On a fun-filled day during the Arizona Spring Game, Arizona Football certainly brought the theatrics and energy as Team Gronk came away victorious.
On a rather warm Saturday afternoon inside Arizona Stadium, Gronk did his best to cool off the Gronk Zoo… ahem, I mean the Zona Zoo, as he hurled water balloons into the student section while also serving as an honorary coach during the Arizona Football Spring Game.
Divided into two teams, Team Blue (aka Team Bruschi) and Team Red (aka Team Gronk), the day was filled with fun, excitement, and most importantly football as the Wildcats held their first Spring Game in nearly two years.
Arizona Wildcats
Limited to just 5,000 fans, those watching and in attendance got a glimpse of what to expect under first-year head coach Jedd Fisch.
Utilizing several players, Arizona and coach Fisch opened the playbook, showing us many things from jet sweeps, flea flickers, and plenty of tight end utilization.
The Blue Team started things off quickly, taking a 3-0 lead after Lucas Havrisik converted on a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter. However, Gronk’s team responded quickly as Gunner Cruz connected with tight end Stacey Marshall, Jr. on a 40-yard flea-flicker to make it 7-3.
Just minutes later, the Blue Team would find the endzone as Will Plummer connected with running back Bam Smith from five yards out to regain the lead at 10-7.
Both teams would exchange field goals later in the quarter as Tyler Loop connected from 44-yards out, and Havrisik again hit from 48-yards to make it 13-10 Blue Team.
However, things weren’t quite done yet. With Luke Ashworth under center, the Red Team would go on a six-play, 63-yard drive that was ultimately capped by a three-yard touchdown run from Michael Wiley. Wiley had missed most of the Spring due to some nagging injuries, but on Saturday, the running back from Houston, TX looked a bit like himself when he found the endzone.
With the Red Team now leading 17-13, the Blue team would have one more crack at finding the endzone but ultimately came up just short in their bid for a comeback win.
Enthralled by their victory, the Red Team doused Gronk in the teams’ celebratory win.
Team 🔴 wins it! 💦 Coach @RobGronkowski gets the shower! 💦#ArizonaSpringGame | #ItsPersonal pic.twitter.com/TzWioK8kIc
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) April 24, 2021
Other Game Notes:
- Arizona Women’s Basketball head coach Adia Barnes and Arizona Basketball head coach Tommy Lloyd were in attendance, taking part in a jump ball at midfield that ultimately determined who started with the ball first.
- Gronk was inducted into the Arizona Football ‘Ring of Honor’.
- Plenty of other alumni were in attendance as well, including guys like Kelvin Eafon, Willie Tuitama, Lance Briggs, and numerous others.
Here’s your highlights from today’s action!