makes a difference having Dawkins and Tate back there to keep Arizona dangerously Explosive. There really are not of other dynamic options on this offense now that JJ Taylor is out for the season. They are pretty middling at preventing D-plus Plays; though it helps to have mobile QBs. Arizona needs to run the read option well, pick up first downs, and push the tempo for the passing game to be effective. Arizona's receivers can get open when the defense is on its back foot or trying to switch coverage on the fly.
Arizona is not great at Drive Efficiency or on 3rd down and this is part play calling, part talent level, and part execution. Arizona runs what amounts to a rhythm offense, where tempo is a 4th chair leg, and Arizona too rarely gets into that rhythm these days and the numbers show it. This Arizona team needs to be far more efficient in getting points out of its drives, because as it is now they do three things: run the tempo and score, explosive play from running QB and score, or flame out. There needs to be an option where they can learn to get points when they are not clicking at their best or waiting for a miracle play from one of the QBs.
Arizona is great at the per play measurables of drive data. They excel at Play Efficiency, Explosiveness, and avoiding Negative Drives, though they had a bunch of 3 and outs against UCLA. It really makes a difference having Dawkins and Tate back there to keep Arizona dangerously Explosive. There really are not of other dynamic options on this offense now that JJ Taylor is out for the season. They are pretty middling at preventing D-plus Plays; though it helps to have mobile QBs. Arizona needs to run the read option well, pick up first downs, and push the tempo for the passing game to be effective. Arizona's receivers can get open when the defense is on its back foot or trying to switch coverage on the fly.
Arizona is not great at Drive Efficiency or on 3rd down and this is part play calling, part talent level, and part execution. Arizona runs what amounts to a rhythm offense, where tempo is a 4th chair leg, and Arizona too rarely gets into that rhythm these days and the numbers show it. This Arizona team needs to be far more efficient in getting points out of its drives, because as it is now they do three things: run the tempo and score, explosive play from running QB and score, or flame out. There needs to be an option where they can learn to get points when they are not clicking at their best or waiting for a miracle play from one of the QBs.
Utah's defense (#48) isn't playing as well as last year. Utah gets an annual bump in defensive reputation because most pundits rate teams on points per game rather than a points per drive basis. Utah's clock murdering offense cuts a few possessions out of the game on its own; which makes the bottom line look better when games rather than drives are your denominator. They haven't faced the very best of the Pac12 offenses yet either; in fact Arizona will be the best offense they have played to date.
Utah is pretty good at Drive Efficiency and Play Efficiency. They are good at containing conventional plays and don't give up lots of points when they make you go the legnth of the field. They are pretty good at D-Plus Plays and they can usually get to you without bringing a blitz. Utah is pretty middling on 3rd down and at creating Negative Drives.
Utah is pretty good at Drive Efficiency and Play Efficiency. They are good at containing conventional plays and don't give up lots of points when they make you go the legnth of the field. They are pretty good at D-Plus Plays and they can usually get to you without bringing a blitz. Utah is pretty middling on 3rd down and at creating Negative Drives.
Utah isn't very good at containing Explosive Drives and this really kills their rating. Giving up these kinds of drives regularly makes for long afternoons no matter how many drives your offense shaves off the clock with its mind numbing pace. The Utes have to contain Arizona's QBs in the open field if they want to win.
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