After recording 10 tackles in his first game back from a torn ACL, Arizona safety Adam Hall re-aggravated his knee and won’t play against UCLA this week.
Hall will most likely use a medical redshirt that will keep him on the bench until next season.
Arizona interim head coach Tim Kish said that he expects linebacker Jake Fischer, cornerback Jonathan McKnight and defensive tackle Willie Mobley to wait until next season to return to action following their own ACL injuries.
Despite Hall’s absence, the Wildcats can take solace in the fact that cornerback Trevin Wade will return to action after injuring his shoulder against Oregon State.
Stoops talks to the team for a final time
After former head coach Mike Stoops’ dismissal, the questions surrounding the future of the team were endless, and after a week of adjustments, Stoops was able to talk to his former players in an effort for closure.
Kish was all for it, saying that regardless of what happened, Stoops was still a part of this team.
“I think it was very positive,” Kish said. “It was a chance for him to have an opportunity to put some closure on himself but understand that he’s still with the team.”
With the tumultuous two weeks that the program has faced, Kish is excited about the prospect of his players being able to come about and just play some football.
“We certainly moved on quickly to the healing process. The focus is good,” he said. “I think the energy and the enthusiasm has been great.
“I look forward to having that opportunity Thursday night.”
Coaching carousel
For Kish, the most difficult part of his transition to the head coaching job has been the juggling of his duties.
“(I’m) having to wear two hats right now,” Kish said. “It pulls at you in a lot of different directions, so I try to separate that when I can.
“I’m still the defensive coordinator and having all the responsibility of the practice organization and then being the head coach, it’s time consuming from that standpoint,” he added.
Kish has also made an adjustment so that offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and his staff will have autonomy in terms of calling the offense on Thursday. It wasn’t a tough call for Kish, who admitted that their knowledge of the offense superseded his own.
“Based on their expertise, and my expertise, (it was) that simple,” Kish said.
In an attempt to bring a different dynamic to the special teams on Thursday, running backs coach Garret Chachere and receivers coach Dave Nichol will take over duties on the sideline while special teams coordinator Jeff Hammerschmidt will watch upstairs from the coaches booth.
“Jeff will be upstairs to have a chance for the first time to kind of get a better feel for what’s happening special teams wise,” Kish said. “I think it’ll be a good switch for him.”
Bonano has ‘air of confidence’
Senior John Bonano will take the starting placekicking job, replacing Alex Zendejas for the Wildcats on Thursday against the Bruins.
With the level of maturity that Bonano brings to the team, not to mention the struggles of Zendejas and one-time starter Jaime Salazar, the decision was easy for Kish.
“He just has an air of confidence about him,” Kish said. “We put him in some tough situations this week. We’re trying to create some game-like situations to answer the question about what were some of the subtle changes from practice.”
“He’s been absolutely excellent, I just like his demeanor.”
