LOS ANGELES — With Arizona season on the brink and his list of healthy players dwindling by the day, Rich Rodriguez addressed his team earlier this week.
You have three options, the coach said: You can fight, you can flee or you can freeze.
Through one quarter at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Wildcats are fighting.
Anu Solomon hit Nate Phillips for a nine-yard touchdown pass and the UA defense has made three consecutive stops; the Wildcats lead the host Trojans 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. In a major role reversal, the UA defense has been harassing quarterback Cody Kessler: Anthony Lopez's sack on third-and-long led to a Trojans punt, and a hurry by Reggie Gilbert toward the end of the period forced Kessler to throw out of bounds.