Monday night marked the first completely closed practice of the preseason as the Wildcats now begin to start preparations for the season opener against Hawaii. That means there are no longer any more open media periods for the rest of the year. This week, instead of getting a coordinator, we will get the opportunity to talk with the position coaches.
First up Monday were outside receiver coach Taylor Mazzone and inside receiver coach Theron Aych.
Here's a quick rundown of the notable things each of them had to say.
- One note before I get started, the only thing the media gets to see now is the mood after practice and Monday night it was little more subdued than I can remember at any point during camp. Kevin Sumlin walks by the interview area to get to his office and he typically will make some kind of joke when walking by. There was none of that Monday night and overall the group just seemed a bit different. The energy wasn't quite the same after practice as it usually is. Not sure what it means or if it even matters, but thought it was something I'd point out.
Taylor Mazzone
* Jamarye Joiner was a big topic after Monday's practice and although he is working with the inside receivers Mazzone was asked about the quarterback-turned-receiver. One thing that the UA outside receivers coach mentioned about Joiner is the type of energy he brings to field that helps get everyone going in addition to the physicality he plays with that makes him a big different than some others.
"He'll go in there and block a big sam linebacker. He can get open by athletic ability. He's been great, and he knows the offense coming from the quarterback room to the receiver room. He kind of understands the mental side of the quarterback knowing what the progressions are and where he needs to get open. ... He's prideful. He might do a little talking on the field, which is great. It gets the intensity going and gets the competition going, and whenever you get receivers out there who are buying in and want to throw their hands on some d-linemen or linebackers it's fun to watch."
* Cedric Peterson is someone who is going to have to be a big part of what the Wildcats do at the outside receiver position. He's the most experienced player among the group and someone the staff and Khalil Tate trust. He is a player a lot the team has mentioned already as someone who has made strides this offseason to better handle his bigger role. Mazzone backed that up when talking about the redshirt senior Monday night.
"He's put a lot of work in since winter time and over spring time and summer time. You can tell he's gotten stronger. I believe on the top of his routes he's done a great job of getting more physical and separating from defensive players. So, I've been very excited to see what he can do. Last year we had a bigger guy on the boundary, Poindexter. Now, Ced can be that guy that can do both – to the field and to the boundary. He can now separate in those critical situations, so I've been excited to see where he's taken his senior year."
Mazzone added that he feels Peterson has been able to get some things off his chest to other players in terms of advice that he may have been holding back with some of the other more experienced players on the roster.
The program put out a mic'd up clip of Peterson recently during one of the team's practices.
* Drew Dixon is another outside receiver who the Wildcats are going to have to rely on more this season and the local standout redshirt sophomore has helped his cause this summer to put himself in the best position to help the team.
"I think Drew has become a little more patient in his route running. Whenever you make that change, like Jamarye, from quarterback to receiver you don't understand that when you get in press coverage you kind of panic a little bit. This is new. There's a guy holding me up at the line of scrimmage. Relax, rely on your fundamentals and have the patience to get open. I think he became a little more mature in that mindset. He's been doing a great job all camp."
Mazzone said that learning to be more aggressive when it comes to battling for a ball is something Dixon has had to learn and that going up against Jace Whittaker and Lorenzo Burns in practice has helped that.
* Mazzone and the rest of the staff made an effort to improve the size of the receiver group over the last year adding some bigger wideouts and working to bring the entire level of the unit up. He feels that has turned into a strength for the team now heading into the season.
* Arizona running back Michael Wiley has impressed the coaching staff so far through the last couple weeks. Sumlin said Saturday that the freshman will get his chance to see the field this year and with all the backs that UA is going to try to have to use this season it is only natural that some of the players will get used at some different spots on the field. Wiley is someone the coaches have been getting some work in the slot to take advantage of his speed and while he is a running back Mazzone has been impressed by him as someone who has stood out outside his own group.
Theron Aych
* Aych has a chance to work with Joiner everyday and he has seen what the former quarterback brings to the table up close. He is another coach who points to the move as being part of Joiner's character since he was able to look beyond his own desire to play the quarterback position and do something in the best interest of the team. He also noted that the transition has gone smoothly so far because he expects his inside receivers to know all parts of the offense well and Joiner came in with a leg up in that regard.
"He's a powerful player. People don't recognize his strength until you physically line up across from him, which some of our defensive guys have found out. He's now just starting to realize how to utilize those tools as he makes the transition. For him, the sky is the limit as he continues to develop for us."
* Brian Casteel is someone Arizona needs to be good this year and that starts with staying on the field. The junior slot receiver has been close to breaking out each year of his career so far but injuries have prevented that from happening along with other older players on the depth chart keeping his role limited. That is not the case this year and he is going to be given his shot. He has trimmed some of his weight ahead of the season and is looking in as good of shape as he has his entire career. For Aych, it begins with staying healthy and then Casteel will be ready to contribute.
"Brian has been a steady player since I walked in the door. He's probably the most cerebral in the group. He's now starting to come out of his comfort zone and become that leader. Not just the quiet leader but vocal, too. Him being able to go up to Jamarye and those type of guys, Jaden Mitchell and the young guys, to give his experience to them has been huge for me as a coach."
* Aych's son, Thomas, is a receiver on Arizona's roster this year. The transfer from Angelo State was with the team back in the spring as well and having his son with him in Tucson now is certainly something that makes the UA coach happy.
"I tell you what, he's going to be a headsy player. His dad I don't know about him, I question him. No. He does a really good job. He's working hard, but like I said genetics are against him so we'll see what happens in the future. You can quote me on that."
* Tayvian Cunningham is a newcomer to UA's inside receiver group this year. He cam on as a late addition in the spring once spring ball had ended as the Wildcats looked for someone to replace Devaughn Cooper. Cunningham has worked in the slot and with the return teams as the staff figures out the best way to utilize his speed. Aych said the speedy receiver was found by John Rushing who recruits Northern California for the Wildcats. After that, Aych went up to Sacramento to meet with Cunningham and came away impressed by what he saw and was able to learn on that trip.
Aych said Cunningham is quiet but is "focused" and the staff is excited to see what he can add on the field.
"Tay is a new addition to the room. Probably one thing about him that he does bring is experience. He's played a couple years already collegiate football at the junior college level. His physical attribute is speed."
* Jaden Mitchell is someone who was one of the most talked about players of the spring. So far the last couple weeks he has not practiced much as he has been banged up, but Aych still holds the freshman in high regard. Whether or not he will be ready to hit the field in time for the Hawaii game remains in question, but the future is certainly bright for the Las Vegas native if you listen to his coach.
"He's gonna be a guy that you all are asking a lot more questions about the next couple years. He's a very smart player. Even though he is a freshman he should have been in the class with Jamarye and those guys, so he's a little bit older freshman. So, he brings that maturity level and work ethic and high character to the room."
First up Monday were outside receiver coach Taylor Mazzone and inside receiver coach Theron Aych.
Here's a quick rundown of the notable things each of them had to say.
- One note before I get started, the only thing the media gets to see now is the mood after practice and Monday night it was little more subdued than I can remember at any point during camp. Kevin Sumlin walks by the interview area to get to his office and he typically will make some kind of joke when walking by. There was none of that Monday night and overall the group just seemed a bit different. The energy wasn't quite the same after practice as it usually is. Not sure what it means or if it even matters, but thought it was something I'd point out.
Taylor Mazzone
* Jamarye Joiner was a big topic after Monday's practice and although he is working with the inside receivers Mazzone was asked about the quarterback-turned-receiver. One thing that the UA outside receivers coach mentioned about Joiner is the type of energy he brings to field that helps get everyone going in addition to the physicality he plays with that makes him a big different than some others.
"He'll go in there and block a big sam linebacker. He can get open by athletic ability. He's been great, and he knows the offense coming from the quarterback room to the receiver room. He kind of understands the mental side of the quarterback knowing what the progressions are and where he needs to get open. ... He's prideful. He might do a little talking on the field, which is great. It gets the intensity going and gets the competition going, and whenever you get receivers out there who are buying in and want to throw their hands on some d-linemen or linebackers it's fun to watch."
* Cedric Peterson is someone who is going to have to be a big part of what the Wildcats do at the outside receiver position. He's the most experienced player among the group and someone the staff and Khalil Tate trust. He is a player a lot the team has mentioned already as someone who has made strides this offseason to better handle his bigger role. Mazzone backed that up when talking about the redshirt senior Monday night.
"He's put a lot of work in since winter time and over spring time and summer time. You can tell he's gotten stronger. I believe on the top of his routes he's done a great job of getting more physical and separating from defensive players. So, I've been very excited to see what he can do. Last year we had a bigger guy on the boundary, Poindexter. Now, Ced can be that guy that can do both – to the field and to the boundary. He can now separate in those critical situations, so I've been excited to see where he's taken his senior year."
Mazzone added that he feels Peterson has been able to get some things off his chest to other players in terms of advice that he may have been holding back with some of the other more experienced players on the roster.
The program put out a mic'd up clip of Peterson recently during one of the team's practices.
* Drew Dixon is another outside receiver who the Wildcats are going to have to rely on more this season and the local standout redshirt sophomore has helped his cause this summer to put himself in the best position to help the team.
"I think Drew has become a little more patient in his route running. Whenever you make that change, like Jamarye, from quarterback to receiver you don't understand that when you get in press coverage you kind of panic a little bit. This is new. There's a guy holding me up at the line of scrimmage. Relax, rely on your fundamentals and have the patience to get open. I think he became a little more mature in that mindset. He's been doing a great job all camp."
Mazzone said that learning to be more aggressive when it comes to battling for a ball is something Dixon has had to learn and that going up against Jace Whittaker and Lorenzo Burns in practice has helped that.
* Mazzone and the rest of the staff made an effort to improve the size of the receiver group over the last year adding some bigger wideouts and working to bring the entire level of the unit up. He feels that has turned into a strength for the team now heading into the season.
* Arizona running back Michael Wiley has impressed the coaching staff so far through the last couple weeks. Sumlin said Saturday that the freshman will get his chance to see the field this year and with all the backs that UA is going to try to have to use this season it is only natural that some of the players will get used at some different spots on the field. Wiley is someone the coaches have been getting some work in the slot to take advantage of his speed and while he is a running back Mazzone has been impressed by him as someone who has stood out outside his own group.
Theron Aych
* Aych has a chance to work with Joiner everyday and he has seen what the former quarterback brings to the table up close. He is another coach who points to the move as being part of Joiner's character since he was able to look beyond his own desire to play the quarterback position and do something in the best interest of the team. He also noted that the transition has gone smoothly so far because he expects his inside receivers to know all parts of the offense well and Joiner came in with a leg up in that regard.
"He's a powerful player. People don't recognize his strength until you physically line up across from him, which some of our defensive guys have found out. He's now just starting to realize how to utilize those tools as he makes the transition. For him, the sky is the limit as he continues to develop for us."
* Brian Casteel is someone Arizona needs to be good this year and that starts with staying on the field. The junior slot receiver has been close to breaking out each year of his career so far but injuries have prevented that from happening along with other older players on the depth chart keeping his role limited. That is not the case this year and he is going to be given his shot. He has trimmed some of his weight ahead of the season and is looking in as good of shape as he has his entire career. For Aych, it begins with staying healthy and then Casteel will be ready to contribute.
"Brian has been a steady player since I walked in the door. He's probably the most cerebral in the group. He's now starting to come out of his comfort zone and become that leader. Not just the quiet leader but vocal, too. Him being able to go up to Jamarye and those type of guys, Jaden Mitchell and the young guys, to give his experience to them has been huge for me as a coach."
* Aych's son, Thomas, is a receiver on Arizona's roster this year. The transfer from Angelo State was with the team back in the spring as well and having his son with him in Tucson now is certainly something that makes the UA coach happy.
"I tell you what, he's going to be a headsy player. His dad I don't know about him, I question him. No. He does a really good job. He's working hard, but like I said genetics are against him so we'll see what happens in the future. You can quote me on that."
* Tayvian Cunningham is a newcomer to UA's inside receiver group this year. He cam on as a late addition in the spring once spring ball had ended as the Wildcats looked for someone to replace Devaughn Cooper. Cunningham has worked in the slot and with the return teams as the staff figures out the best way to utilize his speed. Aych said the speedy receiver was found by John Rushing who recruits Northern California for the Wildcats. After that, Aych went up to Sacramento to meet with Cunningham and came away impressed by what he saw and was able to learn on that trip.
Aych said Cunningham is quiet but is "focused" and the staff is excited to see what he can add on the field.
"Tay is a new addition to the room. Probably one thing about him that he does bring is experience. He's played a couple years already collegiate football at the junior college level. His physical attribute is speed."
* Jaden Mitchell is someone who was one of the most talked about players of the spring. So far the last couple weeks he has not practiced much as he has been banged up, but Aych still holds the freshman in high regard. Whether or not he will be ready to hit the field in time for the Hawaii game remains in question, but the future is certainly bright for the Las Vegas native if you listen to his coach.
"He's gonna be a guy that you all are asking a lot more questions about the next couple years. He's a very smart player. Even though he is a freshman he should have been in the class with Jamarye and those guys, so he's a little bit older freshman. So, he brings that maturity level and work ethic and high character to the room."
