Arizona Football: Discipline and Leadership starts from the top down

As Arizona Football has gotten off to a tough start to the 2019 season, that got me thinking, does team lack a bit of discipline and leadership.

It’s always tough losing your first game, and for Arizona Football, losing to Hawaii last week has sent fans into a bit of a frenzy to say the least.

While it’s been a full week since the Wildcats lost to the Warriors, we’ve hopefully had enough time to digest everything and come up with some rational thoughts.

Arizona Wildcats

There’s no need to rehash everything, we’re all familiar with the shortcomings in that heartbreaking, 45-38 loss, but one thing that seems to stay persistent in my thoughts as a I look at this team from an outsiders perspective, I can’t help but think that maybe there’s a lack of leadership and discipline.

What do I mean? Well, as the loss occurred, and people were evaluating what happened, one thing that seemed to surface that kind of makes you scratch your head, is something Wildcat Authority Editor Jason Scheer noticed.

Apparently in the days/ weeks leading up to the start of the game against Hawaii, a few Arizona Football defensive players decided to try and play a bit of mind games to try and psych out Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald. Those player sought out liking and commenting on a few social media photos of his girlfriend, hoping to possibly create a rise.

A strategy seemingly taken right out of the ‘playbook’ of all-pro cornerback, Jalen Ramsey. Harmless fun? Sure, the only problem is if you do something so bold, you should probably back that up with good play, rather than getting torched for 378 yards and four touchdowns to the opposing quarterback you’re trying to mess with.

Also, as an aside and this is just a personal opinion to the players that did this, but you’re not good enough to deploy the same tactics as the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback until you reach that level, even if your ever do so.

However, to me underpinned in all this, shows a lack of leadership or discipline from this team, and that starts from the top down. And no, I’m not just talking about off-the-field antics, but on-the-field play as well.

I understand kids will be kids, and this isn’t a means to lambaste them in any way,no,  but for a team that was hyped in pre-season to be vastly improved and hungry to prove people wrong, I really don’t see much different than the same team who struggled to win five games the season before.

Maybe I’m wrong and this is just a perception thing, but I don’t feel like this team and program has done enough or earned the right to act cocky. Whatever happened to just a good ‘ol fashioned butt-whoopin’?

Anyways, here’s to hoping I’m wrong in all this and this team turns it around this year. All I know is that this fan base is desperate for something positive! As always, Bear Down, Arizona!