Five Things We Learned This Week: Arizona-Nebraska

1. Arizona Still Has Not Gotten On The Field

Two Days after the game and Wildcat fans are still waiting for their team to get on the field.

The Cats were embarrassed in the Holiday Bowl. There is no other way to put it.
They didn't show up on the field.

Senior safety Cam Nelson inferred in his post game comments that some players were too caught up in the hype and hurrah of the Holiday Bowl.

Arizona looked like they were just happy to be playing in the Holiday Bowl. They put an effort on the field that they were comfortable getting beat in every aspect of the game.
Arizona has not made the next step. One could argue that if the game had been semi-competitive that Arizona had made the next step. They didn't.

The Cats were embarrassed. Hopefully, they remember and learn from it because the team will not be able to do anything if they put out an effort like that again.

2. The Game Was Over After The First Play

You could tell on Arizona's first play from scrimmage that they were over matched.
Nebraska's coverage was suffocating. A newborn wrapped in a blanket had more room to move than Arizona's receivers. Even when they did get somewhat open they dropped the ball or it was a bad pass.

On the third play, Nick Foles threw up a Hail Mary, which was a bad pass, and was picked. That put the finishing touches on the Wildcats.

It was almost like UofA didn't bother to watch tape on Nebraska. The coaches didn't make adjustments that they had done in previous games.

Arizona fans on the way out of the stadium said the coaches didn't bother making a game plan. While this likely isn't true, you do have to wonder how much preparation went into the game.

Were players focused? Should Stoops go back to being bad cop instead of Mr. Nice Guy? What happened?

This game brought more questions than answers for the Arizona football program the main one being, where do the Cats go from here?

3. Arizona Stopped Suh

Yes, they managed to stop him in the stat line. The Player of the Year managed only three tackles.

His presence was still felt though as the Nebraska defensive line was constantly putting pressure on Foles. Foles looked uncomfortable and hurried throughout the game until he was finally pulled in the fourth quarter.

It's too bad that Arizona couldn't stop anyone else on Nebraska.

4. Stoops Had To Give Apology

Mike Stoops apologized to fans after the game in his post game press conference.

He had to. UofA was man-handled.

The last time Arizona looked like that was 2006 against LSU. This game looked like the first two years when Stoops was coaching and there was little talent on the team.

This is a team that beat USC three weeks ago. A team that was six seconds away from the Rose Bowl.

They put out a pathetic performance and Stoops realized that.

He may also want to burn those white helmets.

5. Record Setting Night For The Cats

Arizona set Holiday Bowl records. Not the good kind though.

They were the first team to throw up a goose egg in the Holiday Bowl. They set records for fewest passing, rushing, and total yards.

Not much more can be said about the game except that it is over and the Cats have a long way to go before making the next step.