Hey guys, we are wrapping up Day 6 of spring practice and just finished up post-practice interviews. I wanted to jump in and share some of my quick takes from the day.


Quick takes:


- Isaiah Johnson moving up the depth chart

Defensive tackle Isaiah Johnson has moved up and was working with the first-team unit during Saturday's. He replaced Keanu Mailoto and joined Bill Norton on the front line.

- Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine had an up and down day


While working with the second-team defense, cornerback Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine had a pick off Noah Fifita, but also had plays where he got burned.


- Josh Oglesby was fired up


I really haven't heard offensive line coach Josh Oglesby get fired up very much in practice until Saturday. Today, Oglesby was very fired up and was on players left and right. You could hear him clearly from the stands.


We'll have more shortly, as always.

What a jolt this will send through the CBB world. Assuming this crosses the finish line, it’ll be interesting to see who Kentucky goes after and if Tommy is someone they pursue.

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Arizona is shut out no more. The Wildcats have landed their first 2025 commitment this evening, and he has Bay Area connections. Three-star tight end Kellan Ford has announced his pledge to the Wildcats this evening picking UA over Washington, Arizona State, Cal, Boston College, Oregon State and others. The staff's connections to the Bay Area certainly helped here, and now the Wildcats can get off an running.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound recruit is the prototypical pass-catching tight end who should only get better by the time he arrives in Tucson. He has been moving quickly through the recruiting process and had official visits set up with a number of programs including Arizona. UW, ASU and Cal had also been in line to host him on official visits this spring and summer.

Like most high school tight ends, he'll need time to improve his blocking but he could be an early contributor in the passing game.

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So, I've have meant to add these items on the stuff I've written in articles, or on the boards. However, I haven't added it yet and wanted to share some stuff in here.


Notes:


- Arizona has 14 scholarships available and will be looking to add in the portal when it opens.


- Right now, Arizona has three QB on the roster and wants to add at least one more for depth. But, the Wildcats might add two QBs.


- Syndric Steptoe is gone. He has left for Washington in a new role (not sure what it is, but it isn't coaching) and a pay raise as well. I expect his son to possibly leave Salpointe and then go to UW when he graduates high school.

Hey guys, well wrapped up around 7 p.m. buy I had to finish some things up.

However, I wanted to jump in here and share some of my quick takes from the day.


Quick takes:


- Raymond Pulido is battling

So, I love Raymond Pulido and his talent. However, he is always battling injuries and missed most of practice today with his left ankle tapped up. Pulido is a mega talent and will make the NFL, but he is very injury prone and that is something to keep an eye on.


- Johno Price is out


The last two practices cornerback Johno Price has been out and working out with the training staff on the sidelines.

While on the field, Price has been very good and looks the part. I see why the staff brought him in and he has potential.


- Dalton Johnson has been rock solid

The secondary for the defense has been locked in and leading the way has been safety Dalton Johnson. He has looked the part of an NFL safety and has been flying to the ball.



We will have more shortly. Sorry this us up a little late, but feel free to comment with question on anything.

Not sure if you all have heard or not, but yesterday we lost a true Wildcat legend. Heath Bray passed away from a heart attack. Not sure anyone need red and blue like Heath. Sad day. I pray for his family and friends.

Today was the first day of full pads for Arizona in spring practice, meaning a lot more contact today.


I wanted to jump in and share my thoughts on the practice before we get started with interviews.


Quick takes:


- Quali Conley is a load


Running back Quali Conley might be smaller than most backs, but the man is really had to take down. Conley has a great ability to bounce off tacklers and find the hole.


- Roberto Miranda is a guy to watch


I know, tight end Roberto Miranda has been here for quite sometime and really hasn't shown much on the field. However, he has had a great spring and his hands have improved.


- Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine is a talker


Out of all the defensive backs Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine has been the most vocal. Celestine had a great swat against Tetairoa McMillan and let him hear all about it for two, or three plays.


We'll have more after practice, as always. But, feel free to ask any questions, or add to the conversation.

Hey guys, Arizona will be starting Day 5 of spring practice today around 3:45 p.m. and I wanted to jump in a share some notes that's I haven't written about yet.


Quick notes:


1. Movement

- We still don't know what the offense is going to look like exactly. And, we probably won't until near the end of spring, or the start of training camp because Dino Babers wasn't to keep that close to his vest.

However, one thing I've notices is that there is a ton of pre-snap movement from two tight ends move to the other side of the line, running backs shifting in-and-out and receiving going in motion.

This offense will have a good amount of motion.


2. Turran Willams is on campus

- One of the few recruits that stayed with the new staff was three-star DB Turran Willams and he is on campus and at practice. However, he hasn't suited up and is only with the position group with a clipboard.

I'm not 100% sure what is happening, but will find out as soon as I can.


3. Joseph Borjon isn't part of the plan


Jedd Fisch's staff like the potential of tackle Joseph Borjon, but size and footwork have always been an issues.

Well, this staff has him on the third-team offense and I just see him getting buried on the depth chart.



Also, I'm not sure I posted this in here yet, but here's my three-point stance from Tuesday's practice:

Hey guys, we have entered the thick of transfer season for college basketball. To give you guys an idea on what it takes to get high-level starter, Keshad Johnson was a very sought-after and it came down to Kentucky and Arizona.

Word has come out that Johnson got 400K from Arizona for this season.

So, let that be the base of what it will take to get guys like Johnson, or even Caleb Love to Tucson.

Well, this comes as no surprise at all, but Arizona president Robert Robbins has announced that he will be stepping down by the end of his current term (June 30, 2026).


The university is in a massive financial deficit not only in athletics, but as a whole, which is estimated to be around $240 to $260 million.

Robbins took a pay-cut around a month ago, but now we are here with him stepping down.

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This was brought up to me tonight and I saw it earlier in the day as well. I definitely had to do a double take myself so completely understand anyone who was duped. However, this is 100% an April Fool’s joke. Players aren’t able to enter the portal right now so that is one hole in this idea. But so not worry, there’s zero truth to this and it was just a Twitter account having some fun — in a not very fun way for Arizona fans.

GAME INFO
Who: 2-seed Arizona (27-8) vs. 6-seed Clemson (23-11)
When: 4:09 p.m. (MST)
Where: Crypto.com arena | Los Angeles, Calif.
TV: CBS
Odds: Arizona (-7) O/U 152

Hey everyone, I am getting the game thread up with about six and a half hours until the 4:09 p.m. tip-off between Arizona and Clemson.

The Wildcats will look to advance to their 12th Elite Eight in school history, their first since 2015. UA is 3-0 against the Tigers all-time, which included an NCAA Tournament victory.

With a victory, the Wildcats will take on the winner of Alabama-UNC for a spot in the Final Four in Glendale.

ICYMI: Here is our preview of the game:

Hey guys, we just wrapped up Day 3 and I wanted to jump in and share my quick takes from the day.

Quick takes:

- Johno Price looks good

Through the first three days of camp, I've been impressed with the way Johno Price has moved on the field. He hasn't made a big play yet, but he has been on his man and does well in zone.

- No Quali Conley

One thing that stood out was that running back Quali Conley was not on the field during practice. Not sure on his status (injury, or not) and this staff won't answer those questions.


- JT Hand got some reps at guard


JT Hand has been working mostly with the second-string line, but on Saturday he worked with the first unit at times and held his own.



We'll has more as always. So, please feel free to ask any questions.

Hey guys, with the basketball game yesterday and everything we had going on, I wanted to save the three-point stance for today.

I had to take my mom to her doctor's appointment today or else this would've been up soon. However, here is the three-point stance focusing on two QBs, Duane Akina, and much more:




Please feel free to ask any questions you may have from the article.

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Mountain Pointe DB Rylon Dillard-Allen will be back on campus Saturday to watch Arizona spring practice. The 6-foot Chicago native has been picking up steam as a recruit this spring with new offers from USC and UCLA. He's already visited Oregon earlier in the year and has official visits scheduled with ASU, Washington and Nebraska. The Huskies are going to be a big player as he's already visited with UA's former staff this offseason. It'll be an important weekend for the Wildcats to keep pace with the other schools making a push.

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2026 Louisiana-based defensive tackle Dylan Berymon was on campus for Arizona spring practice yesterday. He doesn't yet hold an offer from the Wildcats but he's making a swing through the area taking several visits. LSU, Baylor and UTSA are his notable offers at this stage.

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Hey guys, we've just wrapped up Day 2 of spring practice so I wanted to jump in and give you my quick takeaways from the day before I start working on my three-point stance.


Quick Takes:


- The defensive line isn't set

One the first day of spring ball, the defensive line was Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, Keanu Mailoto, Bill Norton and Dominic Lolesio in that order. But on Day 2, the defensive line was completely different with Tre Smith, Chubba Ma'ae, Isaiah Johnson and Sterling Lane.

Again, the team isn't in pads and so it is hard to judge if the defensive line is playing well, or struggling with absolutely zero contact on any skill players.


- AJ Jones looks tougher

One of the things that has stood out to me, thus far in spring ball is that receiver AJ Jones has put on a lot of muscle and looks a lot more tough on the field. Jones has shown the ability to finish catches under pressure despite the defender being all over him. The added weight hasn't slowed him down either, he looks like he has good solid speed.

I don't know if he will start and the No. 2 receiver spot is wide open, but Jones has the ability to potentially take that spot if he continues to progress.


- Duane Akina still as the energy


If anyone thought that coach Duane Akina was going to ease up as a DC with how much energy he has on the field. Well, that just isn't going to happen. Akina has just as much fire and is getting on players that need a pick-me-up just like he was last season. Arizona's defense is in good hands.


We'll have more here shortly. Please feel free to ask any questions, or drop a comment.

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Not a lot of answers from the players as to what went wrong today. All acknowledged the poor shooting and need to attack the basket, but none could come up with a clear answer as to why they weren't able to make more plays at rim.

Plus below is postgame press conference video with Tommy Lloyd, Oumar Ballo and Jaden Bradley.

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Hey guys, just got to practice and was informed that the Wildcats have added transfer DB James Smith to its roster.

Smith was previously at San Jose State and before that he was at Washington. He was a 4-star recruit out of St. John's Bosco.

Here is a story I wrote about Arizona's Treydan Stukes, Gunner Maldonado and Dalton Johnson deciding to stay at Arizona for one more year despite a lot of uncertainty following a coaching change and their expectations heading into this season.

Here is the press conference where they spoke about their decision:

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Hey guys, I wanted to get this up so that we all can talk leading up to the Arizona-Clemson game about the match up and keys that you guys should watch for when the game rolls around on Thursday. Arizona will not have a press conference in Tucson tomorrow and won't be doing any media until they get up in LA for the game. We will have our preview in this thread as well. Any lead up to the game will be posted in this thread.


(GAME INFO)

Who: No. 2 seed Arizona (27-8) vs. Clemson (23-11)

When: 4 p.m. (MST)

Where: Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles

TV: CBS

Odds: Arizona (-6.5) | O/U: 151.5


(Clemson Breakdown)


In all honesty, I thought Arizona was going to be playing Baylor in the Sweet Sixteen and I'm a little shocked that Clemson was able to get through the next round. So, below, I'll be breaking down the tigers and point out three things to watch as the Wildcats prepare for the Tigers.


The frontcourt is where it starts - When looking at the Tigers roster, it is very clear that everything starts in the frontcourt and that Clemson works through its big men to get the job done. The leading scorer on the roster is center PJ Hall, who is averaging 18.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-10 center has rejected 51 shots averaging 1.5 blocks per game. But, that isn't where the size stops, forward Ian Schieffelin comes in at 6-foot-8 and is averaging 9.8 points and a team-leading 9.5 rebounds while shooting 57% from the field.

On the season, the Tigers are averaging 32.7 points in the paint compared to the Wildcats, who have averaged 42.2 points in the paint this season. So, this game might be lived in the paint where yes, Clemson has size, but Arizona has more of it and uses it game in and game out.

The free throw line - As a team, the Tigers are shooting an incredible 79% from the foul line and have two guys that shoot 85% and above. Even Hall is shooting a good 79% making him a dangerous player when it comes to down thew stretch in close game. Meanwhile, the Wildcats have had their ups and downs throughout the season at the line, but are shooting 72%, which is best for 187 nationally.

3-point shooting - When looking at the Clemson roster, one of the first things that jumps out at you is that they shoot 35% from deep as a team. However, they have a guards in Joseph Girard, who is shooting 41% from the 3-point line while averaging 15.3 points per game. Girard is going to be the guy to watch and see if the Wildcats can keep him from warming up from beyond the arc.

We'll have more with Aidan's preview of the game. But let us know what you think of this match up and share thoughts on what concerns you as the Wildcats get ready to face the Tigers in the Sweet Sixteen in LA.

Hey guys, I've finished my first three-point stance of spring football and I wanted to jump in her and share it on the boards to see if you guys wanted more detail, or had any questions on the topics I touched on in this article.

In the article I talk about the starting defense, the No. 2 cornerback spot, the coaching staff and how they go about a practice and so much more.


Three-point stance:




Please feel free to jump in and lets start a conversation about the first day of practice and what you guys can expect to see this spring.

Hey guys, we just ended Arizona's first day of spring and I wanted to jump in and share my thoughts from the day before I start on my three-point stance.


Quick takes:


Quali Conley is built
- Arizona wasn't in full pads for the first day of spring ball, but one of the things that stood out to me was how built running back Quali Conley is and his balance on his feet.
Conley is listed at 205 pounds with a 5-foot-10 body. It is a lean 205 and he does a great job of moving low in drills and has great form. He reminds me of former Wildcat Keola Antolin, who had the ability to bounce off tacklers because of how low he got to the ground and his high center of gravity.

Conley is the No. 1 back at this moment with Rayshon Luke as the No. 2. Remember Jacory Merritt will be with the team come training camp.


Justin Flowe working with the No. 2 defense
- As of right now, Justin Flowe is working with the second-unit defense behind Jacob Manu and Taye Brown. Flowe looks to be in good shape and is moving well on the field, but I would say he is the third, or fourth guy at the linebacker position.


No. 2 CB spot

- Right now, working at the No. 2 cornerback next to Tacario Davis is Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine, who showed growth during the season last year.

Celestine looked solid out there and was contesting passes. His speed helps him keep up with any receiver, but it is only Day 1 and we will see how he progresses.


We'll have more with Aidan Wohl doing a five takeaways from the post-practice interviews, video from the interview and my three-point stance. Plus, we'll work on uploading a photo gallery for the week.


Please feel free to comment, or ask any questions you may have about the practice.

Hey guys, it is that time of year again with spring football starting up today. This also is the official start of the Brent Brennan era (in terms of coach) and we finally get to see what he is like on the field.

Today and throughout spring ball, we will have full coverage from galleries, video interviews, practice breakdowns, takeaways and more.

But, to prepare you for the start of spring ball, I'll be breaking down five things to watch this spring.


Five things to watch:
1. Brent Brennan as a coach
- This will be the first chance we get to see Brent Brennan on the football/practice field coaching up his players. Is he going to be a very vocal head coach? Or, is he going to be like Jedd Fisch, who really let his guys coach the positions and then would go all over the field adding his input and then taking over during formation drills?
so far, Brennan has been a very easy going guy, but I know—as do you guys—that when on the field, people can go into work mode.

To Fisch's credit, those were some of the most well-run practices I've ever seen. Everything had a purpose. So, I thinks it will be interesting to see how this staff does things and what they plan of attack will be.

2. The offensive line starting unit
- Last season, Arizona had one of the better lines in program history with a steady starting five ones Raymond Pulido got fully healthy. It was a line that was able to pass protect and create holes in the running game. Now, all though much of the line will be coming back, the Wildcats will be missing Jordan Morgan, who has graduated and preparing for the NFL Draft.
So, I want to see who that starting five will be from the start of spring ball and if it remains the same til the end.
Also, will Jonah Savaiinaea still be playing RT? Or will this staff move him back inside to RG?
When looking at Savaiinaea, it is clear that he did an excellent job of moving to RT when he was asked to do so. However, I think his natural position in the NFL will be guard and that will give him the best chance of having a 12 to 14-year career at the next level.
3. Noah Fifita's work with Dino Babers
- There has been no official word that offensive coordinator Dino Babers will be working with the quarterbacks, but when you look at the resumes on the staff, he is the only one that has been a QB coach. So, I would assume he will be the primary guys working with that room.
I want to see how Noah Fifita adapts to the new coaching style of this staff compared to what he was use to with the Fisch staff.

Although Fifita had a great season last year, there is still a lot of room for improvement and Babers might be the guy that helps him take that next level of development that prepares him to lead the program and get ready for a potential NFL career.


4. What is the offense going to look like?
- With Babers taking over as offensive coordinator and years of experience, it will be intriguing to see what type of offense the Wildcats will have during the 2024 season.
Now, Babers has already said that he doesn't want to give too much away too soon and I think that includes spring football. But, we will have a chance to see the base of his offense and if it will look something similar to Syracuse, or maybe even a Baylor (2008-15) style of offense when Art Briles was the head coach.

It is noteworthy that Babers worked with Briles during that time and was part of helping build up that program. That system relied on speed and getting offensive weapons out in space.

I think we will see more of a Baylor style of offensive with a emphasis on balancing things out with the running game.

Still, time will tell and Babers definitely has some tricks up his sleeves.

5. Rounding out the defense
- Although the Wildcats lost starting cornerback Ephesians Prysock and both edge rushers Russell Davis and Isaiah Ward to Washington in the transfer portal, the team still has a great base to build off of the success it had on defense a season ago.

With Jacob Manu and others returning, Arizona has the ability to be one of the better defenses in the Big 12 conference. And getting Tacario Davis back was a massive part of this statement.

However, the team needs to figure out who will be the No. 2 cornerback behind Davis. Will it be newcome Marquis Groves-Killebrew? Or will it be a situation where the Wildcats will be looking to add from the portal when the window opens up on April 18th?

I think what the staff doesn't want is to have to move Treydan Stukes back out from the nickel back position. Mainly because Stukes was highly successful in the nickel role and helps sure up the secondary from that spot.

Aside from the cornerback position, Arizona needs to find two edge rushers that can put pressure on the quarterback.

I'm sure there will be a ton of rotation on the defensive line, but figuring out the two main guys this spring will be critical for the Wildcats.


Okay guys, we'll have a bunch more from today as Aidan and I will be out at practice providing full coverage. However, please feel free to comment with any other questions I may have not hit on, or what you want to see this spring.

Saturday morning, three-star WR Bryce Lewis announced on Twitter (X) that he has decided to decommit from Arizona after committing to the program back in August under the Jedd Fisch staff.

Since then, Lewis has taken visits to Duke and Boston College among others and has made it clear that he wasn't 100% committed.

This gives Arizona zero recruits for the 2025 class.

Here's his tweet:

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