I know this is a couple days later than expected, but it has been a busy time the last couple days since Arizona's Friday practice. That practice was closed to the media outside of the usual first 20 minutes that we get to observe, but we were still able to get some info on how things turned out for the group in the second practice of the spring.
As I mentioned in the quick notes on Friday it was a good day for the defense as a whole and the newcomers continue to acclimate themselves more as they get more comfortable. Here is the second practice report for the spring as Arizona gets set to continue spring practice tomorrow afternoon.
Injuries
As we told you last week there are expected to be a number of players limited this spring mostly as a precaution to avoid anything from happening before the summer and fall camp.
* Nick Wilson is among that group as is Nate Phillips who is coming off that foot injury and surgery. Both of those players remain in green jerseys (no-contact) and that sounds like it will be the case all spring.
* Jace Whittaker is also part of that group as he works his way back from his ACL tear and surgery. He is also and green but he has been doing a lot less than all the others in green jerseys. He has mostly been working with the strength staff off to the side.
* Aiulua Fanene has been making his transition from defense to offense since last season, but now he will have to take some more time with hit. At this stage he is not participating in practice and Friday he was just walking around the field in a yellow jersey.
* Jarvis McCall was still out Friday as well with that nagging groin injury. Arizona hopes to have him back this week, but if not the plan will be for him to be back in action after spring break when things pick up again.
Position breakdowns
While it wasn't an open practice like it was Wednesday I was still able to get a good gauge on how things went during Friday's practice, and here is how things look with each position group heading into the new week.
Quarterbacks: Anu Solomon continues to have a solid spring and he is probably even starting to widen the gap between him and the rest of those behind him. However, that is not what Arizona wants to see this spring. Rod Smith mentioned to me last week that he wants to see Brandon Dawkins and Jerrard Randall make a push for that starting positions.
Running backs: With Wilson not going through any contact drills or any periods where he might get hurt the Wildcats are really working the rest of that group behind the standout freshman at this stage in the spring. That of course means plenty of work for Jared Baker and Zach Green, but it has also meant some extended work for Jonathan Haden as well. Since he arrived and been able to participate Haden is someone Rodriguez and his coaching staff have been wanting to get more involved.
Last season that meant being mostly a slot guy, but this spring he is getting in more work at running back. He is moving well and starting to pick up on things, so it's so far so good for Haden. But the rest of the spring will be important for him to make his way up that depth chart.
Receivers/tight ends: It was much of the same for Arizona's deep receiver group on the second day of practice, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wildcats work in some different route combinations and open things up a little more now that they have a number of key returners and a quarterback coming back for another season unlike previous years. When it comes to the starting group Arizona is going with experience and speed at the four receiver positions.
Friday it was Cayleb Jones and David Richards on the outside with Samajie Grant and Tyrell Johnson at the slot positions. Nate Phillips is a little further back as he goes through drills coming off that foot surgery, but I would still expect him to be right in the mix later this year. When it comes to the tight ends the newcomers still have their heads spinning a little bit with where to go and things along those lines.
Among the veteran Josh Kern is an interesting one. Rodriguez wants to start getting that group more involved and from what I've seen already Kern could be one of those guys should Arizona start using that tight end position more. He has a knack for making plays as a pass-catcher and I could definitely envision him having an impact if what the coaching staff wants to do comes to fruition.
Offensive line: No change for Arizona in terms of movement with that offensive line at the end of the first week. The thing that did stand out during the second day was that the starting group is beginning to play with some more confidence and attitude even against its own guys. There was some extra pushing and shoving going on during some drills, and the group is playing more angry than it has in the past. That is something the staff has been wanting to see and it has recruited guys who have an on-field mean streak to them.
As things move forward toward the season I would expect you start to see a lot more of that with this group. It is also interesting to see how that second group is coming along. Much like the quarterback position the offensive line will need to have some growth behind the starters as spring continues. There is not a lot of experience behind the starting group and the next five have some work to do. One player who has made some progress is Kaige Lawrence.
The JUCO transfer was essentially off the depth chart for most of last season, but now he is consistently running with the second group and has made some strides. He looks like he took things pretty seriously over the last two months and has positioned himself well with that second unit early in the spring.
Layth Friekh continues to impress me as well early on especially when it comes to the transformation of his body. At this point you almost have to do a double take to make sure that is still him wearing his jersey because of how much weight he has added since first arriving to Tucson. The freshman certainly now looks like a college-ready lineman and it will be interesting to see how much he can get into games now moving forward.
Defensive line: Much of the same with the defensive line through the first week. Having that experience back with the starting group of Reggie Gilbert, Jeff Worthy and Parker Zellers is going to be beneficial for Arizona going into the season. However, once again it will be about finding depth behind them. That is one thing Rodriguez spoke about after Friday's practice and it is clear the 'Cats are trying to find the right pieces behind that group.
I still think one player to keep an eye on is Luca Bruno, which is strange when you think about him being a tight end late last season. However, his body is looking much more like a defensive lineman now and he looks much improved overall at the nose position. A healthy Sani Fuimaono will likely be slotted in behind Zellers once he returns, but for now Bruno is doing a nice job for the 'Cats.
Linebackers: If you were expecting to Jamardre Cobb and Marquis Ware to make a big move up the depth chart this spring you might have to wait a little longer. I spoke with Cobb after Friday's practice and he said there are still some adjustments he's making but luckily for him and the 'Cats it has more to do with the scheme side rather than the physical side at this stage. With the speed of the game picking up things are moving pretty fast for Cobb still and he said that has been one of the bigger adjustments for himself and Ware as well.
With no Tra'Mayne Bondurant type emerging just yet it's looking more and more like Arizona will go with three traditional linebackers as opposed to having an extra safety. That first group remains Derrick Turituri and Jake Matthews on either side of Scooby Wright and for now that looks like it will stick. Plenty of time to go until the games start, however, so it will be something to continue to monitor.
Safeties: Arizona's safety positions are made for play makers and it has been a fit for players such as Bondurant or Jared Tevis in the past. Newcomer Paul Magloire has already started to take up the bandit position on what it has to offer early in spring practice. He had a solid day on Friday coming up with his first interception with the 'Cats and he is becoming more and more familiar with how the scheme works. Will Parks mentioned to me after practice that he has been pretty impressed by the JUCO transfer through the first couple months since he arrived.
Another player Parks has been impressed with is Devon Brewer at the free safety position. Both Brewer and Magloire are running with the second unit and Parks has been impressed with Brewer's work ethic and eagerness to get better and learn the system more. Traditionally young players who have put in a lot of extra work on and off the field and really leaned on those older guys have thrived under Rodriguez. It is starting to look like Brewer and Magloire could be following that path.
One returning player who will have an expanded role this season and looks like he has taken that to heart is Jamar Allah. Parks said Allah has made some big strides, and that has shown already on the field at the free safety position. Allah was prepped a little bit for what will likely be his new starting role this season, but overall he looks to have much more confidence and a good feel for things early on this spring.
Cornerbacks: While the cornerbacks unit is still smaller at this stage as the Wildcats await some more bodies this summer, it packs a punch with guys like Cam Denson, Devin Holiday, DeVonte' Neal and Kwesi Mashack. Each of those players is a little different in how they go about things, but each of those corners has his own confidence with the position as well. McCall will factor back into things by the fall, but overall the group has looked pretty good to start the spring.
The staff continues to go with the experience - as little as it may be - with the starting group as Denson and Holiday continue to hold down the top two spots with Neal and Mashack on the second group. One thing the group has been working on lately is making sure their eyes are right and that is something that goes for the whole defense as well.
Depth chart
Offense
QB: Anu Solomon; Jerrard Randle
RB: Nick Wilson; Jared Baker
WR: Cayleb Jones; Trey Griffey
WR: David Richards; Trey Griffey
Slot: Samajie Grant; Nate Phillips
Slot: Tyrell Johnson; Tony Ellison
TE: Josh Kern; Trevor Wood
OT: Freddie Tagaloa; Layth Friekh
OG: Kayman Bundage; Zach Hemmila
C: Carter Wood; Levi Walton
OG: Jacob Alsadek; Kaige Lawrence
OT: Lene Maiava; TD Gross
Defense
DT: Jeff Worthy; Calvin Allen
NT: Parker Zellers; Luca Bruno
DE: Reggie Gilbert; Anthony Fotu
LB: Derrick Turituri; Hayden Gregory
LB: Scooby Wright; Cody Ippolito
LB: Jake Matthews; DeAndre' Miller
Spur: Will Parks; Anthony Lopez
Bandit: Tellas Jones; Paul Magloire
FS: Jamar Allah; Devon Brewer
CB: Cam Denson; DaVonte' Neal
CB: Devin Holiday; Kwesi Mashack
As I mentioned in the quick notes on Friday it was a good day for the defense as a whole and the newcomers continue to acclimate themselves more as they get more comfortable. Here is the second practice report for the spring as Arizona gets set to continue spring practice tomorrow afternoon.
Injuries
As we told you last week there are expected to be a number of players limited this spring mostly as a precaution to avoid anything from happening before the summer and fall camp.
* Nick Wilson is among that group as is Nate Phillips who is coming off that foot injury and surgery. Both of those players remain in green jerseys (no-contact) and that sounds like it will be the case all spring.
* Jace Whittaker is also part of that group as he works his way back from his ACL tear and surgery. He is also and green but he has been doing a lot less than all the others in green jerseys. He has mostly been working with the strength staff off to the side.
* Aiulua Fanene has been making his transition from defense to offense since last season, but now he will have to take some more time with hit. At this stage he is not participating in practice and Friday he was just walking around the field in a yellow jersey.
* Jarvis McCall was still out Friday as well with that nagging groin injury. Arizona hopes to have him back this week, but if not the plan will be for him to be back in action after spring break when things pick up again.
Position breakdowns
While it wasn't an open practice like it was Wednesday I was still able to get a good gauge on how things went during Friday's practice, and here is how things look with each position group heading into the new week.
Quarterbacks: Anu Solomon continues to have a solid spring and he is probably even starting to widen the gap between him and the rest of those behind him. However, that is not what Arizona wants to see this spring. Rod Smith mentioned to me last week that he wants to see Brandon Dawkins and Jerrard Randall make a push for that starting positions.
Running backs: With Wilson not going through any contact drills or any periods where he might get hurt the Wildcats are really working the rest of that group behind the standout freshman at this stage in the spring. That of course means plenty of work for Jared Baker and Zach Green, but it has also meant some extended work for Jonathan Haden as well. Since he arrived and been able to participate Haden is someone Rodriguez and his coaching staff have been wanting to get more involved.
Last season that meant being mostly a slot guy, but this spring he is getting in more work at running back. He is moving well and starting to pick up on things, so it's so far so good for Haden. But the rest of the spring will be important for him to make his way up that depth chart.
Receivers/tight ends: It was much of the same for Arizona's deep receiver group on the second day of practice, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wildcats work in some different route combinations and open things up a little more now that they have a number of key returners and a quarterback coming back for another season unlike previous years. When it comes to the starting group Arizona is going with experience and speed at the four receiver positions.
Friday it was Cayleb Jones and David Richards on the outside with Samajie Grant and Tyrell Johnson at the slot positions. Nate Phillips is a little further back as he goes through drills coming off that foot surgery, but I would still expect him to be right in the mix later this year. When it comes to the tight ends the newcomers still have their heads spinning a little bit with where to go and things along those lines.
Among the veteran Josh Kern is an interesting one. Rodriguez wants to start getting that group more involved and from what I've seen already Kern could be one of those guys should Arizona start using that tight end position more. He has a knack for making plays as a pass-catcher and I could definitely envision him having an impact if what the coaching staff wants to do comes to fruition.
Offensive line: No change for Arizona in terms of movement with that offensive line at the end of the first week. The thing that did stand out during the second day was that the starting group is beginning to play with some more confidence and attitude even against its own guys. There was some extra pushing and shoving going on during some drills, and the group is playing more angry than it has in the past. That is something the staff has been wanting to see and it has recruited guys who have an on-field mean streak to them.
As things move forward toward the season I would expect you start to see a lot more of that with this group. It is also interesting to see how that second group is coming along. Much like the quarterback position the offensive line will need to have some growth behind the starters as spring continues. There is not a lot of experience behind the starting group and the next five have some work to do. One player who has made some progress is Kaige Lawrence.
The JUCO transfer was essentially off the depth chart for most of last season, but now he is consistently running with the second group and has made some strides. He looks like he took things pretty seriously over the last two months and has positioned himself well with that second unit early in the spring.
Layth Friekh continues to impress me as well early on especially when it comes to the transformation of his body. At this point you almost have to do a double take to make sure that is still him wearing his jersey because of how much weight he has added since first arriving to Tucson. The freshman certainly now looks like a college-ready lineman and it will be interesting to see how much he can get into games now moving forward.
Defensive line: Much of the same with the defensive line through the first week. Having that experience back with the starting group of Reggie Gilbert, Jeff Worthy and Parker Zellers is going to be beneficial for Arizona going into the season. However, once again it will be about finding depth behind them. That is one thing Rodriguez spoke about after Friday's practice and it is clear the 'Cats are trying to find the right pieces behind that group.
I still think one player to keep an eye on is Luca Bruno, which is strange when you think about him being a tight end late last season. However, his body is looking much more like a defensive lineman now and he looks much improved overall at the nose position. A healthy Sani Fuimaono will likely be slotted in behind Zellers once he returns, but for now Bruno is doing a nice job for the 'Cats.
Linebackers: If you were expecting to Jamardre Cobb and Marquis Ware to make a big move up the depth chart this spring you might have to wait a little longer. I spoke with Cobb after Friday's practice and he said there are still some adjustments he's making but luckily for him and the 'Cats it has more to do with the scheme side rather than the physical side at this stage. With the speed of the game picking up things are moving pretty fast for Cobb still and he said that has been one of the bigger adjustments for himself and Ware as well.
With no Tra'Mayne Bondurant type emerging just yet it's looking more and more like Arizona will go with three traditional linebackers as opposed to having an extra safety. That first group remains Derrick Turituri and Jake Matthews on either side of Scooby Wright and for now that looks like it will stick. Plenty of time to go until the games start, however, so it will be something to continue to monitor.
Safeties: Arizona's safety positions are made for play makers and it has been a fit for players such as Bondurant or Jared Tevis in the past. Newcomer Paul Magloire has already started to take up the bandit position on what it has to offer early in spring practice. He had a solid day on Friday coming up with his first interception with the 'Cats and he is becoming more and more familiar with how the scheme works. Will Parks mentioned to me after practice that he has been pretty impressed by the JUCO transfer through the first couple months since he arrived.
Another player Parks has been impressed with is Devon Brewer at the free safety position. Both Brewer and Magloire are running with the second unit and Parks has been impressed with Brewer's work ethic and eagerness to get better and learn the system more. Traditionally young players who have put in a lot of extra work on and off the field and really leaned on those older guys have thrived under Rodriguez. It is starting to look like Brewer and Magloire could be following that path.
One returning player who will have an expanded role this season and looks like he has taken that to heart is Jamar Allah. Parks said Allah has made some big strides, and that has shown already on the field at the free safety position. Allah was prepped a little bit for what will likely be his new starting role this season, but overall he looks to have much more confidence and a good feel for things early on this spring.
Cornerbacks: While the cornerbacks unit is still smaller at this stage as the Wildcats await some more bodies this summer, it packs a punch with guys like Cam Denson, Devin Holiday, DeVonte' Neal and Kwesi Mashack. Each of those players is a little different in how they go about things, but each of those corners has his own confidence with the position as well. McCall will factor back into things by the fall, but overall the group has looked pretty good to start the spring.
The staff continues to go with the experience - as little as it may be - with the starting group as Denson and Holiday continue to hold down the top two spots with Neal and Mashack on the second group. One thing the group has been working on lately is making sure their eyes are right and that is something that goes for the whole defense as well.
Depth chart
Offense
QB: Anu Solomon; Jerrard Randle
RB: Nick Wilson; Jared Baker
WR: Cayleb Jones; Trey Griffey
WR: David Richards; Trey Griffey
Slot: Samajie Grant; Nate Phillips
Slot: Tyrell Johnson; Tony Ellison
TE: Josh Kern; Trevor Wood
OT: Freddie Tagaloa; Layth Friekh
OG: Kayman Bundage; Zach Hemmila
C: Carter Wood; Levi Walton
OG: Jacob Alsadek; Kaige Lawrence
OT: Lene Maiava; TD Gross
Defense
DT: Jeff Worthy; Calvin Allen
NT: Parker Zellers; Luca Bruno
DE: Reggie Gilbert; Anthony Fotu
LB: Derrick Turituri; Hayden Gregory
LB: Scooby Wright; Cody Ippolito
LB: Jake Matthews; DeAndre' Miller
Spur: Will Parks; Anthony Lopez
Bandit: Tellas Jones; Paul Magloire
FS: Jamar Allah; Devon Brewer
CB: Cam Denson; DaVonte' Neal
CB: Devin Holiday; Kwesi Mashack
