It is officially 2017 and Arizona hopes the new year brings plenty of good fortune. On the football side that means recruiting and building up the roster for next season and for basketball that means health and potentially the return of an important piece in addition to continued recruiting success. We will take a look at all of that in this week’s War Room as we kick off the new year.
Football
On the football side of things the break will come to an end soon and the work will pick up for the staff when it comes to recruiting and shortly after that spring ball will take place in the coming months. When the players return to campus the offseason program will continue as well as the Wildcats jump fully into the spring semester.
* Continuing on with our weekly look at each position group coming out of the 2016 season we move on to an important position that Arizona is building for the upcoming years. It has been a process for the Wildcats to get the types of players it wants but things are headed in the right direction. Some of the key players have been forced into early action along the offensive line, but in the long run the projection for the unit is a good one.
- 2016 overview: Jim Michalczik’s unit had to go through some growing pains in the 2016 season. There were times when it was a glaring weakness of the team and others when it showed why it is a group the staff has been excited about getting on the field. There was certainly youth, no doubt, along with others who just didn’t play up to their potential. Throw in a side of injuries and of course the devastating loss of a teammate and starter before the start of the season and it was a year that tested the group.
Looking back the loss of Zach Hemmila early in camp took its toll mentally on the offensive line, but on the field its impact was felt as well. The Wildcats didn’t just lose a teammate and brother they also lost a key component of the starting unit. Hemmila had played himself into a strong piece of the group and a player that the quarterbacks and other linemen trusted. Nothing can make up for experience and even though he didn’t have a ton of it he did have some and his years in the program set him up for a solid senior season. Knowing the calls and being able to identify things within the defense is a big job for the center and that is where the team missed Hemmila this season and it impacted the group on the field more than the players or coaches ever truly wanted to admit.
Redshirt freshman Nate Eldridge came in to a tough spot having to take over those starting center duties and probably a year ahead of when he was truly ready. There were some times where he showed his youth and in talking to some of his teammates the experience that Hemmila had and Eldridge didn’t showed itself at times especially early in the year. The second-year player made progress, however, and by the end of the year he improved his experience and grasp of the things UA needed from him. He projects as Arizona’s long-term starting center for the next few seasons and that will bring some stability to the position for UA.
Outside of the center position there was a lot of movement with the guards having to rotate at times and the tackles as well. Somewhat surprising was the step back that redshirt junior right guard Jacob Alsadek seemed to take back over the course of his latest season. He was certainly impacted emotionally by the loss of Hemmila and on the field he just wasn’t as sharp as he had been previously. He too had to deal with injuries at times. He was still Arizona’s strongest piece along the offensive line and provided the size that Arizona needed up front.
In his final season in Tucson another player with good size, Freddie Tagaloa, again had to deal with injuries and inconsistent play during the 2016 season. The Cal transfer certainly has the size and right attitude, but he just was never able to be as effective as Arizona would have hoped after making the move from Berkeley. The Wildcats eventually moved him inside where he had some success, but overall he never provided the next-level ability the Wildcats were hoping for.
The tackle spots have been interesting with Layth Friekh being the staple of the left tackle spot staying healthy and doing his job for the most part. There were certainly hiccups at times but he was a solid performer and provided stability at a position that demands it. On the other side Gerhard de Beer dealt with plenty of his own injuries and it hampered his potential progress at the position.
Christian Boettcher and Cody Creason were used quite a bit throughout the season as well with Alex Kosinski getting some time as well. Overall the unit had to work in those younger players and it came with its bumps but that experience should help settle the group going into 2017.
- 2017 outlook: As things stand now it will be an interesting spring and fall for the Wildcats. There are some positions that are going to be wide open and will have a bigger collection of players fighting for playing time. It will also be the first real chance for some highly-recruited prospects to make the most of their opportunities coming off redshirt seasons. One overarching theme for the group is to spend another season in the weight room getting a little bigger as there were times the group was overmatched up front. UA recruits players to block in its scheme that are a little more mobile so that brings with it a lighter frame but UA still wants to have as much size up front as it can get within that thought process.
Alsadek, Eldridge and Friekh have a good hold on their positions going into the offseason but the other two spots are about as open as you could have. Christian Boettcher and Cody Creason earned the experience coming during the 2016 season and they will have the early inside track at earning those two starting spots, but there will be competition. Michael Eletise will be coming off his redshirt season and he was one more big injury away from burning that redshirt with as well as he practiced during camp and throughout the season.
UA hoped to preserve it, however, and it was able to do so. That puts Eletise right at the forefront as a redshirt freshman to take a job early in his career. That left guard spot is one that he will have every chance to win and could very well do so early on. At tackle there is of course some options with Creason playing a decent amount in his redshirt freshman season and one-time four-star recruit Keenan Walker coming off his. There were of course off-the-field things that Walker had to make up for and show the staff that he was moved on from, but talent wise he has the skill to be an impact player. There is a toughness about his game and demeanor that the team could use.
This spring will tell a lot about where things are headed but the group will be deeper and more polished heading into the rest of 2017. If the talent will start to show itself even more on the field will be the thing to watch.
Football recruiting
As things continue to unfold for the Wildcats things will pick up in 10 days when the dead period comes to an end and recruits can begin taking visits again. That will be the next chance for Arizona to get in front of its targets and commits and make the final push to National Signing Day.
* One recruit Arizona will know about before then will be making his decision public on Thursday. Four-star Rivals250 offensive tackle recruit Adrian Ealy will announce his college choice via a video on Thursday and Arizona remains one of the programs in the mix. UA has been building some momentum going into the decision and it will have been the last campus he was able to visit before making that choice. Oklahoma and LSU remain in the picture as well for him but he has also done a good job of keeping things quiet meaning any decision would truly not be shocking at this stage.
The Wildcats connection to Louisiana through Calvin Magee and some of the other players on the roster has been important for UA in this recruitment and the need for a top-end offensive tackle has made this one intriguing.
At any rate Arizona has a better shot than people will give it in this recruitment and it will be interesting to see where the buzz goes over the next couple days leading up to the announcement.
* In addition to adding another offensive tackle in the class the Wildcats want to, as always, add some more speed for the slot. There are some offers out there for the ‘Cats to look into more, but one big name to continue to watch is Oregon commit Jaylon Redd who plans on seeing Tucson as one of his January official trips. The Rancho Cucamonga, California athlete can play on either side of the ball and some programs are offering that up to him as a selling point. He is the fastest recruit out west and one of the fastest in the class as a whole, and Arizona could end up using him in a variety of roles.
“I’m just trying to seal the deal,” Redd told Rivals.com. “I just want to make sure everything I’m doing is the right thing.”
Redd committed to Oregon’s previous coaching staff but since then his teammate Thomas Graham has also committed to the Ducks and there is a certain pull for him to stay put. But, the idea of making a big impact at a school like Arizona is appealing and that means more visits for the speedy athlete. Cal and UCLA will get the two remaining visits after he sees Arizona on Jan. 13 and then he will move from there.
Football
On the football side of things the break will come to an end soon and the work will pick up for the staff when it comes to recruiting and shortly after that spring ball will take place in the coming months. When the players return to campus the offseason program will continue as well as the Wildcats jump fully into the spring semester.
* Continuing on with our weekly look at each position group coming out of the 2016 season we move on to an important position that Arizona is building for the upcoming years. It has been a process for the Wildcats to get the types of players it wants but things are headed in the right direction. Some of the key players have been forced into early action along the offensive line, but in the long run the projection for the unit is a good one.
- 2016 overview: Jim Michalczik’s unit had to go through some growing pains in the 2016 season. There were times when it was a glaring weakness of the team and others when it showed why it is a group the staff has been excited about getting on the field. There was certainly youth, no doubt, along with others who just didn’t play up to their potential. Throw in a side of injuries and of course the devastating loss of a teammate and starter before the start of the season and it was a year that tested the group.
Looking back the loss of Zach Hemmila early in camp took its toll mentally on the offensive line, but on the field its impact was felt as well. The Wildcats didn’t just lose a teammate and brother they also lost a key component of the starting unit. Hemmila had played himself into a strong piece of the group and a player that the quarterbacks and other linemen trusted. Nothing can make up for experience and even though he didn’t have a ton of it he did have some and his years in the program set him up for a solid senior season. Knowing the calls and being able to identify things within the defense is a big job for the center and that is where the team missed Hemmila this season and it impacted the group on the field more than the players or coaches ever truly wanted to admit.
Redshirt freshman Nate Eldridge came in to a tough spot having to take over those starting center duties and probably a year ahead of when he was truly ready. There were some times where he showed his youth and in talking to some of his teammates the experience that Hemmila had and Eldridge didn’t showed itself at times especially early in the year. The second-year player made progress, however, and by the end of the year he improved his experience and grasp of the things UA needed from him. He projects as Arizona’s long-term starting center for the next few seasons and that will bring some stability to the position for UA.
Outside of the center position there was a lot of movement with the guards having to rotate at times and the tackles as well. Somewhat surprising was the step back that redshirt junior right guard Jacob Alsadek seemed to take back over the course of his latest season. He was certainly impacted emotionally by the loss of Hemmila and on the field he just wasn’t as sharp as he had been previously. He too had to deal with injuries at times. He was still Arizona’s strongest piece along the offensive line and provided the size that Arizona needed up front.
In his final season in Tucson another player with good size, Freddie Tagaloa, again had to deal with injuries and inconsistent play during the 2016 season. The Cal transfer certainly has the size and right attitude, but he just was never able to be as effective as Arizona would have hoped after making the move from Berkeley. The Wildcats eventually moved him inside where he had some success, but overall he never provided the next-level ability the Wildcats were hoping for.
The tackle spots have been interesting with Layth Friekh being the staple of the left tackle spot staying healthy and doing his job for the most part. There were certainly hiccups at times but he was a solid performer and provided stability at a position that demands it. On the other side Gerhard de Beer dealt with plenty of his own injuries and it hampered his potential progress at the position.
Christian Boettcher and Cody Creason were used quite a bit throughout the season as well with Alex Kosinski getting some time as well. Overall the unit had to work in those younger players and it came with its bumps but that experience should help settle the group going into 2017.
- 2017 outlook: As things stand now it will be an interesting spring and fall for the Wildcats. There are some positions that are going to be wide open and will have a bigger collection of players fighting for playing time. It will also be the first real chance for some highly-recruited prospects to make the most of their opportunities coming off redshirt seasons. One overarching theme for the group is to spend another season in the weight room getting a little bigger as there were times the group was overmatched up front. UA recruits players to block in its scheme that are a little more mobile so that brings with it a lighter frame but UA still wants to have as much size up front as it can get within that thought process.
Alsadek, Eldridge and Friekh have a good hold on their positions going into the offseason but the other two spots are about as open as you could have. Christian Boettcher and Cody Creason earned the experience coming during the 2016 season and they will have the early inside track at earning those two starting spots, but there will be competition. Michael Eletise will be coming off his redshirt season and he was one more big injury away from burning that redshirt with as well as he practiced during camp and throughout the season.
UA hoped to preserve it, however, and it was able to do so. That puts Eletise right at the forefront as a redshirt freshman to take a job early in his career. That left guard spot is one that he will have every chance to win and could very well do so early on. At tackle there is of course some options with Creason playing a decent amount in his redshirt freshman season and one-time four-star recruit Keenan Walker coming off his. There were of course off-the-field things that Walker had to make up for and show the staff that he was moved on from, but talent wise he has the skill to be an impact player. There is a toughness about his game and demeanor that the team could use.
This spring will tell a lot about where things are headed but the group will be deeper and more polished heading into the rest of 2017. If the talent will start to show itself even more on the field will be the thing to watch.
Football recruiting
As things continue to unfold for the Wildcats things will pick up in 10 days when the dead period comes to an end and recruits can begin taking visits again. That will be the next chance for Arizona to get in front of its targets and commits and make the final push to National Signing Day.
* One recruit Arizona will know about before then will be making his decision public on Thursday. Four-star Rivals250 offensive tackle recruit Adrian Ealy will announce his college choice via a video on Thursday and Arizona remains one of the programs in the mix. UA has been building some momentum going into the decision and it will have been the last campus he was able to visit before making that choice. Oklahoma and LSU remain in the picture as well for him but he has also done a good job of keeping things quiet meaning any decision would truly not be shocking at this stage.
The Wildcats connection to Louisiana through Calvin Magee and some of the other players on the roster has been important for UA in this recruitment and the need for a top-end offensive tackle has made this one intriguing.
At any rate Arizona has a better shot than people will give it in this recruitment and it will be interesting to see where the buzz goes over the next couple days leading up to the announcement.
* In addition to adding another offensive tackle in the class the Wildcats want to, as always, add some more speed for the slot. There are some offers out there for the ‘Cats to look into more, but one big name to continue to watch is Oregon commit Jaylon Redd who plans on seeing Tucson as one of his January official trips. The Rancho Cucamonga, California athlete can play on either side of the ball and some programs are offering that up to him as a selling point. He is the fastest recruit out west and one of the fastest in the class as a whole, and Arizona could end up using him in a variety of roles.
“I’m just trying to seal the deal,” Redd told Rivals.com. “I just want to make sure everything I’m doing is the right thing.”
Redd committed to Oregon’s previous coaching staff but since then his teammate Thomas Graham has also committed to the Ducks and there is a certain pull for him to stay put. But, the idea of making a big impact at a school like Arizona is appealing and that means more visits for the speedy athlete. Cal and UCLA will get the two remaining visits after he sees Arizona on Jan. 13 and then he will move from there.
