TUCSON, Ariz. - The 2023 Red and Blue Spring Game saw the Blue team pull out the 23-19 win over the Red team in front of more than 23,000 fans at Arizona Stadium on Saturday.
Included in those fans were nearly 280 alumni of the program, including Rob Gronkowski and his brother, Chris Gronkowski, who were honorary coaches for the game. As well as honorary defensive coordinators Chris McAlister and Antoine Cason.
Junior QB
Jayden de Laura only played the first half and finished 6 of 6 for 79 yards and a touchdown for the Blue team.
Redshirt freshman QB
Noah Fifita led the Red team and was 11 of 16 passing in the first half for 105 yards. Fifita, who was 5 of 7 passing for 52 yards, marched the Red Team down the field on the opening drive before failing to convert on a fourth-and-two attempt from the 31-yard line.
After the Blue team took possession,
Justin Flowe forced a fumble and recovered it to give the Red team the ball at the Blue 31-yard line. The Red team again turned the ball over at the 19-yard line, with
Dalton Johnson forcing the fumble and
Ammon Allen recovering it.
On the ensuing drive, de Laura found
Tanner McLachlan in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard TD pass to put the Blue team ahead 6-0. On the PAT, de Laura stepped up and drilled the extra point – giving the Blue team four more points, to make it 10-0.
Neither team could do anything with their next two possessions before Fifita took the Red team into field goal position right before halftime.
Tyler Loop stepped up and drilled a 47-yard field goal to make the score 10-3 in favor of the Blue team at the half.
Loop would extend the Blue team lead to 13-3 just after halftime, connecting on a 40-yard attempt.
The Red team came back to tie the score at 13-13 when
Rayshon Luke dashed into the end zone from 11 yards out and
Gunner Maldonado stepped up to make the PAT for four points as the third quarter came to an end.
In the fourth quarter, quarterback
Brayden Dorman led the Blue team on a scoring drive, with
Jonah Coleman finding the paydirt from 14 yards out to take a 23-13 lead, with
Tetairoa McMillan connecting on the PAT.
The Red team took possession and quarterback
Cole Tannenbaum found
Malachi Riley down the left sideline for the 75-yard touchdown pass. The PAT failed and the Blue team held on to the 23-19 lead as time expired.
Quote of the Day
"We've got a better team. We've got good players coming in still. We've got a lot of good players that are here right now. We're just building this program one step at a time and I'm looking to get one step better this year." - Head Coach
Jedd Fisch
Featured Wildcat - Head Coach Jedd Fisch
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