GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Arizona is short-handed in the secondary. Cornerback Jace Whittaker continues to be sidelined due to injury, Lorenzo Burns missed last week’s game at UCLA because of an undisclosed injury, and starter Tim Hough is no longer with the team as of last week.
That’s not a good way to be against Oregon junior quarterback Justin Herbert, who is being touted as a high first-round pick if he leaves school early. Herbert has thrown a touchdown pass in 22 consecutive games, the longest streak in the FBS, and has thrown 205 consecutive passes without an interception in Pac-12 road games.
It won’t be easy for Arizona to stop Herbert and WR Dillon Mitchell, who has 36 receptions for 510 yards in the past four games.
DRAFT SLANT
–DL PJ Johnson has emerged as an important piece to Arizona’s defense in just his first season with the program. “He has made a difference in the front,” coach Kevin Sumlin said. The redshirt junior, who previously made stops at Sacramento State and junior college, has made starts at tackle and defensive end — even at 335 pounds. He shows good bull-rush skills and has surprising closing speed when chasing the play from the back side. He has 6.5 tackles for loss among his 21 stops this season.
ROSTER REPORT
–QB Khalil Tate did not practice last week in order to rest an injured left ankle. He did travel with the team to UCLA. His status for the Oregon game was unknown, as of Monday.
–CB Tim Hough, a grad transfer from UNLV who stepped in for injured Jace Whittaker and started six games, left the team last week, according to coach Kevin Sumlin. Hough made 22 tackles and broke up three passes.
–LT Layth Friekh did not play last week at UCLA because of a foot/ankle injury. The senior, who is the team’s best offensive lineman, had missed part of previous games because of the injury. His status for this week was unknown.
–CB Jace Whittaker, a returning starter, has played in only the opening series against Southern Utah in Week 3 because of a shoulder/arm injury. Whittaker, a senior who never redshirted, would seem to be a candidate to take that redshirt this season, although coach Kevin Sumlin said he had not discussed that possibility with him yet.
–DE Justin Belknap, an early season starter, is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a foot injury suffered in practice before the third game.
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