Notes and takeaways from the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™ media availability after practice Tuesday morning as the team prepares to face Colorado:
* Tight end Trevor Wood is back to full strength. Wood injured his left ankle and knee in the opener Sept. 2. He missed two games, then played sparingly vs. Utah with a brace on his knee. “I didn’t feel like myself,†Wood said.
* Wood on the state of the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥: "We’re right there. And we haven’t been playing nearly as well as we can."
* ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ is 2-2, just like in 2016. What's different? Confidence, per receiver Shun Brown. "We know we let a few games slip,†Brown said. “We should be 4-0 right now."
* UA coach Rich Rodriguez and QB coach Rod Smith talked a lot about the importance of protecting the ball and managing situations. Turnovers killed ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ against Utah. I’ll have more on that topic later today.
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*Ìý°ä´Ç±ô´Ç°ù²¹»å´Ç Mike MacIntyre on ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, via the Pac-12 coaches conference call: “When they get to running the football, you really can’t stop them. Their running backs are dynamic, and their QB can fly."
* Rodriguez on Colorado QB Steven Montez: "I’ve been really impressed. He’s making all the throws. He’s a tough guy. And for a big guy, he can run." Rodriguez said Montez does a good job of keeping plays alive and is more apt to scramble and throw than scramble and run.
* Rodriguez still isn’t satisfied with the number of three-and-outs the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ defense is forcing – even though the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ are one of 23 teams in the country forcing five or more per game.
* Rodriguez said ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ added some new wrinkles during the bye week but that there’s a danger in doing too much. The staff will scale back the game plan over the next couple of days.
*Â Rodriguez said Brown's athleticism and field vision make him an effective punt returner (27.0 yards per return, two touchdowns). Brown said he mostly relies on instinct.
*Â Rodriguez doesn't expect ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ to have any issues with the altitude in Boulder (5,430 feet) but said kicks can sail, so the return men need to be aware of that and adjust accordingly.
*Â Even with plans for an indoor sports center having been approved, Rodriguez has other ideas for facility upgrades and changes. They include making better use of Bear Down Field, the intramural field just north of ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Stadium that largely goes unused on game days.
