As always seems to be the case against Oregon, Friday’s loss was a game of highs and lows for the Wildcats. Here is some of the good, the bad, and the ugly from Friday’s 48-29 beat down in Eugene, Ore.
The good
Nick Foles
Quarterback Nick Foles went off for a career-high 448 passing yards (fourth most in school history) to go along with three touchdowns and an interception.
Foles wasn’t remarkably accurate – 29-54 – and didn’t have to do much at times with Juron Criner breaking away with no one in sight. But a career-day is a career-day, nonetheless, and Foles impressed.
“”I haven’t seen a quarterback play like that in a long time,”” said Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. “”Nick Foles is one really, really, really good football player.””
Forced turnovers
The Wildcats defense was spotty, but did force two turnovers – an interception by safety Adam Hall on Oregon’s first drive and a fumble late in the second quarter.
Arizona’s struggled to force turnovers as of late but did so early in Friday’s game before the Ducks ran away with it.
Although he was flagged for some questionable personal fouls, Hall led the Wildcats with 11 tackles and is emerging as a mainstay at safety.
Alex Zendejas
The words good and Alex Zendejas have probably never been used in the same sentence before, but Arizona’s place kicker was solid on Friday as he went 2-for-2 on field goals including a 41-yarder.
He also made all of his three extra points – quite the feat for him – and sent a pooch punt out of bounds on Oregon’s 1-yard-line.
Zendejas did, however, look like a clown pounding his chest to the Oregon crowd after making a 29-yarder in the second quarter.
Terrence Miller and Juron Criner
For the second straight game the 6-foot-4, rangy went off. Criner did all of his damage (106 yards, two touchdowns) on three catches, including an 85-yard touchdown catch to close out the first quarter.
The 18-year-old Miller followed up his seven-catch, 117-yard game against USC with an eight-catch, 96-yard performance.
Bad
No sacks
Arizona defensive ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore used to wreak havoc in the backfield. But the duo, along with senior D’Aundre Reed, has been ghostly in the last three games as the Wildcats went without a sack for the third consecutive game.
Call on Hall’s hit
Hall drilled James with what appeared to be his shoulder pad. The hit jarred the ball loose and Arizona would have taken over in the second quarter, but the refs called it an illegal hit and Oregon kept possession.
“”It was probably one of the cleanest hits I ever had,”” Hall said. “”I mean, I hit him in the helmet with my shoulder pad.””
Ugly
Arizona’s penalties
The Wildcats beat themselves with 10 penalties for 80 yards against the Ducks. None was more costly than an offsides call on an Oregon field goal attempt. The penalty gave the Ducks a first down and an eventual 20-yard Thomas touchdown run to extend Oregon’s lead to 27-19 with 4:44 in the third.
Arizona’s second-half defense
The Wildcats’ defense went MIA to start the second half and allowed the Ducks to go on a 34-3 run like they were playing in McKale Center. LaMichael James and Darron Thomas ran all over Arizona as the Ducks scored five touchdowns in 16:15.
