Hansen's Sunday Notebook: It's crisis time after rebuilding Ducks beat 蜜聊直播 鈥 twice
- Updated
Star sports columnist Greg Hansen offers his opinion on recent sports news.
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Sometimes it鈥檚 not who you hire, it鈥檚 who you don鈥檛 hire.
Five years ago,听Rich Rodriguez听told 蜜聊直播 defensive line coach听Joe Salave鈥檃听he would not be retained on RichRod鈥檚 first UA staff, 2012.
How鈥檇 that turn out?
RichRod hired 65-year-old West Virginia defensive line coach听Bill Kirelawich. Salave鈥檃, 蜜聊直播鈥檚 1997 All-Pac-10 defensive tackle, began looking for work, ultimately becoming part of听Mike Leach鈥檚 first staff at Washington State.
Last week, despite being offered a raise and promotion at WSU, Salave鈥檃 accepted a $1.65 million, three-year contract to be Oregon鈥檚 assistant head coach and defensive line coach. That鈥檚 a better contract than any assistant football coach in UA history.
Simultaneously, the Ducks flipped 蜜聊直播鈥檚 most high-profile recruit, quarterback听Braxton Burmeister, and are now working on persuading Eugene (Ore.) Sheldon High offensive lineman听Cody Shear听to renege on his commitment to play at 蜜聊直播 and become a Duck. Shear鈥檚 ties to the UO are strong; his uncle,听Tim听Shear, is a former Oregon linebacker who owns an e-commerce business in Eugene.
Kirelawich? He was fired a year ago. His position went not to Salave鈥檃, but to former ASU lineman听Vince Amey, who had never coached a down of college football.
Salave鈥檃 has become one of college football鈥檚 most significant recruiters; his connection to the Polynesian community is such that the Cougars鈥 rise to Pac-12 contention can be linked to those Salave鈥檃 recruited, including听Hercules Mata鈥檃fa,听Daniel Ekuale听Logan Tago,听Darryl Paulo,听Shalom Luani听and听Destiny Vaeao.
Seven players have now withdrawn their pledges to play football at 蜜聊直播, including defensive lineman听Austin Faoliu听of Anaheim, California, who will play in Friday鈥檚 Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu. After Faoliu committed to 蜜聊直播, Salave鈥檃 offered him a scholarship to WSU; Faoliu will announce his final college choice Friday.
Last week began with promise for RichRod. He was advanced to the presidency of the American Football Coaches Association, where he and his colleagues began to campaign for, among other things, a mid-December signing period.
Such a change might end many late-term recruiting flips.
But if you believe in football karma, here鈥檚 a bad trend: Presidents of the AFCA have not fared well recently.
Washington鈥檚听Tyrone Willingham, president of the AFCA in 2008, went 0-12 and was fired.
Dick Tomey, president of the AFCA in 2009, went 2-10 at San Jose State and resigned.
Texas鈥櫶Mack Brown, president of the AFCA in 2013, went 8-5 and was fired.
Cincinnati鈥檚听Tommy Tuberville, president of the AFCA in 2015, went 4-8 last season and resigned.
Whether it鈥檚 bad karma or bad luck, whatever momentum 蜜聊直播 gained from beating 蜜聊直播 State in November鈥檚 Territorial Cup has been lost. This is developing into a crisis to match听John Mackovic鈥檚 final season at 蜜聊直播, 2003.
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
In its 13th year, Monday鈥檚 Martin Luther King Basketball Classic at McKale Center has become the showcase for high school basketball in Southern 蜜聊直播.
Seven games will be played beginning at 11 a.m., when the girls听teams from Tohono O鈥檕dham and Baboquivari meet. The final game, scheduled to start at 8 p.m., matches boys teams from Cienega and Tucson High.
The feature game is a 6:30 p.m., clash between Sahuaro and Salpointe Catholic. After almost a decade, the long-powerful Cougars teams of听Dick McConnell听and the Lancers contenders of听Brian Peabody听have been re-branded and are again traditional powers.
Cougars coach听Jim Henry, a Sahuaro alumnus, is 122-58 in his seventh season. Salpointe coach听Brian Holstrom听is 149-61 in his eighth season.
Keep an eye on Salpointe junior听Rylan O鈥橞rien. In Thursday鈥檚 victory over Nogales, O鈥橞rien听made 11 3-point baskets and scored 35 points. The AIA lists just one player in state history, Pueblo鈥檚听Smiley Contreras听in 2001 (with 14), having made more threes in a game.
This is also the busiest period of the prep basketball season; Sahuaro plays six games in nine听days and the Lancers five games in eight days. Admission is $10 and is part of the Coaches For Charity nonprofit organization.
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Progress: Although first-year UA women鈥檚 basketball coach听Adia Barnes听didn鈥檛 have time to properly recruit for the 2016-17 season, she engineered one of the most impressive victories in the school鈥檚 last five years. The 蜜聊直播 beat 12-2 Utah in Salt Lake City last Sunday. How unexpected was that? Under former coach听Niya Butts, the 蜜聊直播 had gone 1-32 in Pac-12 road games dating to 2013.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
When vandals ruined Pueblo High School鈥檚 new basketball surface recently, it forced coach听Izzy Galindo鈥檚 18-1 and No. 5-ranked (Class 4A) girls basketball team to play a home game on the road, at Amphitheater. The Warriors won 55-25. The school fixed some lighting and updated locker rooms at the smaller south gymnasium in time for Pueblo to play Friday鈥檚 game, which it won 80-38 over Rio Rico. The Warriors have three regular-season home games remaining; all will be played in the smaller facility.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Sabino football coach听Jay Campos, who led the Sabercats to four state championship games, resigned last week. He won 133 games, an average of nine per season, which ranks with any prep football coach in Tucson history. Campos, who will be a full-time administrator at Sabino, said he wouldn鈥檛 rule out the possibility of returning to coaching some day. It wouldn鈥檛 be much of a surprise if ex-Sabercat听Ryan McBrayer, part of Campos鈥 staff and a former Sabercats standout linebacker, becomes the new head coach. McBrayer is a teacher at Sabino.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
The race for men鈥檚 basketball Player of the Year in the ACCAC appears to be a two-way race between a couple of Tucsonans. Pima sophomore听Deion James, 6-foot-6-inch wing player from Empire听High School, leads the league in scoring with 21.9 points per game, and is averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. James last week was offered scholarships by both Colorado State and Fresno State. South Mountain freshman听Jacob Inclan, a Sunnyside High School grad, is also averaging a double-double, leading the ACCAC with a 12.3 rebounds-per-game average. He is second in points, at 20.1 per game.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Tucson athlete of the week: UA freshman high jumper听Justice Summerset听made an impressive college debut Friday night. In an indoor track meet at NAU, Summerset cleared 7 feet 3 inches, which is his personal best. His jump would鈥檝e been good for sixth place in last year鈥檚 NCAA indoor high jump finals. Summerset is a Mountain View High School grad.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
蜜聊直播 announced last week it a two-game football series against Colorado State in 2027 and 2028. It seems odd a Pac-12 school would announce a series with a mid-level school like CSU, and especially a series a decade away. 蜜聊直播 used to boldly announce football series against Ohio State, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Now? NAU, UTEP and Houston are 蜜聊直播鈥檚 2017 nonconference opponents. Tucson fans haven鈥檛 reacted well to a regular and diminished list of opponents.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Cal鈥檚 hiring of Wisconsin defensive coordinator听Justin Wilcox听as its new football coach represents a notable change, from offense to defense, among a league once laden with offensive-system coaches. Now seven of the Pac-12鈥檚 head coaches are defensive-oriented men: Wilcox; Utah鈥檚听Kyle Whittingham; Colorado鈥檚听Mike MacIntyre; ASU鈥檚听Todd Graham; UCLA鈥檚听Jim Mora; Oregon鈥檚听Willie Taggart; and Oregon State鈥檚听Gary Andersen听all came up through the ranks as defensive coaches. It鈥檚 like the 1990s all over again.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
I wasn鈥檛 surprised听Sonny Dykes听wasn鈥檛 a good fit and, ultimately, fired as Cal鈥檚 football coach. Dykes is a Texan and he couldn鈥檛 resist the opportunity to interview for the Baylor job last month. The AD who hired Dykes is no longer on staff, and, much like RichRod, Dykes made some coaching staff mistakes. If you coach at Cal, your lifestyle changes because you spend so much time driving traffic-clogged freeways. Getting to the Cal campus from anywhere is a challenge. The freeway lifestyle is among the reasons former 蜜聊直播 associate AD听Bob Bockrath听left as Cal鈥檚 athletic director to take a similar job at Texas Tech a few years ago.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
If you’re 55 or older, and if you play in one golf tournament this year, I recommend the third annual Edward Jones Southern 蜜聊直播 Short Course Open Feb. 9-10. It will be held at Rolling Hills Golf Course. Gross/net prizes will be awarded for age groups 55-64, 65-74 and 75-over, for both men and women. Fee is $99. Entry forms available at .
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
When he was a teenage tennis standout, one of听Eric Styrmoe鈥檚 Tucson rivals was a young听Robert Sarver, now owner of the Phoenix Suns. Styrmoe stuck with tennis; he played at Sabino High School and Pima College and then became probably the top tennis player in Weber State history. He was selected to the WSU Sports Hall of Fame last week and will be induced March 3-4 in Ogden, Utah. At Weber State, Styrmoe won two Big Sky Conference singles titles (and two team championships), later won 10 USTA singles/doubles titles and registered 11 Tucson City singles championships between 1981-95. He is now director of tennis at the Westin La Paloma.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Tucsonan听Bryanna Caldwell Cot茅听was selected to the U.S. Bowling Congress鈥 Team USA for 2017 after finishing third in the qualifying finals in Las Vegas last week. Cote, a Canyon del Oro High School grad, thus qualifies听for the World Cup this year in Mexico, as well as other Team USA competitions.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
Small world: In the semifinals of the Mexican Winter League baseball playoffs last week, Tucson pitchers听Pat McCoy听of Sahuaro and听Manny Barreda听of Sahuarita opposed one another in Los Mochis. Barreda鈥檚 Los Mochis team prevailed over McCoy鈥檚 Culiacan club, 4-1. Barreda, who pitched a no-hitter in November, allowed two hits in eight innings. The two were high school rivals, meeting in a 2005 Sahuarita Invitational game in which McCoy beat Barreda 6-3. They also pitched against one another in a Double-A game back in 2013. McCoy has since pitched in 14 big-league games, for Detroit, while Barreda, now 28, has not moved past Double-A.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
The power of ESPN versus Fox Sports 1: The Jan. 4 蜜聊直播-Utah basketball game, a Thursday night FS1 telecast, drew an audience of 205,000. The same night, Gonzaga and USF drew 280,000 on ESPN2, and the UCLA-Cal game on ESPN had an audience of 730,000. Saturday鈥檚 蜜聊直播-UCLA game at Pauley Pavilion on CBS could surpass 1 million viewers.听
- Greg Hansen
- Updated
What goes around comes around: In the winter of 1982, UA football coach听Larry Smith听permitted me to accompany him and defensive coordinator听Moe Ankney听on a recruiting visit to five Phoenix prospects.
It was the day the 蜜聊直播 visited with and got a commitment from South Mountain High School linebacker听Byron Evans, who became the 1986 Pac-10 defensive Player of the Year.
But the day began ominously.
Smith pulled into the parking lot at Tempe McClintock High School to meet with the state鈥檚 No. 1 recruit, linebacker听Frank Rudolph. Something went wrong right away.
The McClintock coach was standing in the parking lot, waiting for Smith.
鈥淔rank鈥檚 not going to attend 蜜聊直播,鈥 the coach said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to go to ASU.鈥
That was it. After a brief, awkward conversation, the McClintock coach returned to the gym. Smith didn鈥檛 even get out of the car.
Last Wednesday, Larry鈥檚 son,听Corby Smith, who grew up on the sidelines shadowing his father at 蜜聊直播 Stadium, became the head football coach at McClintock High School.
If that鈥檚 not football justice, what is?
- Greg Hansen
Sometimes it鈥檚 not who you hire, it鈥檚 who you don鈥檛 hire.
Five years ago,听Rich Rodriguez听told 蜜聊直播 defensive line coach听Joe Salave鈥檃听he would not be retained on RichRod鈥檚 first UA staff, 2012.
How鈥檇 that turn out?
RichRod hired 65-year-old West Virginia defensive line coach听Bill Kirelawich. Salave鈥檃, 蜜聊直播鈥檚 1997 All-Pac-10 defensive tackle, began looking for work, ultimately becoming part of听Mike Leach鈥檚 first staff at Washington State.
Last week, despite being offered a raise and promotion at WSU, Salave鈥檃 accepted a $1.65 million, three-year contract to be Oregon鈥檚 assistant head coach and defensive line coach. That鈥檚 a better contract than any assistant football coach in UA history.
Simultaneously, the Ducks flipped 蜜聊直播鈥檚 most high-profile recruit, quarterback听Braxton Burmeister, and are now working on persuading Eugene (Ore.) Sheldon High offensive lineman听Cody Shear听to renege on his commitment to play at 蜜聊直播 and become a Duck. Shear鈥檚 ties to the UO are strong; his uncle,听Tim听Shear, is a former Oregon linebacker who owns an e-commerce business in Eugene.
Kirelawich? He was fired a year ago. His position went not to Salave鈥檃, but to former ASU lineman听Vince Amey, who had never coached a down of college football.
Salave鈥檃 has become one of college football鈥檚 most significant recruiters; his connection to the Polynesian community is such that the Cougars鈥 rise to Pac-12 contention can be linked to those Salave鈥檃 recruited, including听Hercules Mata鈥檃fa,听Daniel Ekuale听Logan Tago,听Darryl Paulo,听Shalom Luani听and听Destiny Vaeao.
Seven players have now withdrawn their pledges to play football at 蜜聊直播, including defensive lineman听Austin Faoliu听of Anaheim, California, who will play in Friday鈥檚 Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu. After Faoliu committed to 蜜聊直播, Salave鈥檃 offered him a scholarship to WSU; Faoliu will announce his final college choice Friday.
Last week began with promise for RichRod. He was advanced to the presidency of the American Football Coaches Association, where he and his colleagues began to campaign for, among other things, a mid-December signing period.
Such a change might end many late-term recruiting flips.
But if you believe in football karma, here鈥檚 a bad trend: Presidents of the AFCA have not fared well recently.
Washington鈥檚听Tyrone Willingham, president of the AFCA in 2008, went 0-12 and was fired.
Dick Tomey, president of the AFCA in 2009, went 2-10 at San Jose State and resigned.
Texas鈥櫶Mack Brown, president of the AFCA in 2013, went 8-5 and was fired.
Cincinnati鈥檚听Tommy Tuberville, president of the AFCA in 2015, went 4-8 last season and resigned.
Whether it鈥檚 bad karma or bad luck, whatever momentum 蜜聊直播 gained from beating 蜜聊直播 State in November鈥檚 Territorial Cup has been lost. This is developing into a crisis to match听John Mackovic鈥檚 final season at 蜜聊直播, 2003.
- Greg Hansen
In its 13th year, Monday鈥檚 Martin Luther King Basketball Classic at McKale Center has become the showcase for high school basketball in Southern 蜜聊直播.
Seven games will be played beginning at 11 a.m., when the girls听teams from Tohono O鈥檕dham and Baboquivari meet. The final game, scheduled to start at 8 p.m., matches boys teams from Cienega and Tucson High.
The feature game is a 6:30 p.m., clash between Sahuaro and Salpointe Catholic. After almost a decade, the long-powerful Cougars teams of听Dick McConnell听and the Lancers contenders of听Brian Peabody听have been re-branded and are again traditional powers.
Cougars coach听Jim Henry, a Sahuaro alumnus, is 122-58 in his seventh season. Salpointe coach听Brian Holstrom听is 149-61 in his eighth season.
Keep an eye on Salpointe junior听Rylan O鈥橞rien. In Thursday鈥檚 victory over Nogales, O鈥橞rien听made 11 3-point baskets and scored 35 points. The AIA lists just one player in state history, Pueblo鈥檚听Smiley Contreras听in 2001 (with 14), having made more threes in a game.
This is also the busiest period of the prep basketball season; Sahuaro plays six games in nine听days and the Lancers five games in eight days. Admission is $10 and is part of the Coaches For Charity nonprofit organization.
- Greg Hansen
Progress: Although first-year UA women鈥檚 basketball coach听Adia Barnes听didn鈥檛 have time to properly recruit for the 2016-17 season, she engineered one of the most impressive victories in the school鈥檚 last five years. The 蜜聊直播 beat 12-2 Utah in Salt Lake City last Sunday. How unexpected was that? Under former coach听Niya Butts, the 蜜聊直播 had gone 1-32 in Pac-12 road games dating to 2013.听
- Greg Hansen
When vandals ruined Pueblo High School鈥檚 new basketball surface recently, it forced coach听Izzy Galindo鈥檚 18-1 and No. 5-ranked (Class 4A) girls basketball team to play a home game on the road, at Amphitheater. The Warriors won 55-25. The school fixed some lighting and updated locker rooms at the smaller south gymnasium in time for Pueblo to play Friday鈥檚 game, which it won 80-38 over Rio Rico. The Warriors have three regular-season home games remaining; all will be played in the smaller facility.听
- Greg Hansen
Sabino football coach听Jay Campos, who led the Sabercats to four state championship games, resigned last week. He won 133 games, an average of nine per season, which ranks with any prep football coach in Tucson history. Campos, who will be a full-time administrator at Sabino, said he wouldn鈥檛 rule out the possibility of returning to coaching some day. It wouldn鈥檛 be much of a surprise if ex-Sabercat听Ryan McBrayer, part of Campos鈥 staff and a former Sabercats standout linebacker, becomes the new head coach. McBrayer is a teacher at Sabino.听
- Greg Hansen
The race for men鈥檚 basketball Player of the Year in the ACCAC appears to be a two-way race between a couple of Tucsonans. Pima sophomore听Deion James, 6-foot-6-inch wing player from Empire听High School, leads the league in scoring with 21.9 points per game, and is averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. James last week was offered scholarships by both Colorado State and Fresno State. South Mountain freshman听Jacob Inclan, a Sunnyside High School grad, is also averaging a double-double, leading the ACCAC with a 12.3 rebounds-per-game average. He is second in points, at 20.1 per game.听
- Greg Hansen
Tucson athlete of the week: UA freshman high jumper听Justice Summerset听made an impressive college debut Friday night. In an indoor track meet at NAU, Summerset cleared 7 feet 3 inches, which is his personal best. His jump would鈥檝e been good for sixth place in last year鈥檚 NCAA indoor high jump finals. Summerset is a Mountain View High School grad.听
- Greg Hansen
蜜聊直播 announced last week it a two-game football series against Colorado State in 2027 and 2028. It seems odd a Pac-12 school would announce a series with a mid-level school like CSU, and especially a series a decade away. 蜜聊直播 used to boldly announce football series against Ohio State, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Now? NAU, UTEP and Houston are 蜜聊直播鈥檚 2017 nonconference opponents. Tucson fans haven鈥檛 reacted well to a regular and diminished list of opponents.听
- Greg Hansen
Cal鈥檚 hiring of Wisconsin defensive coordinator听Justin Wilcox听as its new football coach represents a notable change, from offense to defense, among a league once laden with offensive-system coaches. Now seven of the Pac-12鈥檚 head coaches are defensive-oriented men: Wilcox; Utah鈥檚听Kyle Whittingham; Colorado鈥檚听Mike MacIntyre; ASU鈥檚听Todd Graham; UCLA鈥檚听Jim Mora; Oregon鈥檚听Willie Taggart; and Oregon State鈥檚听Gary Andersen听all came up through the ranks as defensive coaches. It鈥檚 like the 1990s all over again.听
- Greg Hansen
I wasn鈥檛 surprised听Sonny Dykes听wasn鈥檛 a good fit and, ultimately, fired as Cal鈥檚 football coach. Dykes is a Texan and he couldn鈥檛 resist the opportunity to interview for the Baylor job last month. The AD who hired Dykes is no longer on staff, and, much like RichRod, Dykes made some coaching staff mistakes. If you coach at Cal, your lifestyle changes because you spend so much time driving traffic-clogged freeways. Getting to the Cal campus from anywhere is a challenge. The freeway lifestyle is among the reasons former 蜜聊直播 associate AD听Bob Bockrath听left as Cal鈥檚 athletic director to take a similar job at Texas Tech a few years ago.听
- Greg Hansen
If you’re 55 or older, and if you play in one golf tournament this year, I recommend the third annual Edward Jones Southern 蜜聊直播 Short Course Open Feb. 9-10. It will be held at Rolling Hills Golf Course. Gross/net prizes will be awarded for age groups 55-64, 65-74 and 75-over, for both men and women. Fee is $99. Entry forms available at .
- Greg Hansen
When he was a teenage tennis standout, one of听Eric Styrmoe鈥檚 Tucson rivals was a young听Robert Sarver, now owner of the Phoenix Suns. Styrmoe stuck with tennis; he played at Sabino High School and Pima College and then became probably the top tennis player in Weber State history. He was selected to the WSU Sports Hall of Fame last week and will be induced March 3-4 in Ogden, Utah. At Weber State, Styrmoe won two Big Sky Conference singles titles (and two team championships), later won 10 USTA singles/doubles titles and registered 11 Tucson City singles championships between 1981-95. He is now director of tennis at the Westin La Paloma.听
- Greg Hansen
Tucsonan听Bryanna Caldwell Cot茅听was selected to the U.S. Bowling Congress鈥 Team USA for 2017 after finishing third in the qualifying finals in Las Vegas last week. Cote, a Canyon del Oro High School grad, thus qualifies听for the World Cup this year in Mexico, as well as other Team USA competitions.听
- Greg Hansen
Small world: In the semifinals of the Mexican Winter League baseball playoffs last week, Tucson pitchers听Pat McCoy听of Sahuaro and听Manny Barreda听of Sahuarita opposed one another in Los Mochis. Barreda鈥檚 Los Mochis team prevailed over McCoy鈥檚 Culiacan club, 4-1. Barreda, who pitched a no-hitter in November, allowed two hits in eight innings. The two were high school rivals, meeting in a 2005 Sahuarita Invitational game in which McCoy beat Barreda 6-3. They also pitched against one another in a Double-A game back in 2013. McCoy has since pitched in 14 big-league games, for Detroit, while Barreda, now 28, has not moved past Double-A.听
- Greg Hansen
The power of ESPN versus Fox Sports 1: The Jan. 4 蜜聊直播-Utah basketball game, a Thursday night FS1 telecast, drew an audience of 205,000. The same night, Gonzaga and USF drew 280,000 on ESPN2, and the UCLA-Cal game on ESPN had an audience of 730,000. Saturday鈥檚 蜜聊直播-UCLA game at Pauley Pavilion on CBS could surpass 1 million viewers.听
- Greg Hansen
What goes around comes around: In the winter of 1982, UA football coach听Larry Smith听permitted me to accompany him and defensive coordinator听Moe Ankney听on a recruiting visit to five Phoenix prospects.
It was the day the 蜜聊直播 visited with and got a commitment from South Mountain High School linebacker听Byron Evans, who became the 1986 Pac-10 defensive Player of the Year.
But the day began ominously.
Smith pulled into the parking lot at Tempe McClintock High School to meet with the state鈥檚 No. 1 recruit, linebacker听Frank Rudolph. Something went wrong right away.
The McClintock coach was standing in the parking lot, waiting for Smith.
鈥淔rank鈥檚 not going to attend 蜜聊直播,鈥 the coach said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to go to ASU.鈥
That was it. After a brief, awkward conversation, the McClintock coach returned to the gym. Smith didn鈥檛 even get out of the car.
Last Wednesday, Larry鈥檚 son,听Corby Smith, who grew up on the sidelines shadowing his father at 蜜聊直播 Stadium, became the head football coach at McClintock High School.
If that鈥檚 not football justice, what is?
