Monday Dots: Arizona Half-Step

If all you got to live for is what you left behind

Get yourself a powder charge and seal that silver mine

Lost my boots in transit, baby, pile of smoking leather

I nailed a retread to my feet and prayed for better Dots

• After months of Colorado will-they-or-won’t-they drama, Arizona has slid into the seat as the Big 12’s expansion target. While much of the reporting has been unsourced social media speculation, Pat Forde reported that the Big 12 is in fact interested in adding another member and Arizona is a target on top of their list. We may get an answer very soon due to the reported July 31 deadline the Big 12 previously gave to Colorado. If that’s the case, expect dominos to fall quickly because nobody wants to be left holding the non-existent bag that is the Pac-12 media deal.

• In general, Jon Wilner is among the most knowledgeable journalists about the business of the Pac-12. He weighed in on the current situation over the weekend, including the likelihood that UW and Oregon might consider the Big 12 as a future home. The short answer is that Wilner still sees UW in a reformed Pac-12 or Big 10 rather than the Big 12.

• Christian Caple chimes in with his usual insightful thoughts about where UW stands in the world of CFB kremlinology. He notes that UW and Oregon have a bit of leverage that the other remaining schools don’t have as national brands with recent success, but that the higher profile comes with additional risk, as well.

• Setting aside conference alignment, we are closing in on fall practices, which means that the season kickoff is just around the corner. Mike Vorel wrote about football- specifically, he looks at the defensive depth chart and whether there is a path to becoming good enough to balance the offense into a true national contender. From my perspective, it certainly looks like the talent is present on the line, and perhaps among the linebackers, but all positions will need to execute better and the secondary will need to make an especially large step.

• Following the theme of defensive previews, Dawgman has their all-up defensive preview. They also focus on the overall talent level at linebacker and the ability of the secondary to break up more passes.

• Each year, the Pac-12 gives the Tom Hansen Medal to the top male and female athletes who exhibit excellence in academics and leadership. This year’s winners are Ella May Powell from volleyball team and Lucas Meek from men’s soccer.