It's been another bit of a busy day and I brought you the most noteworthy item of the day earlier, but now we'll get into the rest of the day's notes after having some time to chat with Rich Rodriguez, Vince Amey and some players after Wednesday's practice.
Here are the quick notes for Wednesday
* I'll start with the news I brought to you right after practice and it was really the most notable thing to come out of the post-practice session. That is of course that senior receiver Cam Denson is expected to retire from the game because of the foot injury that will not heal and has kept him out of all but one game this season. I have been telling you that Arizona has been monitoring the injury that has teetered on getting better and getting worse but after talking things over with the team doctors it is all but finalized that he is done playing football.
"I guess it's pretty much official at this point," Rodriguez said. "I think he's still talking with the doctors but he's had several conversations with them over the last couple weeks. I've talked with him a couple times and his dad, and it's his decision to retire. We could certainly use him when he's healthy because he's a really good player and a great young man.
"Now he's going to focus on getting a UofA degree hopefully in May."
Denson caught one pass for five yard this season in the Houston game, and he's coming off a season in which he caught 15 passes for over 240 yards and two touchdowns. The injury is just going to be too much and rather than explore a medical redshirt he is now expected to hang up his cleats.
* Also on the injury front it sounds like Arizona will finally get back linebacker DeAndre' Miller for this week's game. The bye week gave him time to improve his health coming off that offseason foot surgery and it will be a little surprising if he doesn't play Saturday. He practiced this week and the staff is optimistic that he will be able to contribute for the first time this year. Don't expect him to immediately jump right into his starting role, however, as the staff likes what Kylan Wilborn has done so far this year and isn't in a rush to move him from that spot right now.
* Last week Rodriguez said he had a couple guys in mind who had a chance to move into the rotation with some good work during the bye week. It didn't go as planned and while there was some progress with players you haven't yet seen on the field this year it wasn't enough that they will start to play just yet.
"Yeah a little bit," Rodriguez said of the progress of some of the scout team players. "Not as much to move a guy into the two-deep or the regular rotation, but there's still some freshmen that probably before the year's out – that haven't played yet – that will probably play a little bit."
* I caught up with Vince Amey today to talk about his group. He's typically a pretty good coach to quote and gives me a little more insight into things than others do. I asked him about Dereck Boles and his ability to adjust quickly and hit the ground running this season. Something Amey brought up on his own that he likes about the new defensive tackle is his attitude and willingness to ruffle some feathers. There was a bit of a skirmish today at practice and Boles was in the middle of it, but that doesn't bother his coach as long as it stays under control.
"He's been a blessing," Amey said of Boles. "He's been really good for the room. Even sometimes he pushes some guys' buttons what you want. When you push those buttons and once those buttons are pushed then you come back and talk about it. It happened today. He got into a little altercation verbally with some guys but you come back and you learn from that. There's testosterone all around this building.
"He's been a blessing for us in the room, like I said. He's been a leader, leading by example and leading by his play."
* I also asked Amey about Marcus Griffin, who he mentioned has started to show him a little bit more now. I've wondered what's started to click more for the senior defensive lineman who came in with high expectations. Amey said he's had plenty of talks with Griffin about needing to step up and he has been pleased with the response.
"I need to stay on Marcus," Amey said. "Now that he's older and coming to the end of his career we've had several conversations. You gotta make something happen, it's time for you to go. It's time for you to go. Something's clicked, whatever it is mentally. And I don't have a problem putting him in. I feel comfortable putting him in, so when his number is called he's always ready to go."
Here are the quick notes for Wednesday
* I'll start with the news I brought to you right after practice and it was really the most notable thing to come out of the post-practice session. That is of course that senior receiver Cam Denson is expected to retire from the game because of the foot injury that will not heal and has kept him out of all but one game this season. I have been telling you that Arizona has been monitoring the injury that has teetered on getting better and getting worse but after talking things over with the team doctors it is all but finalized that he is done playing football.
"I guess it's pretty much official at this point," Rodriguez said. "I think he's still talking with the doctors but he's had several conversations with them over the last couple weeks. I've talked with him a couple times and his dad, and it's his decision to retire. We could certainly use him when he's healthy because he's a really good player and a great young man.
"Now he's going to focus on getting a UofA degree hopefully in May."
Denson caught one pass for five yard this season in the Houston game, and he's coming off a season in which he caught 15 passes for over 240 yards and two touchdowns. The injury is just going to be too much and rather than explore a medical redshirt he is now expected to hang up his cleats.
* Also on the injury front it sounds like Arizona will finally get back linebacker DeAndre' Miller for this week's game. The bye week gave him time to improve his health coming off that offseason foot surgery and it will be a little surprising if he doesn't play Saturday. He practiced this week and the staff is optimistic that he will be able to contribute for the first time this year. Don't expect him to immediately jump right into his starting role, however, as the staff likes what Kylan Wilborn has done so far this year and isn't in a rush to move him from that spot right now.
* Last week Rodriguez said he had a couple guys in mind who had a chance to move into the rotation with some good work during the bye week. It didn't go as planned and while there was some progress with players you haven't yet seen on the field this year it wasn't enough that they will start to play just yet.
"Yeah a little bit," Rodriguez said of the progress of some of the scout team players. "Not as much to move a guy into the two-deep or the regular rotation, but there's still some freshmen that probably before the year's out – that haven't played yet – that will probably play a little bit."
* I caught up with Vince Amey today to talk about his group. He's typically a pretty good coach to quote and gives me a little more insight into things than others do. I asked him about Dereck Boles and his ability to adjust quickly and hit the ground running this season. Something Amey brought up on his own that he likes about the new defensive tackle is his attitude and willingness to ruffle some feathers. There was a bit of a skirmish today at practice and Boles was in the middle of it, but that doesn't bother his coach as long as it stays under control.
"He's been a blessing," Amey said of Boles. "He's been really good for the room. Even sometimes he pushes some guys' buttons what you want. When you push those buttons and once those buttons are pushed then you come back and talk about it. It happened today. He got into a little altercation verbally with some guys but you come back and you learn from that. There's testosterone all around this building.
"He's been a blessing for us in the room, like I said. He's been a leader, leading by example and leading by his play."
* I also asked Amey about Marcus Griffin, who he mentioned has started to show him a little bit more now. I've wondered what's started to click more for the senior defensive lineman who came in with high expectations. Amey said he's had plenty of talks with Griffin about needing to step up and he has been pleased with the response.
"I need to stay on Marcus," Amey said. "Now that he's older and coming to the end of his career we've had several conversations. You gotta make something happen, it's time for you to go. It's time for you to go. Something's clicked, whatever it is mentally. And I don't have a problem putting him in. I feel comfortable putting him in, so when his number is called he's always ready to go."
