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Is Mike Stoops Really A Good Head Coach? Q&A With Arizona Desert Swarm

Remember how we used to poke fun at Mike Stoops? The guy who scored a big upset in November (beating UCLA, Cal and Oregon three years straight), but otherwise did nothing of consequence? The guy whose teams screwed the Pac-10 out of God knows how many BCS at-large bids? The guy who lost to New Mexico two years in a row?

Well, now he's four wins away from Pasadena. Where's the Mike Stoops we've come to know and love?

How do Arizona fans feel about their coach, their team, and their conference title chances? We sat down with AZ Desert Swarm, Arizona's SBN blog, and asked him how confident he feels in his team going into the showdown in Berkeley tomorrow. (Check out our interview with them over at their site!)

1)  Do you think Arizona will make the Rose Bowl this year??

I think that Arizona has a good shot.  We're favored against Cal, and will get to face Oregon at home where we have won 11 in a row dating back to 2007.  After watching USC play the last couple of weeks, I believe that it is more than likely that we will be favored in that game and will come out with a win. Long Answer.

Short Answer. Yes. I think we will make the Rose Bowl.

Star-divide

2) Should Nick Foles scare the crap out of me the way his passing stats are doing? He seems like the perfect quarterback for the Airraid. 

I have been hoping since July that Foles would be the starter for the Cats.  The receiving corps that he has was made for him.  Matt Scott's style of offense did not gel with the rest of the team.  Foles on the other hand is a sure handed smart QB who rarely makes a mistake.  He is tall enough to stand in the pocket and pick you apart if you don't get to him. He is also elusive (enough) to side step pressure and allow his receivers to get open on come back or hot routes during blitzes.  I bet your defensive coordinator doesn't get much sleep this week watching our film.  Our running game compliments Foles and we are hopeful to get our star Nic Grigsby back for the Cal game.

3) Mike Stoops has been known for dropping total headscratchers. Are you living in mortal fear that the other shoe's about to drop?

Not really. I love the way Stoops coaches.  Living in Austin, Texas, there was always talk about the style of "Big Game Bob" Stoops and his aggressive coaching style.  Now that Arizona has Stoops, I love that style of coaching.  Case in point: 4-2 on the Iowa 23 yard line in the 2nd quarter with the  Cats trailing 14-10. Stoops does a fake FG. Unfortunately, Keenyn Crier isn't a running back and forgot to follow his blockers.  Should have been a first down and may have changed the game in Arizona's favor.  I loved it.



4)Who is the #1 player on D that Cal fans should worry about?

Ricky Elmore.  This guy is a beast.  He has 28 tackles on the year but has 7.5 sacks and applies pressure like crazy.  He also has a crazy mullet.  Your tackles better be ready for him or it's going to be a long day.


5)Who would you like to punch in the face and why?

Each and every person that writes a check at the grocery store. No exceptions.

 

6.  Early on, it seemed like Mike Stoops was about two steps from getting canned at Arizona.  For now, at least, it looks like he's got the Wildcats going in the right direction.  Is Stoops the Younger in Tucson for the long haul?

I think after this latest run and the recruiting class he put together in 2009, Stoops is here to stay.  Unfortunately, as college football goes, he will always be looking for a bigger stage until he finds the right fit.  I am not 100% convinced that Stoops will stay in Arizona.  I just believe that he will not get fired.  He is  slowly building a reputable program that is a lot of fun to watch and is starting to compete at the top of the Pac-10 again.  We all hope that this is his home for a long time.

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Short Answer. Yes. I think we will make the Rose Bowl.

If there is a Juju, may the Juju make us pay them back for 2006.

Praise be to Tedford!

by Ohio Bear on Nov 13, 2009 2:31 PM PST reply actions  

+∞

Cal Football: It could happen!

by CalBandGreat on Nov 13, 2009 2:43 PM PST up reply actions  

It’s like they learned nothing from the negative karma Oregon St. fans built up before getting destroyed against Oregon. Unbelievable.

The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS

by norcalnick on Nov 13, 2009 4:05 PM PST up reply actions  

Well, they were building it up and managed to beat Az in Az last year, if I recall.

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 13, 2009 5:55 PM PST up reply actions  

Yeah, so Arizona will probably kill us and inspire further dangerous boasting before getting destroyed by one or all of Oregon, USC and ASU.

The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS

by norcalnick on Nov 13, 2009 6:58 PM PST up reply actions  

Two corrections:

1. Arizona is NOT favored against Cal (although they probably should be)
2. Arizona will NOT be favored when they play @SC.

I don’t care if Arizona wins the rest of their games and SC loses the rest of their games, the day that SC is a home underdog is the day a Cal kickers puts one in the endzone.

by ryandrew on Nov 13, 2009 2:43 PM PST reply actions  

I think when they put up the line it was originally Arizona -1.5 or something, which was when we asked the Qs. You’re right, the line is now Cal -3.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash on Nov 13, 2009 2:45 PM PST up reply actions  

I don’t know if Cal should be favored in this one… but in my opinion a stoops is a stoops is a stoops… which means when the big one comes around someone better have learned the heimlich maneuver…

If UofA hits a wall and goes 0-4 or 1-3 one this last stretch, do these UofA fans feelings change?

Maybe its just wishful thinking, or maybe I’m just thinking like a Cal fan, but if there’s one school that sounds more inappropriate in a Rose Bowl than Cal, its gotta be that JC out of Tuscon…

Undefeated in Southern California since Oct. 2009...

by CruzinBears on Nov 13, 2009 3:00 PM PST reply actions  

I don’t think I can abide Arizona getting to the Rose Bowl before us. For so goddamned many reasons. But not the least of which is here is a team that sucked and blew at the same time not three years ago, while we’ve been taunted teased and tantalizingly close to breaking through.

If there is any sort of god out there, Texas will screw Zona out of a BCS bid.

How depressing is that?

On ATQ I'm known as JSoCal Oski

It's spelled J-etc

by SoCal Oski on Nov 13, 2009 3:22 PM PST reply actions  

what about the punch ______________ in the face question?

So flag’d

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Nov 13, 2009 3:26 PM PST reply actions  

FML

reading phail

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Nov 13, 2009 3:26 PM PST up reply actions  

I don't see Arizona going to the RB this year

Granted, it is very possible in this topsy-turvy year. To do so, however, they’d need to basically win out – especially if USC beats Stanford this week. While Cal and ASU look very beatable, Oregon and @ USC do not. That Oregon @ Arizona game is looking really big next week (who would have thunk that one at the beginning of the year?).

by tmoran3020 on Nov 13, 2009 5:02 PM PST reply actions  

what bunch of idiots have us

Favored in this game? That is madness. Our offense is gone, and our defense cannot rush the qb, nor defend the pass. If we only lose by two scores it will be a moral victory.

Go Bears Go

by Rocksanddirt on Nov 14, 2009 9:04 AM PST via mobile reply actions  

The "idiots"?

I guess those would be the bettors. Arizona opened as the favorite and the line has moved the other way.

Praise be to Tedford!

by Ohio Bear on Nov 14, 2009 11:40 AM PST up reply actions  

madness.

People are throwing their money away in that case.

Go Bears Go

by Rocksanddirt on Nov 14, 2009 12:42 PM PST via mobile up reply actions  

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