Arizona was back at it Wednesday night getting some more live work in with the season creeping up here in just over a week. It was Kevin Sumlin's night to talk once again and it was the longest he has chatted with the media so far this month and it was the most happy/upbeat I have seen him with the media probably in his entire time as UA's head coach.
I can't help but think that's a good sign for what he's been seeing as of late on the field, but it was definitely different to see him in a outwardly positive mood. He usually tries to keep things more monotone and calm, so it was a nice change.
Here are some things that stood out about the chat with him plus some other notes about practice.
* As always I'll begin with who was and who wasn't there. Cornerback Jace Whittaker has finally returned to practice as he was out on the field again Wednesday night after about two weeks away. Whittaker always looked fine when walking around after practice so if it was something injury related it wasn't anything that was going to keep him out for an extended period of time. Whatever the reason, he is back now and that will help add some more depth to the cornerback group. Alex Kosinski is again nowhere to be seen and hasn't been for a while now. Sumlin wouldn't budge when asked about the offensive lineman or his veteran counterpart Nathan Eldridge. He simply implied that neither is part of the rotation expected to start the year.
He was asked if those situations are injury-related and he just smirked a bit without answering the question.
* As far as the offensive line goes, Sumlin said his concern right now is coming up with who will be in the rotation far more than who will be starting. Because of Layth Friekh's absence for the first two games Sumlin knows the starting unit will change once the season gets going so he is not concerning himself so much with that as he is who will actually have a shot at playing beyond just the first group of five. One player he indicated will be part of the rotation along the offensive line is freshman Donovan Laie who has missed some time as of late with an injury but will be back next week Sumlin said. It's really the first time since the start of camp that Sumlin has even touched an injury with a player and he offered it up himself without being asked. It's probably a good indication of what the staff thinks of Laie, too.
* Not much has truly changed with the quarterback battle behind Khalil Tate, but Sumlin did say there are four players still battling it out for that backup job with K'Hari Lane (current leader), Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner all still working to earn that spot. The UA head coach did say that Lane and Rodriguez are naturally more ahead of the freshmen because of their time spent learning the system in the spring. The door is not yet closed on those freshmen, however, and as I have detailed in other posts there has been some good buzz for each of those young quarterbacks.
Next week is when the offensive staff plans to nail down its plans for sure should something happen to Tate. Sumlin indicated that a depth chart is expected to be released next week as well straying away from what the original plan was. The word had been that UA would not have an official depth chart before the first game. Now, it is possible that by "next week" Sumlin meant Saturday but we'll see if one makes its way to the media before then.
* Sumlin again singled out receiver Stanley Berryhill as having a strong month pointing to the redshirt freshman earning a scholarship as an indication of how strong of a month he has had. The UA head coach didn't necessarily want it out there that Berryhill had earned a scholarship – he said it's something he likes to keep more private – but said when it was announced to the team that Khalil Tate was the first one to run up and congratulate Berryhill and Sumlin took that as a big positive of how important the team thinks the receiver can be to the offense this year.
Tight end Bryce Wolma was another player Sumlin singled out as having a productive camp.
* Scottie Young Jr. is still working his way back into the rotation, but based on how Sumlin sounded talking about the sophomore free safety it feels like only a matter of time before he's back on the field in some capacity. He will have to miss the first game, but beyond that I'd expect he gets in on the action at some point. Sumlin said right now Young is not working with the first unit and the plan is to work him back in at a slower pace considering he has missed so much time with the team.
I can't help but think that's a good sign for what he's been seeing as of late on the field, but it was definitely different to see him in a outwardly positive mood. He usually tries to keep things more monotone and calm, so it was a nice change.
Here are some things that stood out about the chat with him plus some other notes about practice.
* As always I'll begin with who was and who wasn't there. Cornerback Jace Whittaker has finally returned to practice as he was out on the field again Wednesday night after about two weeks away. Whittaker always looked fine when walking around after practice so if it was something injury related it wasn't anything that was going to keep him out for an extended period of time. Whatever the reason, he is back now and that will help add some more depth to the cornerback group. Alex Kosinski is again nowhere to be seen and hasn't been for a while now. Sumlin wouldn't budge when asked about the offensive lineman or his veteran counterpart Nathan Eldridge. He simply implied that neither is part of the rotation expected to start the year.
He was asked if those situations are injury-related and he just smirked a bit without answering the question.
* As far as the offensive line goes, Sumlin said his concern right now is coming up with who will be in the rotation far more than who will be starting. Because of Layth Friekh's absence for the first two games Sumlin knows the starting unit will change once the season gets going so he is not concerning himself so much with that as he is who will actually have a shot at playing beyond just the first group of five. One player he indicated will be part of the rotation along the offensive line is freshman Donovan Laie who has missed some time as of late with an injury but will be back next week Sumlin said. It's really the first time since the start of camp that Sumlin has even touched an injury with a player and he offered it up himself without being asked. It's probably a good indication of what the staff thinks of Laie, too.
* Not much has truly changed with the quarterback battle behind Khalil Tate, but Sumlin did say there are four players still battling it out for that backup job with K'Hari Lane (current leader), Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner all still working to earn that spot. The UA head coach did say that Lane and Rodriguez are naturally more ahead of the freshmen because of their time spent learning the system in the spring. The door is not yet closed on those freshmen, however, and as I have detailed in other posts there has been some good buzz for each of those young quarterbacks.
Next week is when the offensive staff plans to nail down its plans for sure should something happen to Tate. Sumlin indicated that a depth chart is expected to be released next week as well straying away from what the original plan was. The word had been that UA would not have an official depth chart before the first game. Now, it is possible that by "next week" Sumlin meant Saturday but we'll see if one makes its way to the media before then.
* Sumlin again singled out receiver Stanley Berryhill as having a strong month pointing to the redshirt freshman earning a scholarship as an indication of how strong of a month he has had. The UA head coach didn't necessarily want it out there that Berryhill had earned a scholarship – he said it's something he likes to keep more private – but said when it was announced to the team that Khalil Tate was the first one to run up and congratulate Berryhill and Sumlin took that as a big positive of how important the team thinks the receiver can be to the offense this year.
Tight end Bryce Wolma was another player Sumlin singled out as having a productive camp.
* Scottie Young Jr. is still working his way back into the rotation, but based on how Sumlin sounded talking about the sophomore free safety it feels like only a matter of time before he's back on the field in some capacity. He will have to miss the first game, but beyond that I'd expect he gets in on the action at some point. Sumlin said right now Young is not working with the first unit and the plan is to work him back in at a slower pace considering he has missed so much time with the team.
