Three Biggest Keys to Success on Defense for Arizona
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The 4-3 Arizona Wildcats are fresh off their second and final bye week of the season and will be looking to turn their midseason woes around, starting with a convincing win over the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder this Saturday.
The Wildcats dropped their last two games in gut-wrenching fashion, losing to No. 10 BYU 33-27 in double overtime and to Houston 31-28 in the final seconds, leaving fans disappointed with the outcomes.
The Buffaloes are hoping to turn their season around as well, as they are currently 3-5 and coming off their biggest loss of the season, being routed by the Utah Utes 53-7.
If the Wildcats are going to come out of Boulder with a win, they will have to lean on the suffocating defense, which is ranked fourth in the Big 12 and for good reason. There are three things that they can do to ensure a successful outing.
Stop the run
Arizona boasts the seventh-ranked defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to minimal yardage by meeting them behind the line of scrimmage. It is Arizona's aggressive defense that has the Wildcats tied for 14th in the FBS in tackles for loss.
Last week, Utah held Colorado to a very minimal 38 yards of rushing offense. The Buffaloes have had bad luck rushing the football, which is why they rank 15th in the Big 12 in that category.
Arizona has had its share of bad luck when it comes to stopping the run, allowing a combined 490 rushing yards in its last two losses. Despite that, it should have focused on that area to ensure that Colorado has a tough time gaining yards on the ground in its upcoming game.
Disrupt the quarterback
Over eight games, the Buffaloes have used a two-quarterback system, utilizing Kaidon Salter and Ryan Staub to take advantage of their different talents.
Salter is the most mobile of the two, and the Arizona defense has had significant trouble when playing dual-threat quarterbacks, allowing nearly 200 yards on the ground against Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman.
Should the Wildcats' pass rush get to the quarterback and prevent them from getting outside the pocket or running past the line of scrimmage, Colorado will have to rely on passing the ball downfield.
The Wildcats are well equipped for that, as they have the third-best passing defense in the Big 12 and the second-most interceptions in the conference.
Get off the field
Lately, the Arizona defense has had a tough time getting off the field, as they are the fifth-ranked team in the Big 12 in that category, allowing 34 conversions on 100 attempts through seven games.
The Wildcats are also the sixth-ranked team in the conference on opponent fourth down conversions, allowing eight conversions on 16 attempts.
The Colorado offense was 3-for-16 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down in its last game against Utah. In the Big 12, they are the eighth-ranked offense on third down conversions and the 13th-ranked team on fourth down, so Arizona shouldn't have much trouble getting off the field.
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Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.