Well, we are through the first big day of the year for Arizona as National Signing Day is now in the rear-view mirror. Next up will be a focus for hoops with the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament a month away. On the football side of things Arizona is getting its bearings after the busy recruiting season the team will hit the field again soon for spring practice. There is plenty to get to once again this week, so without further ado here is the latest GOAZCATS.com War Room.
Football
Arizona will be back on the field this week, barring another change to the schedule, and it will finally be time for the new members of the coaching staff to get on the field and for UA’s midyear enrollees to get going as well.
* The vibe around spring ball should be a bit different this year as there will be plenty of teaching going on rather than a true spring ball atmosphere. As Arizona gets its new staff acclimated to things there will also be the implementation of Arizona’s newly altered defensive scheme. That means there will be plenty of learning and not a lot of actual scrimmaging causing Rich Rodriguez to decide against a true spring game this year.
“Did I not mention we’re not having a spring game? That’s kind of a downer,” Rodriguez said last week. “Everybody is looking forward to watching third-string and fourth-string guys play tag and the quarterbacks don’t get touched and nobody wins. That’s really exciting and I’m sure you’re all dreading that not happening. But, no, we’re not going to have a spring game and the reason is that I just don’t really want one. I’d rather just teach them and coach them.
“A lot of spring will be non-traditional just from the standpoint that we’ve still got to teach and coach fundamentals and the scheme. As far as scrimmaging it’s going to be very brief. I do think we have an open practice when a lot of our former players are coming March 4. That will be a great time to come. You won’t see a full scale scrimmage, but you’ll see some competition and maybe certain situations with goal-line and red zone. We’re trying to really focus on specific things and to teach our new defense this spring as well.”
* As spring practice gets ready to begin there is of course the matter of hiring a defensive line coach still at hand. As we have mentioned before Arizona does have some extra money available to spend more on its next defensive line coach should it want to make a splash. At this point things have been very much on the quiet side as Rodriguez goes through his search. However, UA’s run at Washington State’s Joe Salave’a continue. As we mentioned with the defensive coordinator search pulling him away from a job that he likes with a staff that he likes in an area he and his family like is going to be tough. He just received a new deal and there is a genuine loyalty to Mike Leach and that program right now.
Still, Rodriguez is going to continue to push it until he gets a definite no. He wants to continue to get back to recruiting Polynesian players and he knows Salave’a is one way to get that done in a big way.
“We wanted to get back into Hawaii and particularly in getting some Polynesian players which have been very important to our program over the years going way back to the coach Tomey days,” Rodriguez said last week about signing Michael Eletise.
Vince Amey’s name once again came up over the weekend, and as we mentioned on the message boards the name came out from outlets at the same time. There always has to be some reservation when that happens. Now Amey could eventually earn the job as we have mentioned from the outset, but Arizona is doing its due diligence to make sure he is indeed the person for the job.
Rodriguez has explored other options - Salave’a being the top one - and he will soon come to a decision. If the UA head coach decides to go outside the program it will certainly happen quickly and if he stays within the program Amey would provide that seamless transition and be able to make everything work more quickly.
The longer it takes this week for an announcement to be made the more likely that Amey is going to be the one to earn the job. Either way a decision is coming soon as Rodriguez will have all the answers he needs shortly. Just know that the UA head coach is not just sitting on his hands waiting for something to happen. He has been active in this search behind the scenes.
“I’ve go to add another coach to defense soon. I’ll do that probably very soon in the next few days and we start spring practice next Friday,” Rodriguez said last week.
* Once things get settled with the staff Arizona can begin its spring practices and there should be some movement as the coaches figure out where they see players fitting in best. One player who will make the move to the other side of the ball will be Cam Denson. The one-time top-100 receiver will make the move back to offense this spring as UA looks for him on the outside to help add some depth at wideout. Denson isn’t the 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4 frame UA would prefer to have on the outside, but that is where he made his name while at Salpointe High in his high school days and that is where he will start for the ‘Cats this spring.
“It’s like Cam Denson who has moved to receiver,” Rodriguez said last week. “This spring he’s going to play - everybody says ‘he’ll be good in the slot’ - no, he’ll play outside then move to the inside too. All our receivers will play inside and outside.”
The soon-to-be junior has quietly pushed for a move back to offense and during his sophomore season there was a lack of production on the defensive side of the ball at times. Now with some more depth at cornerback this year the move is one that can make everyone happy. There is a need for another outside receiver and Denson will end up at a position where he feels most comfortable and happy. Arizona worked out Denson quite a bit at receiver late in the 2015 season and while it never used him in that spot it did give him a jump start on re-acclimating himself to the position once again.
* As spring practice gets ready to begin it is a good time to start taking a look at some of the big story lines of the next month-plus. UA will have its spring practice run until late March and that should be plenty of time to see how things look with the current group. There will of course be players added over the summer that could change a lot but the spring will be a good time - albeit with very little game-like action - to see where things are headed for later in the year.
Here is a look at some of what we think will be the important story lines to watch over the next month and a half.
- The scheme: Arizona has given out some hints about what the team’s new defensive scheme will look like. We do know that a premium will be put on being aggressive and creating turnovers, but the specifics have not quite made their way to the forefront just yet. At this point it will be a variation of a lot of looks and having a number of safeties on the field will still be the norm. Along with what the new scheme will look like will also be how Arizona’s current pieces fit into it and how they adapt to the changes that are coming. That is something that maybe you will not get a full scope of until the fall, but it will be something to watch early on.
- The new coaches: There has certainly been plenty made of what UA’s new defensive staff members can do on the recruiting trail, but at least two of them have proven what they can do as on-field coaches as well. Jahmile Addae has been an on-field coach in the past and he will get to take that step forward again with Arizona safety group. Eventually that unit could end up being Arizona’s most important once again so it will be interesting to see how that unit looks by the end of the spring.
There is certainly going to be a feeling out period with some of the new staff members, but in the long term UA found pieces that fit both in a recruiting sense and on the field.
- Midyear enrollees: Arizona has made nice use of its greyshirts in the past and this year is no different. In addition to that UA was able to get a trio of early enrollees on campus for spring ball and the entire group will be something to watch as the next month unfolds. The group that UA added midyear is not made up of less talented players either. With the likes of Keenan Walker, Khalil Tate, Isaiah Hayes and Antonio Parks all coming on board it should make for a solid spring when it comes to competitiveness.
It will be a good chance to see how much progress players coming off injuries such as Walker and Parks have made as well as a chance to see just how soon the midyear players (Tate, Hayes and Kahi Neves) might be able to contribute.
Football
Arizona will be back on the field this week, barring another change to the schedule, and it will finally be time for the new members of the coaching staff to get on the field and for UA’s midyear enrollees to get going as well.
* The vibe around spring ball should be a bit different this year as there will be plenty of teaching going on rather than a true spring ball atmosphere. As Arizona gets its new staff acclimated to things there will also be the implementation of Arizona’s newly altered defensive scheme. That means there will be plenty of learning and not a lot of actual scrimmaging causing Rich Rodriguez to decide against a true spring game this year.
“Did I not mention we’re not having a spring game? That’s kind of a downer,” Rodriguez said last week. “Everybody is looking forward to watching third-string and fourth-string guys play tag and the quarterbacks don’t get touched and nobody wins. That’s really exciting and I’m sure you’re all dreading that not happening. But, no, we’re not going to have a spring game and the reason is that I just don’t really want one. I’d rather just teach them and coach them.
“A lot of spring will be non-traditional just from the standpoint that we’ve still got to teach and coach fundamentals and the scheme. As far as scrimmaging it’s going to be very brief. I do think we have an open practice when a lot of our former players are coming March 4. That will be a great time to come. You won’t see a full scale scrimmage, but you’ll see some competition and maybe certain situations with goal-line and red zone. We’re trying to really focus on specific things and to teach our new defense this spring as well.”
* As spring practice gets ready to begin there is of course the matter of hiring a defensive line coach still at hand. As we have mentioned before Arizona does have some extra money available to spend more on its next defensive line coach should it want to make a splash. At this point things have been very much on the quiet side as Rodriguez goes through his search. However, UA’s run at Washington State’s Joe Salave’a continue. As we mentioned with the defensive coordinator search pulling him away from a job that he likes with a staff that he likes in an area he and his family like is going to be tough. He just received a new deal and there is a genuine loyalty to Mike Leach and that program right now.
Still, Rodriguez is going to continue to push it until he gets a definite no. He wants to continue to get back to recruiting Polynesian players and he knows Salave’a is one way to get that done in a big way.
“We wanted to get back into Hawaii and particularly in getting some Polynesian players which have been very important to our program over the years going way back to the coach Tomey days,” Rodriguez said last week about signing Michael Eletise.
Vince Amey’s name once again came up over the weekend, and as we mentioned on the message boards the name came out from outlets at the same time. There always has to be some reservation when that happens. Now Amey could eventually earn the job as we have mentioned from the outset, but Arizona is doing its due diligence to make sure he is indeed the person for the job.
Rodriguez has explored other options - Salave’a being the top one - and he will soon come to a decision. If the UA head coach decides to go outside the program it will certainly happen quickly and if he stays within the program Amey would provide that seamless transition and be able to make everything work more quickly.
The longer it takes this week for an announcement to be made the more likely that Amey is going to be the one to earn the job. Either way a decision is coming soon as Rodriguez will have all the answers he needs shortly. Just know that the UA head coach is not just sitting on his hands waiting for something to happen. He has been active in this search behind the scenes.
“I’ve go to add another coach to defense soon. I’ll do that probably very soon in the next few days and we start spring practice next Friday,” Rodriguez said last week.
* Once things get settled with the staff Arizona can begin its spring practices and there should be some movement as the coaches figure out where they see players fitting in best. One player who will make the move to the other side of the ball will be Cam Denson. The one-time top-100 receiver will make the move back to offense this spring as UA looks for him on the outside to help add some depth at wideout. Denson isn’t the 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4 frame UA would prefer to have on the outside, but that is where he made his name while at Salpointe High in his high school days and that is where he will start for the ‘Cats this spring.
“It’s like Cam Denson who has moved to receiver,” Rodriguez said last week. “This spring he’s going to play - everybody says ‘he’ll be good in the slot’ - no, he’ll play outside then move to the inside too. All our receivers will play inside and outside.”
The soon-to-be junior has quietly pushed for a move back to offense and during his sophomore season there was a lack of production on the defensive side of the ball at times. Now with some more depth at cornerback this year the move is one that can make everyone happy. There is a need for another outside receiver and Denson will end up at a position where he feels most comfortable and happy. Arizona worked out Denson quite a bit at receiver late in the 2015 season and while it never used him in that spot it did give him a jump start on re-acclimating himself to the position once again.
* As spring practice gets ready to begin it is a good time to start taking a look at some of the big story lines of the next month-plus. UA will have its spring practice run until late March and that should be plenty of time to see how things look with the current group. There will of course be players added over the summer that could change a lot but the spring will be a good time - albeit with very little game-like action - to see where things are headed for later in the year.
Here is a look at some of what we think will be the important story lines to watch over the next month and a half.
- The scheme: Arizona has given out some hints about what the team’s new defensive scheme will look like. We do know that a premium will be put on being aggressive and creating turnovers, but the specifics have not quite made their way to the forefront just yet. At this point it will be a variation of a lot of looks and having a number of safeties on the field will still be the norm. Along with what the new scheme will look like will also be how Arizona’s current pieces fit into it and how they adapt to the changes that are coming. That is something that maybe you will not get a full scope of until the fall, but it will be something to watch early on.
- The new coaches: There has certainly been plenty made of what UA’s new defensive staff members can do on the recruiting trail, but at least two of them have proven what they can do as on-field coaches as well. Jahmile Addae has been an on-field coach in the past and he will get to take that step forward again with Arizona safety group. Eventually that unit could end up being Arizona’s most important once again so it will be interesting to see how that unit looks by the end of the spring.
There is certainly going to be a feeling out period with some of the new staff members, but in the long term UA found pieces that fit both in a recruiting sense and on the field.
- Midyear enrollees: Arizona has made nice use of its greyshirts in the past and this year is no different. In addition to that UA was able to get a trio of early enrollees on campus for spring ball and the entire group will be something to watch as the next month unfolds. The group that UA added midyear is not made up of less talented players either. With the likes of Keenan Walker, Khalil Tate, Isaiah Hayes and Antonio Parks all coming on board it should make for a solid spring when it comes to competitiveness.
It will be a good chance to see how much progress players coming off injuries such as Walker and Parks have made as well as a chance to see just how soon the midyear players (Tate, Hayes and Kahi Neves) might be able to contribute.
