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Transcript: Live chat on UA football

Ryan Finley answered your questions about the upcoming UA football season in a live chat on Aug. 30.

Welcome to our live chat on UA football with reporter Ryan Finley. The chat will begin in a few minutes. You may submit questions at any time. Questions won't appear immediately, but will be posted as Ryan answers them.

by Johanna Eubank, StarNet... 8/30/2012 6:58:17 PM
You are looking LIVE at our first Arizona Wildcats football chat of the season. Plenty has changed since the last time we all met — Rich Rodriguez was hired as Mike Stoops' full-time replacement, the UA won a College World Series in baseball, and names like JoeTavious Washington and Shadow Williams have become unlikely contributors on the football field. The Wildcats open their season Saturday night against Toledo. Fire away with the questions — we already have quite a few in the queue. Let's get started!

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:01:21 PM
A lot of UA fans look at this Toledo game as an easy W. But what are the odds that the UA's very vulnerable defense puts Matt Scott & Co. in a position to piece together a game-winning drive late in the fourth (or at least a game-saving, clock-killing drive in the final minutes)?

by Hedley Lamarr 8/30/2012 7:01:39 PM
Odds are good, my dear Headley (gotta love the Blazing Saddles reference to kick off the season).This defensive unit is thin, young and probably too slow to run the 3-3-5 "odd stack" defense right off the bat. Stay tuned: You could see a lot of points Saturday night.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:03:08 PM
I know it's Toledo week, but is South Carolina State the worst opponent the UA has ever brought to Tucson?

by The Waco Kid 8/30/2012 7:03:19 PM
Quite possibly. I seem to remember a Middle Tennessee State team in the mid-90s and a few North Texas teams that were hard to watch, but SCSU ranks right up there with The Citadel a year ago as two of the, on paper, least-competitive teams to ever play in Arizona Stadium.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:04:16 PM
Will the weaknesses and desperate shuffling at the LB spots be potentially less noticeable because there are five DBs (who, in most cases, have talent and experience)?

by Governor William J. Lepetomane 8/30/2012 7:04:26 PM
Possibly. Arizona's thin at linebacker, but somewhat deep at safety and defensive back; Marquis Flowers has already moved from Spur to linebacker to make room for Tra'Mayne Bondurant; you might see more shuffling as the season goes on.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:05:51 PM
Special teams have been a problem with the Wild Cats - how is this year's team shaping up?

by Nancy Symons 8/30/2012 7:05:57 PM
The good news on special teams: I've never seen a coaching staff take this kind of interest in what they're doing — read this story for more: azstarnet.com — but it's still too soon to see if the Wildcats will be better. I know this: John Bonano and Kyle Dugandzic are back for another year as starters, and their experience is a good thing.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:07:11 PM
Who will be more patient with their coaching staff....Arizona fan with RichRod or ASU fan with CTG.

by CoachBard 8/30/2012 7:07:29 PM
Just a guess here: Arizona. Wildcats fans can always look forward to basketball, right?

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:07:48 PM
Q: It's almost a certainty that Matt Scott will get dinged and have to sit out a few plays during the season. What % of Scott is BJ Denker as a backup based on what you have seen in the two scrimmages?

by JohnV8r 8/30/2012 7:07:53 PM
I like Denker, a JC transfer with the nickname "Vanilla Vick", a lot: He's probably been the most pleasant surprise of the offseason. That said, Denker's probably half as good as Scott right now. Hope Matt stays healthy. For more on Denker, check out this link: azstarnet.com

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:10:05 PM
Q: How much more pressure does Casteel's 3-3-5 put on opposing QB's vs Stoops' 4-3? Given that the talent hasn't really changed vs last year, does the scheme alone (versus individual performance) deliver 1 sack per game?

by JohnV8r 8/30/2012 7:10:16 PM
Great question: I think the pressure's a different kind of pressure than the Wildcats brought in the 4-3. Casteel will blitz his backers and safeties from all sides, while Stoops was typically content bringing one backer up the middle or a safety off the edge every once in a while. I guarantee this defense will blitz more than Stoops' teams did. And while that's exciting, it leaves the defense vulnerable.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:11:51 PM
What are your expectations going into this season? Also, how long do you think it will take for Rich Rod to build a team at Arizona?

by KeithRWagner 8/30/2012 7:11:59 PM
It's a transition season, so I'm keeping my expectations low: If Arizona can go 6-6 and play in a bowl game, it will have overachieved. I think Rich Rodriguez needs to be given 5 seasons —aka, the length of his initial contract — to turn things around. Arizona football will not be a quick fix.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:13:05 PM
HOW DOES RB DANIEL JENKINS FIT INTO THE SPREAD OFFENSE SEEING AS THOUGH HE HAD THE HIGHEST YARD PER CARRY AVERAGE FROM LAST YEAR WITH LIMITED CARRIES?

by WILDCAT FAN 8/30/2012 7:13:11 PM
He'll back up Ka'Deem Carey and play in certain personnel packages. I like 'DJ' as a player, but his YPC averages are a bit misleading. Many of his runs came late in games and against either tired first-team defenses or backups. I still think Carey's more capable of carrying the load.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:14:16 PM
WITH CAREY AND JENKINS IN THE BACKFIELD, WHICH OF THE TWO WILL BE THE FEATURE BACK CARRYING MOST OF THE LOAD?

by PHOENIX WILDCAT 8/30/2012 7:14:24 PM
Carey.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:14:37 PM
What's the link for the Haka dance again? Doesn't it go something like just stay out of my way... or you'll pay! LISTEN to what I say!

by Shooter McGavin 8/30/2012 7:15:05 PM
azstarnet.com

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:15:32 PM
See if that link works, Big Shooter.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:15:41 PM
Why is Toledo on the scheudle again? Wasn't there arlready a home-and-home completed?

by Stevenson 8/30/2012 7:15:50 PM
A 2-for-1 deal; it was the only way the Wildcats would visit Toledo in 2010. And no offense, people of Ohio, I'm not sure they (or I) want to go back anytime soon.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:16:16 PM
Pac 12 network distribution - fair or foul?

by Stevenson 8/30/2012 7:16:43 PM
Fair, I guess, since Pac-12 has decided to control revenue stream. I think the Pac-12's "open letter" to fans last night was bush league. No reason to insert the poorest/most passionate people into the equation here. Just get the dela done.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:17:25 PM
Where do you put the Wildcats over/under win total at?

by Michael 8/30/2012 7:17:34 PM
5.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:17:40 PM
Did Toledo QB Terrance Owens play minor league ball this summer?

by Stevenson 8/30/2012 7:17:48 PM
Don't think so. As this story from Pat Finley points out, he was a selection of the San Diego Padres — but my understanding is that he'll wait until football's over to give it a try: azstarnet.com

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:18:46 PM
From what you have seen of the NEZ project, will it put UofA in the top half of the conference facilities wise?

by Justin S 8/30/2012 7:18:48 PM
Probably right in the middle, yeah. I'd put what Arizona's doing on par with Oregon State. The Beavers have a nice stadium, giant video board and a pleasant, if understated, look.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:19:26 PM
Hey Ryan, What do you think the toughest challenge will be for UofA besides trying to get a grasp of the defensive side of the ball? Will Toledo give us some insight into these problems on Sept 1st?

by CatThrong 8/30/2012 7:19:45 PM
Offensively or defensively, I think it's going to be "playing fast" — the team has to play at a breakneck speed for either scheme to work properly. And yes, I think Week 1 is always a major test/eye-opener, regardless of opponent.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:20:58 PM
Could we see more Big Ten football teams in Tucson because of the Rich Rod connection?

by Fake Rosenbaum 8/30/2012 7:21:01 PM
No, though Rodriguez has said he wants to play Michigan… eventually. Here's guessing that if UA-UM ever happens (it won't), it'll be in the Big House.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:21:46 PM
If UA plays OSU on the Pac 12 network but nobody has cable, does the game still count?

by Stevenson 8/30/2012 7:21:58 PM
Hey, I have cable! Biggest downside of the Pac-12 Network-DirecTV? Bars. Most establishments have DirecTV or Dish. So if you don't get it at home, and you can't go to a bar to watch it either, you better make friends with cable people. Like me.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:23:07 PM
Speaking of bars! I'll be on "Happy Hour with Jody Oehler" today, live from Rusty's. Come on out to the West Side and see me talk football from 5:20-5:30 or so.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:23:51 PM
DO YOU THINK THIS UOFA TEAM CAN BEAT USC COMING INTO ARIZONA STADIUM ON OCT. 27TH?

by BECKY 8/30/2012 7:23:59 PM
No. Trojans are stacked.

by Ryan Finley 8/30/2012 7:24:10 PM
Do you think Adam Hall will come back for 2013 or go pro?

by Justin S 8/30/2012 7:24:13 PM