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UA kicker Josh Pollack apologizes in letter to fans after Territorial Cup game

Posted at 2:18 PM, Nov 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-25 22:41:50-05

Arizona Wildcats senior kicker Josh Pollack made 4 of 5 field-goal attempts in Saturday's Territorial Cup game vs. the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Pollack's only miss, however, was a 45-yard attempt in the game's final seconds that would have given the Wildcats the win. Instead, the kick sailed wide right, and the Sun Devils held on for a 41-40 come-from-behind victory that prevented the Wildcats from becoming bowl eligible.

On Sunday, Pollack apologized in a letter to Wildcat fans for his last-second miss, and he thanked fans, coaches and his teammates for a fantastic five years in Tucson.

"I had an opportunity at the end of the game to take the cup back to Tucson and I failed," Pollack wrote. "I take full ownership for that kick but will not let it impede me on my future journey. Failure is a catalyst for growth, not just as a player but also as a person. At the same time I want to apologize to the wildcat family for letting you all down on what is everyone's goal each and every season, to beat the team up north."

Pollack's last-second miss was hardly the only reason for the Wildcats' loss to ASU. Arizona failed to convert a pair of two-point conversion attempts, missed a couple opportunities to recover ASU fumbles, and failed to score touchdowns multiple times after reaching the red zone. The Wildcats also switched to an ultra-conservative offense in the fourth quarter that contributed to ASU's 20-point fourth-quarter rally.

In response to his letter, Wildcat fans were largely supportive of Pollack, and many placed the blame for the loss on the UA coaching staff.