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Arizona’s Win Over USC Really Special for Schurr Product Diaz

By Mario Villegas, Exclusive to EGP



It was a memorable homecoming for the University of Arizona’s Mike Diaz, the Wildcats’ starting left tackle, who helped lead his team to a 21-17 victory over USC Saturday at the Coliseum.

Diaz, who starred at Montebello’s Schurr High School, estimated that he had close to 100 family members and friends cheering for him among the crowd of 85,000.

“This is really exciting,” Diaz said after the game as he visited with some of his supporters who had made their way to the front row of seats behind the Arizona bench. “We haven’t beaten ‘SC in a while and to do it in my senior year is really special.”

It was the Wildcats’ first victory over the Trojans since 2000 and their first against Coach Pete Carroll.







University of Arizona left tackle Mike Diaz (74) sets to pass block and protect quarterback Nick Foles from USC defensive end Armond Armstead in Saturday’s game at the Coliseum. (EGP Photo by Mario Villegas)

University of Arizona left tackle Mike Diaz (74) sets to pass block and protect quarterback Nick Foles from USC defensive end Armond Armstead in Saturday’s game at the Coliseum. (EGP Photo by Mario Villegas)

More importantly, Arizona secured a share of second place in the Pac-10 with its first eight-win regular season since 1998 by knocking off a ranked team for the sixth straight season under Coach Mike Stoops, who has finally beaten every team in the conference.

The Wildcats (8-4, 6-3), after losing a close game to Pac-10 champion Oregon, defeated rival Arizona State and USC to finish tied with Stanford and Oregon State.
“We took the loss to Oregon really hard,” Diaz said. “A lot of guys had their heads down and we still didn’t have our heads on straight when we played Arizona State. I guess we were still trying to heal, but we still won.”

The Wildcats continued to regroup and rallied to defeat No. 20 USC Saturday on quarterback Nick Foles’ 36-yard touchdown pass to Juron Criner with 3:14 left in the fourth quarter.

“Coming out here we knew we had to play fast and physical because SC is a hell of a program,” Diaz said. “We played the way we needed to and finished the game.”
Arizona, which snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Trojans, will play Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl Dec. 30 in San Diego.

USC, on the other hand, was 47-1 at the Coliseum before a loss to Stanford last month, but the Trojans’ second home defeat finished off the most disappointing season of Carroll’s remarkable tenure. The loss to Arizona dropped the Trojans to sixth place in the Pac-10 and sent them to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco to play Boston College Dec. 26 at AT&T Park.




Mike Diaz is all smiles as he leaves the field with his victorious University of Arizona teammates after Saturday’s game with USC. (EGP Photo by Mario Villegas)

Diaz has been a fixture on the Arizona offensive line since arriving there in 2008 after playing two seasons at Cerritos College. He started the last nine games of 2008 at right guard and kicked up his game another level.

The Arizona coaching staff wasn’t sure whether to start the versatile 6-foot-5, 320-pound Diaz at left tackle or left guard when the Wildcats reported to training camp last August. He entrenched himself at left tackle and has played there all season.

Backing up Diaz at left tackle is his former Schurr and Cerritos College teammate Phillip Garcia.

The son of Jose and Monica Diaz of Montebello, Diaz is a history major. He declined to discuss the possibility of playing professionally.

“Right now I just want to finish out the season with my team,” he said. “We’ll see where it goes after that.”
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Posted by admin · Filed Under General News, Sports

December 10, 2009 Copyright © 2009 Eastern Group Publications, Inc.