Arizona Diamondbacks' Willie Bloomquist earns award nomination

by Scott Bordow - Sept. 18, 2012 10:09 PM
azcentral sports

It's been a rough five weeks for infielder Willie Bloomquist, who has been bothered by a back injury and has made just one appearance, as a pinch-hitter, since Aug. 8.

But on Tuesday, Bloomquist had a smile on his face as he talked about being named the Diamondbacks' 2012 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented to a player who makes positive contributions to his team and his community.

"Obviously it's a huge honor. I'm really humbled by it," Bloomquist said. "For me to be the nominee for this organization is a pretty cool thing."

Since 2011, Bloomquist has hosted a Phoenix Children's Hospital patient and his/her family to a VIP day during one game of each home stand at Chase Field. Also, Bloomquist and his wife, Lisa, began the "The Abe and Max Fund," named after two patients who made a lasting impact on Bloomquist when they visited Chase Field.

The fund raises money to buy electronics and games for Phoenix Children's Hospital; it started with a $5,000 donation from the Bloomquist family.

As for his availability, Bloomquist said his back is feeling better but that he was still a few days away from baseball activities. Bloomquist conceded there's a possibility he might not play again this season.

"It's very tough for me to say I'm done for the year when we still have games left," Bloomquist said. "We'll see what the situation is at the point and time I'm able to play."

Return engagement

Trevor Bauer might be on his way back to Arizona.

The rookie right-hander, who pitched in the Triple-A championship game Tuesday, could be called up and get a major league start before the end of the season. General Manager Kevin Towers flew to Durham, N.C., to watch Bauer pitch, and a decision could come within the next couple of days, manager Kirk Gibson said.

"We think it would be beneficial for him to be back," Gibson said of Bauer, who was 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA earlier this year.

It's uncertain how Bauer would fit into the rotation. Barring injury, Ian Kennedy is scheduled to pitch the final game of the season, and Gibson said a starter's turn would have to be skipped to fit Bauer in.

"I don't know anybody that wants to miss a start but at the same time if we feel somebody should miss a start, he would be the likely choice," Gibson said.

One pitch

Chris Young, who has been bothered by a right quadriceps injury, made his first start since Sept. 3 but it didn't last long.

On the game's first pitch, Young chased down a ball hit by San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera near the right-center field wall and immediately motioned to the Diamondbacks' bench that he needed to come out.

The short appearance continued a frustrating season for the D-Backs' center fielder. Young was hitting .410 when he went on the disabled list April 18 for a month, and after playing in 156 games each of the past two years, he won't top 110 this season.

"It sucks a little bit to get hurt a couple of times during the season," Young said. "It's my first time missing this much playing time."

Short hops

Suns' point guard Goran Dragic will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday's game against the Padres. ... Gibson won his 200th game Sunday as Diamondbacks manager. Bob Melvin has the most victories of any Arizona manager (337), followed by Bob Brenly (303) and Buck Showalter (250). ... The Reno Aces won the Triple-A national championship game Tuesday, beating Pawtucket, 10-3. Reno becomes the third D-Backs' minor-league affiliate to win a title this year.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918arizona-diamondbacks-willie-bloomquist-earns-award-nomination.html
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2 big weeks in golf, 2 different prizes

by Doug Ferguson - Sept. 18, 2012 08:54 PM
Associated Press

ATLANTA - Two big weeks in golf could not be more different.

East Lake has the top 30 players on the PGA Tour. Medinah will have 24 of the top 35 players in the world.

One pays $10 million to the winner. The other doesn't pay a dime.

If there's a similarity between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup, it's the value players place on winning them.

"One is monetary, the other is pride," Steve Stricker said Tuesday. "This is playing for your year. You can do a lot of good things, and you're playing for a lot of money. Next week you're playing for something totally different. You're playing for your country, with teammates. But if you talk to any player, I guarantee they would want to win either one. It would mean a lot."

The flag-waving, foot-stomping crowd that has waited two years for the most exciting three days in golf might find this hard to believe, but the players gathered at East Lake for the FedEx Cup finale are thinking only of winning the Tour Championship.

Because that's all they can win this week.

Tiger Woods was roasted by the British press in 2002 when a World Golf Championship was staged at Mount Juliet in Ireland the week before the Ryder Cup. After taking a 1-shot lead after the opening round, Woods was asked which was more important for him to win. He chose the WGC event and its $1 million purse over taking a 17-inch gold trophy home on the team plane.

"Why? I can think of a million reasons," Woods said, a tongue-in-cheek remark that backfired.

Oddly enough, just about every Ryder Cup player at Mount Juliet felt the same way. Two different tournaments. Two important weeks. One at a time.

Justin Rose was working on his bunker play at East Lake when the rain finally gave way to patchy skies. He walked over to chat with Keegan Bradley, who was chipping out of the rough. Rose is playing in his second Ryder Cup. Bradley will be making his debut next week.

The topic?

Rose was commiserating with Bradley over the New England Patriots losing at home to the Cardinals on Sunday.

The Ryder Cup will get here soon enough.

For now, the focus is on the final event of the FedEx Cup that comes with a $10 million bonus and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

This is the big conclusion the PGA Tour envisioned for the FedEx Cup, especially with this lineup of stars who occupy the top five seeds and only have to win the Tour Championship to capture the $10 million prize -- Rory McIlroy, Woods, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, and Brandt Snedeker. The three playoff events leading up to the Tour Championship have been nothing short of blockbuster, with all the top names on the leaderboard week after week.

And this week, anyone at East Lake still has a chance.

"It's an individual game, and that's how ultimately you're going to be remembered in this game," Rose said. "You can win the Ryder Cup and lose three of four matches, and it will be an amazing week. But I don't think you come out of it a better player. You win this week, in this scenario, you come out of it a better player."

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918big-weeks-golf-different-prizes.html
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Baseball stat geeks latching on to WAR to value players

by Nick Piecoro - Sept. 18, 2012 09:40 PM
azcentral sports

The stat of the moment that best defines the player of the moment is clear in its love for the Angels' Mike Trout, expressing in no uncertain terms that Trout has been baseball's best player this season. And that it's not even close.

The stat is called Wins Above Replacement -- or WAR, for short -- and with awards talk already upon us, now might be a good time to talk about a stat you might be hearing a lot about if you follow baseball in the Internet age.

So here's what WAR does for position players: It puts a value on everything a player can do in a game, whether it's hitting a home run, stealing a base, making a far-ranging catch or going first to third on a single. You name it, WAR quantifies it.

It takes those values and adjusts them for the player's home park and his position. It also compares them to a generic player, someone who might be found waiting in Triple-A, and combines them into one number that represents how many wins he's worth above that "replacement player."

There are two sites, Fan Graphs and Baseball-Reference, that generate their own versions of the stat, and they agree: Trout is really good.

According to fWAR (internet baseball jargon for Fan Graph's WAR), Trout is worth 9.3 wins above replacement. Baseball-Reference (or bWAR) is even higher on him, pegging his value at 10.2. The closest AL player is the Yankees' Robinson Cano, who is 3.0 and 3.5 wins behind, depending on the site.

Trout has been the game's best offensive player, contributing 51.5 runs, per Fan Graphs. He's been the second-best baserunner (6.1 runs). And he's been the eighth-best defender (saving 13 runs). All of this matches up with more traditional measures. Trout is a .329 hitter with 27 homers, 45 steals and a highlight reel filled with tremendous defensive plays.

Fan Graphs writer Dave Cameron says WAR shouldn't be looked at as an end-all, be-all number, but rather a "really useful grouping mechanism." What WAR tells us about the National League this year is that Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey and Ryan Braun are all having similar seasons, he said.

"And if you're going to pick an MVP, it should be someone out of that group," he said.

And there are skeptical people out there, and it seems much of their doubt is focused on WAR's defensive component. Fan Graphs uses Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), a stat that requires human scorers to evaluate each defensive play individually. Cameron believes people question UZR because it can sometimes fly in the face of common beliefs.

"One of the things that we've been told is that speed and defense don't slump," he said. "I think in our minds we just believe that defense should be a constant, that good defensive players are good every day. I think the data shows that it's not true."

Sometimes WAR will spit out a number that might cause you to either want to completely disregard it or make you rethink everything, depending on your level of open-mindedness.

Take the Diamondbacks' Jason Kubel, who has an fWAR of 1.9 and a bWAR of 0.7. He ranks in the same group as Mariners second baseman Dustin Ackley, who owns a .232 average, and the Pirates' Clint Barmes, a shortstop hitting .225.

How can Kubel, a player with 29 home runs, a .514 slugging and a league-leading 13 outfield assists, be rated so harshly? Part of it, certainly, is his position and what the average left fielder tends to produce. Another part, Cameron says, is Chase Field.

"I think he's really getting dinged hard by the fact that everyone hits well at Chase Field," he said.

WAR might not be perfect, but it also might bring us closer to accurately evaluating players' performance. One thing's certain: It's the trendy stat of the moment, and you'll probably be hearing it cited more and more as the MVP debates heat up.

Reach The Heat Index at nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8680.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918baseball-stat-geeks-latching-war-value-players.html
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Teams feeling the Arizona Cardinals rush

by Kent Somers - Sept. 18, 2012 09:52 PM
azcentral sports

It was big news in New England last Sunday that Stephen Gostkowski, the most accurate kicker in Patriots' franchise history, missed a 42-yard field-goal try with one second left to assure the Cardinals of victory.

But for the Cardinals, watching a reliable kicker miss was business as usual. And it provided proof more that their prowess for blocking kicks and punts might be messing with the minds of opponents.

"We put so much pressure on the field-goal teams," cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "They have to do nothing but respect what we do." - What the Cardinals do is block a lot of kicks: 15 since 2008. That's more than anyone else in the NFL. - They blocked five in 2011 and have two this year: a blocked field-goal against Seattle in the season opener and a blocked punt last week against the Patriots.

Success helps. Last week, linebacker Quentin Groves almost blocked a punt early in the game. He begged special teams coach Kevin Spencer for another opportunity. Spencer gave it to him, and Groves blocked a punt that the Cardinals turned into a touchdown.

"It's a little bit like blood in the water for sharks," Cardinals kicker Jay Feely said. "You get a little taste and you want more."

And the Cardinals believe that ability leads to more missed field goals, because opponents know they have to get to the ball quickly and get the ball high enough.

"You absolutely see it," Feely said. "You get in those situations and guys speed up, they change their technique. You worry about getting it blocked instead of focusing on the fundamentals that are going to help you make the kick."

It's a theory that's hard to prove, but the Cardinals have plenty of anecdotal evidence.

In 2010, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed a 32-yard field at the end of the game.

Last year, 49ers kicker David Akers set an NFL record by making 44 field-goal attempts. He missed only eight -- and four of those came against the Cardinals.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey had made 26 consecutive field-goal tries when he missed a 49-yarder at the end of the fourth quarter.

And the Bengals Mike Nugent had missed only twice in the first 14 games last year. In the 15th, against Arizona, he missed twice.

"I'm not pretending I'm an expert on what they go through and their approach to making kicks or whatever," linebacker Paris Lenon said, "but I would liken it to basketball. If you've got a known shot blocker in your way, it might have an effect on your shot."

The Cardinals credit their success to a unique blend of talents, attitude and coaching.

Not many teams have a defensive end like 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell rushing from up the middle.

He had three blocks a year ago and the blocked field goal against Seattle was the sixth blocked kick of his career.

The Cardinals also have speed off the edges from defensive backs Patrick Peterson and rookie Justin Bethel. Bethel blocked nine kicks in college at Presbyterian, and he had three in the preseason.

Just as importantly, the other players on the field are willing to do some dirty work. That means guys such as defensive linemen Darnell Dockett and David Carter working hard to get a push up the middle. That might mean Lenon pushing Campbell from behind, maybe getting him a yard or so deeper than he would otherwise.

Lenon also makes the calls on the field and can adjust how the Cardinals rush, based on what the punt team is showing.

"People don't see the push or the guys inside," Campbell said. "I kind of just ride the stream and jump up and balance myself. I think everybody tries to block it; it just helps that I'm 6-8."

There is more than one field-goal rush call, too. Spencer has a handful that he uses, some more than others.

"We try to get matchups and find weaknesses, just like offensive and defensive coaches," Spencer said. "The guys have just bought in and I'm proud of it. And it hasn't just been pink frosting. We've won some games with these things."

Coach Ken Whisenhunt emphasizes rushing kickers, not only because of the potential big play that could result, but also a means of measuring his players' efforts.

A team that's given up won't rush a point-after attempt nearly so hard as one that isn't just going through the motions.

"You can give up on that play, especially after a touchdown," Lenon said. "It's like, 'I'm just trying to get to the sideline.' A lot of guys could approach it that way, but we don't. It's a big part of what we do."

It's an attitude that Whisenhunt and Spencer brought with them from the Steelers. Former coach Bill Cowher emphasized it as a way to measure a team's mental toughness.

"Sometimes guys are tired," Spencer said. "It could be the end of a 10-play drive. They are disappointed and sometimes guys go through the motions. We don't tolerate that here. It's a football play."

The Cardinals are Feely's fifth team and this is his 12th NFL season. He's never been with a team that emphasized blocking kicks more than the Cardinals do.

"Some coaches will say, 'Well, let's not give up a fake, let's be safe,' " Feely said.

"We're a very aggressive team. I've never heard a head coach put an emphasis on field-goal block like this team. He talks about it all the time."

No one on the Cardinals sideline felt good when Gostkowski took the field for the final kick last week. But they felt hopeful, because they had witnessed good kickers fail in that situation before.

Maybe Gostkowski just mis-hit the kick, something he might not do again this season. Or maybe he hit it poorly because he was worried about a block. Who can say?

But Spencer knows one thing.

"I thought, 'If I have to be in this situation, this is a heck of a group to be in it with.' "

Coach's corner

"That's what today's NFL is. You have to have your young guys play. Patrick (Peterson) did it for us last year a lot. David Carter did it. Sam Acho did it. Young guys have got to step up and fit in. If you can get that to happen, it builds a pretty strong team, because now those guys understand how they have to do it. Jamell is under a lot of pressure from Patrick, from some of these young players, to do it the right way. And when you see it show up on the field it makes a difference for you."

--Ken Whisenhunt when asked about rookie Jamell Fleming playing 98 percent of the defensive plays.

Stat pack

2-0 - The Cardinals are 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and for the fourth time since 1988 (2012, 2008, 1991, 1989). They haven't been 3-0 since 1974 when they won their first seven.

9 of 11 - The Cardinals have won 9 of their last 11 games. Four were in overtime. The other five were decided by fewer than five points.

62.3 - In his past four games, which included an abbreviated appearance versus the 49ers in 2011, Kevin Kolb has completed 62.3 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

2 - RB Ryan Williams has fumbled in each of the two NFL games in which he's played.

1 - The Cardinals yielded one sack against the Patriots. That's fewer than in any game in 2011.

The Cardinals have blocked 15 kicks since 2008 - That's more than anyone else in the NFL.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918teams-feeling-arizona-cardinals-rush.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks finally win at home against San Diego Padres

Sept. 18, 2012 09:22 PM
Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Ian Kennedy gave up one run in eight innings for his 14th victory, Miguel Montero drove in two runs with two doubles and the Arizona Diamondbacks finally got a home win over the San Diego Padres, 3-2 on Tuesday night.

San Diego was 6-0 in Arizona this season before dropping the series opener.

Kennedy (14-11) overcame a 30-pitch first inning, scattering seven hits. A 21-game winner in 2011, Kennedy is 8-3 in his last 12 starts.

Eric Stults (6-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings in his first loss since June 3. The left-hander had gone 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts since rejoining the Padres rotation on Aug. 6.

19 Sep, 2012

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Outside the huddle: Arizona Cardinals CB William Gay discusses QB background, girlfriend and more

by Bob McManaman - Sept. 18, 2012 09:17 PM
azcentral sports

Each week, azcentral sports spotlights a Cardinals player for a series of on-the-spot, off-beat questions.

Today: William Gay, cornerback

Question: So you were teammates at Louisville with your current teammate Kerry Rhodes. Tell me, was he as talkative then as he is now?

Answer: Yeah. Kerry is a born leader. He had that at Louisville and he had that being a quarterback back in high school. You take those characteristics from the position you played and you still keep them. He's always been a guy that motivates so I'm pretty used to it.

Q: You were a quarterback at Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla., weren't you?

A: I wouldn't call it a quarterback, I'd just say athlete.

Q: What do you mean?

A: When I played quarterback, the most I usually threw in a game was like six passes. They were deep throws, but I never threw the ball 20 times or anything like that. We ran the option.

Q: So you were like Michigan's Denard Robinson then?

A: Yeah, pretty much. He's a great quarterback. But when I got to Louisville, they told me they didn't need me to play quarterback, just play defensive back.

Q: I understand you have a girlfriend that's quite an athlete. She's a track star, right?

A: Yes, her name is Natasha Hastings and she runs the 400 meters. A great athlete, an Olympian. She made the 2008 team and has been on world-championship teams. She's got gold medals everywhere, just a natural-born athlete.

Q: How long have you been going out with her?

A: Two and a half years.

Q: How'd you meet her?

A: I met her down in Miami during the off-season. She was there celebrating her birthday and we ran into each other. I couldn't let her go after that.

Q: What was the one line or thing you said that made her fall for you?

A: I don't know. I was just being myself. It must have just been the swag and the demeanor that I have about myself.

Q: Confidence. Is that what it is?

A: (Laughs) I'm from Florida. That's all we do.

Q: Yeah, Darnell Dockett tells me that all the time. But hey, when you came here on your free-agent visit, you weren't so confident or cocky that you demanded to be a starter, correct? You were just willing to fill whatever role you could?

A: See, the demeanor I have, coming from where I come from, it's all about wins. You don't worry about stats. You don't worry about whether you're starting. It's about Ws , because at the end of the day, that's what the fans care about, that's what the league cares about and that's what people remember you by. They don't care if you started eight, nine 10 years. Who cares? How many games did you win? How many championships you got? That's my demeanor.

Q: The Cardinals have embraced that type of philosophy lately. Could you see some of that in this team when you signed here?

A: Well, before I even signed, I asked the head coach what direction the team was going because it starts at the top with leadership. And he (Ken Whisenhunt) told me, "We're all about wins and winning championships." That's the only thing I wanted to know. He said, "I don't care what the name is on the back of the jersey, I just want to win." When he said that, that's what brought me to the mindset where you know it's legitimate.

Q: So Coach Whiz has some swag, too, huh?

A: Yeah. Because he let me know, "I'm not promising you nothing. I'm putting the best guys on the field." I told him, "Good, that's all I can ask for."

Q: The defense has played two pretty stellar games now. How happy are you to see the progression you're making as a unit?

A: We've got a lot more to do. Going 2-0 don't say nothing about our season, so you just move on and you've got to know you've been here before, you know how to win. You've got to stay on an even keel or you're going to get knocked down by somebody. That's what you're going to see out of me all year. I'm not going to get too high and I'm not going to get too low.

Q: Tell us about the William Gay off the field that we don't know. What's he like?

A: The same. I don't change for nobody. What you see on the field is what you see off the field. Like I said, I don't get too high and I don't get too low.

Q: Yeah, but you seem really approachable and introspective about things. Do you consider yourself a deep thinker?

A: Not necessarily a deep thinker. I'm from the South so my Southern hospitality makes me approachable.

Q: If you invited me and a date over to you and your girlfriend's place, what kind if hospitality would we get?

A: First, I'm going to offer you a bottle of water to make sure you're not thirsty. And then I'll let my girlfriend entertain y'all because she knows how to entertain guests. Whatever you need, this is your house for the moment. It's not my house. I'll sit back, y'all sit back, and we'll just enjoy ourselves.

Q: Sounds great. But what if I wanted a beer instead of a bottle of water?

A: (Laughs) Ain't no beer in our house, man. We're athletes.

19 Sep, 2012

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ASU football getting much-needed size from Mike Pennel

by Doug Haller - Sept. 18, 2012 05:44 PM
azcentral sports

Arizona State coach Todd Graham admits: The Sun Devils need Mike Pennel.

The junior defensive tackle, who stands 6-feet-5 and 355 pounds, gives ASU much-needed size on the defensive front.

Through three games, the Sun Devils have started no one taller than 6-1. But Pennel's adjustment from Scottsdale Community College has been slow.

He played in the opener, splitting time with the first and second teams, but he missed the Illinois contest because of a team suspension. Tweeted Pennel: "I want to (apologize) to the sundevil fans and my family for letting them down this week. I will be back next week and this won't happen again."

Pennel returned in Saturday's loss at Missouri, playing a key role in ASU's four-man front. He finished with two tackles and had a quarterback hurry. Graham said he was proud of Pennel for both his performance and his approach.

"At the end of the day, there's only one way we're going to do things and for some people it comes easier than others," Graham said. "In a very short period of time, we've had a lot of newness. I'm new. We brought in a lot of new players that are playing. It's been quicker for some and not as quick for others.

"Probably the reason he hasn't played as much is I'm not going to change one single thing. We're going to have one vision as a program. Kids need that kind of structure. That's what will pay off for us down the road."

Norvell addresses rotation of quarterbacks

ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell on Tuesday talked with reporters for the first time since Saturday's loss.

He addressed his rotation of quarterbacks Taylor Kelly and Michael Eubank and where it failed in the Missouri loss. A portion of the exchange:

How difficult is it to determine when you put another quarterback into the game?

"I don't want the first time we work on something (to be) when we step on that field. We have a specific plan of what we want to do. We go with what we work on. That's something that didn't work out the way we wanted Saturday night. We did have a miscommunication on one of the plays in the red zone, which is totally unacceptable and we have to get that corrected as coaches. But I look back at it, the first two weeks, everything worked smoothly. The third week we come up about an inch short. It's something we need to definitely improve on."

How do your judge your performance as an offensive coordinator?

"Whether we win or we lose ... I'm extremely hard on myself, making sure I'm giving these guys the best opportunity to be successful. Obviously, when you lose there are a lot more plays you look back at (and think), 'Boy, I'd like to have this one back, I'd like to have that one,' but we got to trust what we do. Each week that we go in and work, we do a great job, I got a great staff on offense putting together a game plan for us to be successful. ... One of the biggest disappointments in (Saturday's game) is that we started off slow. We turned the ball over, the punt, the interception, those things really set us back. And then it was 17-0 and I think our guys just started to press a little too much. They missed a couple progressions, missed going through their reads. Those are things that we can't have."

If a quarterback is in a good rhythm, how does that factor into your decision making?

"It's a feel. As we're rolling down the field, there are certain times that I've had in my mind that I wanted to put Eubank in, and I decided not to because Taylor was rolling. There's been times in the earlier games that I wanted to start off with Eubank and then get Taylor in during the middle of the series. But if Eubank gets rolling, I try to leave those guys so they can do that. The situation in the game the other night, we were moving the ball down the field and we got inside the 3, and we had a set plan that we wanted to do what we had worked on (in practice). It came up a few inches short."

News, notes and observations

Change could be coming among ASU's starting receivers.

Freshman Richard Smith and junior Kyle Middlebrooks had first-team reps, long with junior Kevin Ozier, for the portion of practice that media were allowed to observe. (About three plays.) Two we haven't seen much of this season: juniors Alonzo Agwuenu and J.J. Holliday. At times in preseason camp, both ran with the first-team. For the first two weeks of camp, Holliday drew praise from both Graham and receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander. Both players were on the field late in Saturday's loss at Missouri, the through three weeks, they have have a combined one catch.

Tuesday, Graham was asked what they need to to do get on the field. His response: "One of the big things I try to tell them is that they're going to run 3.2 miles in practice every day. You can run it full speed and get better. Our guys have never seen that, so they don't know that they're not where they need to be in practicing. They look at me sometimes like, 'What are you talking about?' But the reason why we have trouble with some of the timing of our passes -- and this is not something that happened last week, this was in Week 1. On Game Days, we're running a different speed. You can't do that. You have to practice a timing offense full speed every day. And that's something we have not mastered yet. That's something they have to understand. ... Our rhythm passing game is the least to catch hold right now. It's been all run, play-action pass and those types of things. We need to get that going."

ASU is looking at changes on special teams, too.

Graham said senior Charles Beatty may join the kick-off cover unit and walk-on Andy Garcia likely will see more action. Don't know Garcia? That's because he just joined the team two weeks ago when the roster expanded. A 2009 graduate of Nogales High, Garcia was an all-state running back as a junior and an all-state receiver as a sophomore. After spending time at Pima Community College, he transferred to ASU. In Saturday's loss, Garcia not only traveled, which is rare for a walk-on, he also played as a gunner on the kick-off team. He practiced there again Tuesday.

"He showed some good things," Graham said. Junior linebacker Grandville Taylor, sophomore Marcus Washington, junior linebacker Brandon Johnson, and junior receiver Kyle Middlebrooks also could have bigger special-teams roles.

Offensive line coach Bob Connelly's assessment of the line in Saturday's loss: "We didn't do good enough. We didn't control the line of scrimmage. We let the noise get to us. The silent count got us. We were late off the ball. Our eyes weren't where they needed to be because of the anticipation of the snap count. We had five off-sides penalties, which obviously is not acceptable, period. And we didn't run the ball like we needed to."

The reserve offensive lineman who's shown improvement: sophomore tackle Tyler Sulka."He's the guy that's probably improved the most since fall camp," Connelly said. The offensive-line coach said sophomore guard Sil Ajawara also has earned more playing time.

Senior linebacker Brandon Magee pointed out that last Saturday marked the first time he has played every defensive snap since the Arizona game in 2010. "I was a little tired after (the Missouri game)," said Magee, who missed last season with an Achilles injury. He didn't play much in Week 1 because of the lobsided score and missed the Illinois win because of a concussion.

Follow me at Twitter.com/DougHaller.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918asu-football-getting-much-needed-size-from-mike-pennel.html
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Arizona Wildcats face stern test in Pac-12 opener

by Ryan Finley - Sept. 18, 2012 08:07 PM
Arizona Daily Star

TUCSON - The University of Arizona is a heavy underdog entering Saturday's Pac-12 opener at No. 3 Oregon.

Don't expect Rich Rodriguez to necessarily argue. Arizona's first-year coach knows more than most about the Ducks' strengths. And though the 22nd-ranked Wildcats' 3-0 start has opened eyes, the Ducks are on a different level.

Rodriguez has emphasized relevance over the first three weeks of the season.

"But we're realistic, too," Rodriguez said Monday. "We've won two games against teams most people thought we'd (beat), and one game most people thought we wouldn't win.

"Our guys aren't going to BS anybody: We have to play pretty well and hope they play poor at times and give us a chance. We're not conceding anything. I'm just saying, that's the way it is."

Things don't get much tougher than Saturday's game.

The Ducks -- who are listed as a 231/2-point favorite over the Wildcats -- blew through their first three opponents by a total score of 162-73.

Oregon's starters have played roughly half the time, in part because none of the games has been particularly close.

"This is a process that's been fun for three weeks, but our guys know we've got a lot of work to do," Rodriguez said. "And this is a big test."

Rodriguez: Thomas NFL-ready

The UA defense must stop Oregon's speedy backs and receivers to have any chance at an upset.

None is faster than De'Anthony Thomas: In three games, Thomas has rushed 13 times for 228 yards and caught 11 passes for 154 yards. Seven of his 24 touches this season have resulted in touchdowns.

Thomas, a sophomore from Los Angeles, amassed 222 total yards of offense in the Ducks' win over Tennessee Tech last weekend.

"They'll hand him the ball, they'll throw it to him, he returns kicks, he returns punts," Rodriguez said.

UA safety Jared Tevis called Thomas "really explosive" and a guy who "has multiple big plays every game."

Rodriguez said the Ducks' do-everything player is NFL-ready.

"Can he come out early?" Rodriguez said. "De'Anthony, you've proven enough. It's time to go to the NFL. Maybe he can go before Saturday."

Getting deeper

Defensive end Dan Pettinato and linebacker Hank Hobson received good reviews for their performances Saturday in UA's 56-0 victory over South Carolina State. Pettinato (knee) and Hobson (shoulder) missed Weeks 1 and 2 because of injuries.

Arizona will need both players healthy and productive to hang with Oregon and other Pac-12 opponents. They play arguably the Wildcats' two thinnest positions.

"They're healthier, and there shouldn't be any restrictions," Rodriguez said. "It looks like both of those guys are 100 percent going forward, and that helps, particularly with our lack of depth defensively. We need a couple more guys who can play."

Fresh starts

Through three games, nine of the Wildcats' 22 true freshmen on scholarship have made their college debuts, essentially eliminating them from redshirt consideration.

Linebackers Dakota Conwell,C.J. Dozier,Keoni Bush-Loo and Anthony Lopez; safeties Will Parks,Wayne Capers Jr. and Jamar Allah; running back J.T. Washington; and offensive lineman Cayman Bundage all figure to play more as the season progresses.

Rodriguez said he won't hesitate to change redshirt plans if there's a need.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918arizona-wildcats-face-stern-test-pac-opener.html
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Arizona Cardinals get back to work after stunning road victory over New England Patriots

by Bob McManaman - Sept. 17, 2012 10:21 PM
azcentral sports

It should have been a day for more high-fives and fist bumping, a victory Monday worth celebrating like never before.

After all, the Cardinals' 20-18 upset victory over the New England Patriots -- on the road, no less -- was that special. It was probably their most significant regular-season victory in the Ken Whisenhunt era, perhaps in their entire Arizona history.

"Well, I think there was a couple regular-season wins where we clinched the division. Those have been pretty big wins for us in the past," the coach said. "... It's hard to look at the second game of the season as a huge win.

"Well, I shouldn't say that," Whisenhunt said, catching himself. "I mean, it is a big win for us because it was on the road, it was against a very good football team. But as a defining moment, I think Patrick (Peterson) said it (Sunday), 'We've got a lot of games left to play.' We've still got a story to tell as far as who this team is going to be."

Maybe, but Sunday's unexpected victory was like Larry the Cable Guy winning an Oscar. Nobody gave the Cardinals a sniff of a chance. They were 14-point underdogs.

And yet there they all were a day later, victorious but not ready to bask in any glory or puff out their chests as they went about their business Monday at the team's Tempe training facility.

"It's a marathon, not a sprint," said Peterson, a second-year Cardinals cornerback. "We have 14 games left. Starting 2-0 is fantastic, but at the end of the day it's not going to reveal those next 14 games."

"He's right," defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. "We've got to stay humble and stay hungry and keep working hard week in and week out."

It's almost sad this team can't celebrate its victory a little bit longer, but being able to turn the page is a must. They face the 2-0 Philadelphia Eagles at home Sunday, and that's where their focus has settled.

Even the plane ride home was tame by usual NFL standards.

"I think they were excited about the win," Whisenhunt said, "but you know it wasn't like we just won the Super Bowl or something like that.

"I think they were proud of what they had done, the significance of winning a game in New England. I think it sunk in a little bit after the game, but it seemed like they put it behind them and we're moving on."

But how can you forget a game like Sunday? Maybe it helps that the Cardinals always seem to have another unpredictable and exciting finish up their sleeves.

Dating to 2010, the Cardiac Cardinals' past 11 wins each have been decided by seven points or fewer, with the average margin of victory 3.7 points.

In their past five games, four have come down to the final play, and all four of those were Arizona wins.

"We like it that way. We get better TV ratings that way," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, smiling. "We like to make sure our fans' blood pressure is on the rise every week."

In the Cardinals locker room Monday, it was calm and mostly quiet, except for the constant banging of free weights in the adjacent workout room, where players were pumping iron with a fury.

"It's intense in there right now," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. "That tells me something, and it makes me feel good. Guys aren't satisfied. They're going to keep working hard.

"Mondays and Tuesdays aren't off days around here. If you want to win, if you really want to win, you've got to put your work in seven days a week."

If you thought Sunday's win was something, just wait for the raw energy that is sure to fill University of Phoenix Stadium to the rafters -- and maybe through the retractable roof.

"It will be loud, it will be a great atmosphere and that will feed the confidence of our guys," Whisenhunt said. "Now that's great, but we've got to play smart and not make mistakes. That's where our focus has to be this week."

Given the lack of high-fives and fist bumps and virtually no celebrations at all on Victory Monday, that doesn't sound like it's going to be a problem.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/17/20120917arizona-cardinals-get-back-work-after-stunning-road-victory-over-new-england-patriots.html
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Arizona Wildcats can't stray from script at Oregon Ducks

by Ryan Finley - Sept. 17, 2012 10:20 PM
Arizona Daily Star

The Arizona Wildcats are undefeated, ranked No. 22 nationally and boast one of the West's top playmakers in Matt Scott and a surprisingly stout defense.

All of which meant exactly nothing Sunday, when the team gathered on campus to begin preparations for this week's game at No. 3 Oregon.

The Wildcats are heavy underdogs again against the Pac-12's most prolific offensive team; early Las Vegas lines have the unbeaten Ducks favored by 24 to 27 points.

Arizona (3-0) may be relevant again, but it's going to need bigger wins before receiving nationwide respect.

And while Saturday's 56-0 win over South Carolina State was nice ...

"I think our guys understand that things'll be a little different beginning next weekend," first-year coach Rich Rodriguez said.

If the Wildcats hope to upset Oregon - on the road, no less - they'll need to stick to the formula that has worked so well for them through the first three weeks of the season. That means:

- Avoiding turnovers. At quarterback, Scott has thrown for 995 yards and rushed for 190 more so far this season. But it's a smaller number - one - that might be the best gauge of the senior quarterback's success. Scott has turned the ball over just once all season, an interception against Toledo in Week 1. His ball security is even more impressive, considering how often Scott has the ball in his hands. Add the quarterback's pass attempts and rush attempts together, and he's had the ball for 165 plays so far; that doesn't count the run-pass option plays that have resulted in handoffs.

"He's been phenomenal," running back Daniel Jenkins said of Scott. "He has really taken control of the offense. His completions definitely help our rhythm as an offense."

- Dodging flags. The Wildcats put together a third consecutive clean performance Saturday while South Carolina State melted down. In three games, Arizona has been penalized just 15 times for 117 yards, a 39 yards-per-game clip that's tied for 30th-best in the country. The Wildcats' opponents, meanwhile, have been flagged 33 times for 340 yards.

Oregon (3-0) has been uncharacteristically sloppy on both sides of the ball so far.

The Ducks have been penalized 28 times for 245 times over three games, almost exactly twice as many yards (127) as its opponents.

Rodriguez said he's proud of his team for avoiding "stupid penalties," and the Wildcats also appear to have learned from their few mistakes.

"They have sat up and paid attention. They've been eager to learn," Rodriguez said. "When you have a team like that: One, they're fun to coach and two, it gives you a chance. I think the guys are hungry. They play like it, and they've certainly practiced like it."

- Stiffening up. For all the preseason concerns about the Wildcats' defense, the unit has played surprisingly well - at least in terms of points. Arizona held South Carolina State scoreless Saturday, a week after surrendering 38 points to Oklahoma State at home. As a result, the Wildcats are ranked much higher in scoring defense (tied for 37th, 18.33 points per game) than total defense (61st, 382.67 yards).

Saturday's showing boosted the UA's national rankings and, possibly, adjusted their season-long expectations.

"We gave up a few plays here and there," Rodriguez said. "But with our defense and the guys we have battling in there, we're going to take every small victory we can."

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/17/20120917arizona-wildcats-cant-stray-from-script-oregon-ducks.html
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