Breaking Down Arizona's 35-0 Win over Northern Arizona; a Report Card

Look at the final score, and it's easy to say Arizona's season-opening 35-0 victory over in-state rival Northern Arizona on Friday night was a massive success. But look deeper into the box score, the game film and what coaches and players have to say—you'll find a much more complete story.

There was a lot to be happy about in the win, but as any Division I coach worth his salt will tell you, there's always room for improvement.

"We're going to have a lot of games where we have to scrape and claw to win," Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez told reporters after the game.

Based on Arizona's overall schedule, FCS foe NAU will likely be the weakest opponent on the year. In some respects, Friday's win was as much like a practice game or a scrimmage, albeit one that will dictate how the 2013 season will go for the Wildcats.

To that end, here's a report card breaking down each facet of Arizona's game.

PASSING GAME

Senior B.J. Denker got the nod at quarterback, beating out junior transfer Jesse Scroggins and sophomore Javelle Allen.

Denker was more of a game manager than his 2012 predecessor, Matt Scott, as he wasn't asked to do much against NAU. He responded well, completing 9 of 13 passes for 87 yards, landing a touchdown and showing some nice touch on a few early passes, including an 11-yard TD pass in the first quarter. "He took care of the ball and made good decisions," Rodriguez told the Arizona Daily Star. Grade: B+

RUSHING GAME

Junior Ka'Deem Carey was suspended from the game "per team policy," Arizona's sports information department announced before the game. Though Rodriguez declined to go into specifics, the Tucson Citizen reported Carey sat out the game as punishment for a series of offseason incidents that included a domestic violence allegation that was later dismissed.

With Carey unavailable, senior Daniel Jenkins filled in admirably, running for 139 yards on 12 carries. The highlight was a 91-yard TD run in the second quarter, the third-longest run in school history.

Throw in 71 rushing yards and a score from Denker and a 61-yard scoring run from Allen. Arizona rushed collectively for 306 yards. Grade: A

DEFENSE

Arizona sacked NAU quarterback Kyren Poe three times and intercepted three passes, two of which were off tipped balls. Junior safety Tra'Mayne Bondurant had two of the picks, including one on the first play of the second half that resulted in a 23-yard return for a TD.

The Lumberjacks averaged just 3.6 yards per play and were just 4 for 19 on third-down conversions, but they did succeed in four fourth down tries. Some of NAU's receivers were able to squirm free on broken plays, though. Grade: A-

SPECIAL TEAMS

This was by far Arizona's weakest area on Friday, as a trio of newcomers struggled in their roles. True freshman returner Nate Phillips muffed two punts, though both were still recovered by the Wildcats, while he fielded a third punt inside the 15-yard-line rather than let it bounce.

Junior punter Drew Riggleman averaged just 33 yards on four punts, shanking his first try for only 18 yards. And while senior Jake Smith was true on all five of his extra point attempts, a 28-yard field goal try was way off target. Grade: C