Cason's Stock Keeps Improving

The AP All-American team was released and one of two First Team CBs was none other than Arizona's own Antoine Cason. 'Toine keeps racking up post-season awards and accolades and will definately be moving up on some team's draft boards who are in need of secondar help. Congratulations once again in order for Mr. Cason, Tucson's first All-American since (I believe) 1998's Chris McAllister.

Other notables include Colt Brennan (3rd in Heisman voting) as the 3rd Team All-American Quarterback, Chase Daniel (4th in voting) 2nd team QB, and first Tim Tebow. Darren McFadden and Kevin Smith (not Silent Bob) highlight the remaining first team backfield. Kevin Smith is Central Florida's first All-American since the program's inception 11 years ago. Mizzou's Michael Rucker at TE, Michael Crabtree and Jordy Nelson (K State) round out the Offensive skill sets at WRs. With the first team line being led by (most likely) top 10 pick, Jake "I'm not Howie's Son" Long and filling out with Anthony Collins at the other tackle, Duke Robinson and Martin O'Donnel as the interior offensive lineman, and center Steve Justice. True Feshman Jeremy Maclin made the First Team as the All-purpose player and Scum Devil kicker Thomas Weber rounds out the offensive First Team.

As for Defense, being led by Arizona stand out Cason, the Interior defensive lineman feature all everything DT Glen Dorsey (who I think just got another award for his play this season) and Sederick Ellis. The Exterior lineman being led by Chris "Howie's Son" Long from Virginia and George Selvie. Dan Connor, James "Road Warrior Animal's kid" Laurinaitis, and Jordan Dizon fill in the linebackers in the AP's fictional 4-3 set. And the DB's include Cason and Aqib Talib at the Corners and Craig Steltz and Jamie Silva filling in at the Safety position. Kevin Huber set for the team's Puntin Unit.

Congratulations are in order for every member of this team.
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Antoine Cason brings home the Bronze…

... Statue of Jim Thorpe.

Congratulations are in order for our guy, Antoine Cason. Deborah and Wendell’s boy made them very proud last night taking home the first piece of hardware for his trophy case. Probably not the last one if you ask me. Cason, the Senior CB for the Tucson Kitty Kats took home the first award for a player from the U of A since McLaughlin won the Groza in ‘94 and the first defensive award since Waldrop brought home the Nagurski, Bednarik, and Outland trophies in ’93. Cason decided to return to U of A for his senior season rather than enter the draft as a guaranteed Day 1 pick. In his Senior Season Cason further bolstered his draft resume by setting career marks in almost every statistical category, finishing with 56 solo tackles and 71 total, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 5 INTs for 164 yds and 2 TDs, 14 passes defended, 2 FF, and 27 PRs for 271 yds and 2 TDs and career numbers of 196 solo tackles, 253 total, 14 TFL, 1 sack, 15 INTs for 349 yds and 3 TDs, 32 PD, 6 FF, 1 FR, and 27 PRs for 271 yds and 2 TDs.

Cason finishes up at the U of A after an outstanding career. Highlights include Pac-10 Freshman of the Week after his first game as Wildcat, Pac Frosh of the year and All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention that same season. His sophomore season he made it onto the All-Pac-10 2nd team and went on to win Pac-10 player of the week in back to back weeks in the 2006 season after his incredible games versus Washington State and the outstanding comeback against the previously undefeated Cal Bears and 1st team All-Pac-10. He wrapped up his junior season securing a nomination for the Thorpe award but lost it to Aaron Ross of Texas. He decided to stay at the U of A despite rising interest among the pro ranks, but he promised to play 4 years and get a degree so that’s exactly what he did. 2007 was a pretty good year for Cason landing in the top 8 for the 4x100 track team at the U of A and All-American status. He also finished the 2007 football season as a Walter Camp All-America, All-Pac-10 1st Team and had a Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week award to go with it following the Oregon game. He was the only (as far as my research has shown me) Football All-American who was also an All-American in another sport. Last night he locked up the Jim Thorpe Award for best Defensive back in the country. He was one of only two (Tommy Zbikowski, Notre Dame) players nominated for the second year. He is a projected 1st round pick being ranked anywhere from 1 to 3 on most draft boards for DBs in the draft. Also, he’s a really genuine great guy and this

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No love

I hate homers (def. noun. 1. someone who roots for their home team and follows blindly into believing their team is always right. 2. biased 3. incapable of seeing things through an unbiased eye). With that said I have some beefs with College Football analysts and reports, specifically centering around the UA vs. Oregon game.

No one is reporting about how UA won that game, only how Oregon lost it. Last time I checked Oregon's defense and special teams allowed 27 points (27 = 34-Cason's INT TD return), and Dennis Dixon does not play for the Ducks defense or special teams. Oregon's defense came into the game (as I reported last week) in the lower third in every defensive category and I thought UA could win before Dixon's knee decided that Dennis needed to rest a torn ACL. (On a side note I do commend Dixon for playing on a torn ACL and I don't think it had anything, or at least had less to do with, his Heisman hunt than his team winning and I do give him credit for that.) I believe I also said UA could win by stopping Dixon and Stewart, now was I implying we should hurt both of them, absolutely not, but if that's how it goes that's how it goes. When Dixon left the game he had run for a 39 yd TD on a surprise 4th and 3 attempt and followed it with a surprise 2 pt conversion for the Ducks. Then on his next possession, 1st and goal on the 4, he threw a pick in the end zone to Nasty Nate Ness to end that drive. (He threw 3 to the Cats last season, who is to say that the UA outstanding defensive backfield wouldn't be teeing off on his passes all night) Arizona took that and made it 7 to make the score 8-7.

Then he drove them 65 yards back into the red zone and went down with his injury on 2nd down, on a play that wouldn't have gained yardage and would have made it 3rd and 10+. So we'll say the Field Goal can be attributed to him to, when he left the game they were up 11-7 UA's next drive also resulted in a field goal making it 11-10 Oregon before Brady Leaf took the game over. There is no guarantee that Dixon would have made that big of an outcome in this game, other than a pair of 20+ yd completion and a 39 yd TD run, he didn't do too much while he was in the game. During the same time Willie Tuitama had a couple of 30+ yd passes and a big 18 yd first down run to keep their 1st scoring drive alive. He was playing head to head with Dixon and some might say he was a little more impressive. Losing Dixon did not mean Oregon was going to lose they had a Senior back up who has thrown over 150 passes in Div. I football.

Arizona won this game but apparently no one thinks so. I guess with Dixon out Pima Community could have beat Oregon. UA gets no love. Ever. Another issue of non-love, the guys on ESPN giving out helmet stickers for performance. Here were the winners (and their stats) followed by my winner (and his stats):

PK Austin Starr, Indiana: 49 yard Game Winning Field Goal (2/3 FG on the day, 3/3 XP)

DE Vernon Gholston, OhSt: 4 tackles for loss, (3 of which were sacks)

QB Tim Hiller, W. Michigan: 367 in the air on 45 attempts and 3 tds vs 6-6 Iowa.

WR Michael Crabtree, TxTech: 12 catches for 154 yards 1 TD

WR Jeremy Maclin, Mizzou: 360 All-Purpose Yards (115 PR, 194 KR, 143 Receiving, 8 Rushing)

CB Quintez Secka, La-Monroe: 5 tackles (5 solo) 2 INTs, 42 total yards, 0 Passes Defended

and My Helmet Sticker who we can compare to Mr. Secka

CB Antoine Cason, Arizona: 9 tackles (7 solo) 1 INT, 5-7 passes defended (depending on the source) 1 PR TD, 156 total yards (PR and INT return), and a TD saving FF late in the game.

WR Mike Thomas (2 TDs), QB Willie Tuitama (266 Yds 2 TDs), and PK Jason Bondzio (2/2 from over 40, 1/1 from 50+ yards) oh and let's not forget MLB Spencer Larsen who added 16 tackles (12 solo), 3 TFL, 1 Sack, and 1 FF in Thursday nights game, they all had similar stats to these helmet sticker winners and Cason's were far and above Quintez Secka, but as usual UA gets no love. No player of the week awards have surfaced yet but someone need look at Antoine to have the answer to that question.

Why does the U of A football team receive no credit for such an outstanding victory. Appalachin State took down #5 Michigan and they changed the AP voting rules, and still received votes even though they lost in a FCS match-up. Our boys have had outstanding weeks, Any one of Tuitama's THREE 5 TD games, or his two games of over 400 yards passing (446 and 510), Nic Grigsby's 262 yard performance (rushing and receiving), Mike Thomas' game this week or his 10 Rec 3 TD 165 yard game, True Freshman Rob Gronkowski's 4 Rec 115 yd, 2 TD game, and Bondzio's 12 pt game (6/6 XP, 2/3 FG), or Larsen's game vs. Oregon or his 17 tackle (10 solo), 2TFL, 1 FF, and 1 INT performance. Not one helmet sticker between them.

Where's the love for Tucson.

P.S. for those of you who are sick of my posting of fans rushing the field, you're gonna have to stop UA upsetting ranked teams first each of these pictures posted have come from different games over the last 4 years.

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