Tucson, AZ- Tucson's come-from-behind bid in the fourth quarter was spoiled as Sugar Skulls fall to the Wranglers.
Another One Bites the Dust
Tucson regrettably went down in defeat for the fourth time in five outings. To make matters worse, the Skulls have now lost six of their last seven games total against their neighbors from the north.
Right off the bat, the Skulls seemed to be a touch-off. Despite tallying 14 plays on offense versus Northern Arizona's four in the opening frame of the ball game, the Skulls were held off the scoreboard until Tucson finally found paydirt halfway through the second quarter. Overall, big chunk plays from the Wranglers tormented the Skulls all night long. Despite dominating the time of possession from 35:14 to 24:16, Tucson was unsuccessful in winning their first home game of the season.
Taking over for starting QB Mylik Mitchell, third-string signal caller Tasleem Wilson was responsible for leading the offense in this one. Although he showed glimpses of spectacular play, his inconsistency through the air was Tucson's downfall. By the time the clock hit zeroes, Wilson completed 10 of his 25 passes for only 83 yards. Nonetheless, Wilson could still showcase his ability to make plays outside the pocket with his legs as he rushed for 30 yards on six carries. All in all, it's pretty good for a guy who was signed by Tucson only three days ago.
A Whole Lot of Laundry
Undisciplined play was the name of the game for head coach Billy Back's troops, as Tucson committed a whopping 11 penalties for 85 yards on the evening. This is never a recipe for success. In addition, not taking care of the pigskin came back to haunt Tucson. Against the Wranglers, it was the Skulls that were -2 in the turnover margin and failed to force any Northern Arizona mistakes on the defensive side of the ball. Even though the Skulls' bend but don't break type of defense was able to shut out the Wranglers during the third quarter, it was too little, too late.
Glass Half Full
To spin things into a positive perspective, Tucson will be entering the bye week at an ideal point in their season. Indeed, not many around the league expected the Sugar Skulls to possess a 1-4 record through their first five games, but a week off to clear their minds and rest their bodies should be exactly what the doctor ordered.
At the very least, Tucson once again showed that they have the hearts of a lion as they cut the NAZ deficit to as little as three points in the waning seconds after being down as many as 18 at the beginning of the fourth period. Now, head coach Billy Back must figure out a way to get his team to play a full 60 minutes when Tucson comes out on the other side of the upcoming bye week.
Up Next
After a week off, the Sugar Skulls will be in store for yet another in-state rivalry when they clash with the Arizona Rattlers at Tucson Arena on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
