Sorry for getting this post up late, but I wanted to make sure and get you some of my top takeaways from the portion of practice I was able to watch on Saturday as the Wildcats held their first legitimate scrimmage of the spring. It was the best chance to see some live action in a game-like setting as the coaches communicated through headsets and the team wore game uniforms for the first time. There were a couple injuries that took place on they day but nothing that looked too serious. There was a different level of intensity, I thought, than I had seen through the first eight practices. It was clear being in the stadium and in full pads again helped the team bring a different level of energy, which is something Jedd Fisch had to remind his team about midway through Thursday's practice.
• Boobie Curry finally puts together a standout performance
Receiver Boobie Curry is now getting ready for his third season with the program, but he has not quite lived up to the high ranking he held as a high school player. Saturday he looked like someone ready to be a big part of the offense. He had the biggest play of the first half of the scrimmage on a 68-yard connection with Will Plummer on a pass that was made over the middle of the field that Curry then took to the house for a touchdown. There was a burst of speed on the play that Curry has rarely shown during practice or games. He cut right through the defense and found daylight. It was as impressive of a play as I have seen him make during his time with the Wildcats and would have easily been his most memorable play had it happened in a game. It was big time and he added a second touchdown on a sweep in the red zone that took some physicality to get in the end zone. Whether it was Jedd Fisch simply trying to get him more involved or Curry just making the most of his opportunities, or both, Curry looked like a playmaker on Saturday and that is a good thing for the Wildcats.
• The running game is what will make the offense go
I know there is a lot of attention being paid to the quarterbacks, rightfully so, but the running back group will be the true key to offensive success this season in my opinion. Even shorthanded for most of the spring, that group has shown flashes of being special. Saturday that group had some big plays as Drake Anderson, Jalen John and Stevie Rocker Jr. all made some impressive plays. The first drive of the scrimmage featured a heavy dose of Anderson both as a runner and pass catcher. His shiftiness is definitely going to be an advantage since it gives him the ability to squeeze out of tough spots on the field and break away for big plays. Rocker might be the most consistent player of the group so far this spring and he made some more strong plays early in the scrimmage including a nice run up the middle that he used his size on to get a first down. Even walk-on converted receiver Jashon Butler was making plays on Saturday as he was able to break a big run just before I had to head out from practice. He has been another impressive player in the group and doesn't look out of place despite being a walk-on player. He fits right in and if someone told you he was a scholarship-level guy you wouldn't think it by the plays he made Saturday.
• The quarterback group continues to go through ebbs and flows
For most of the spring Gunner Cruz has been the most consistent player at the quarterback position, but it didn't start that way. Plummer looked sharp through the first couple days of practice before really struggling at the first Saturday practice, UA's first in full pads. Since then he has turned the ball over a little too much and had issues making the right plays and reads. Saturday he looked much more like the guy I saw early in spring ball with more accuracy and confidence than he has displayed in a long time. Cruz made some decent plays on the day including a nice pass to Stanley Berryhill III on a screen that ended with a touchdown. I think my favorite play of his came on a throw to Brian Casteel that moved the chains. Cruz sat in the pocket for a bit and gave the play time to develop before finding Casteel by putting the ball right on the money. He looked poised in the pocket on that play. His issue Saturday was accuracy, which is a bit surprising considering he has been pretty good about that so far. One thing that was positive to see was that all the quarterbacks were being given an opportunity to take some reps which has not happened much this spring. Nick Moore continues be the third guy behind Cruz and Plummer but it was nice to finally be able to see what Kevin Doyle can do in a live setting. He didn't get to work with the top group when I was there but he still did a decent job of running the offense and moving the team down the field.
• The offensive line looks better at full strength
Arizona's offense line group has had plenty of issues this spring, but the group has also not been healthy really at all since the first day or two of practice. The unit was finally all together again on Saturday and I thought it showed. There were a lot of positive yardage plays and not too many times when the team was getting pushed back at the line of scrimmage. The times when defenders got through and into the backfield I thought was more about the play the defender made more than an issue with the offense. Having Donovan Laie back on the field makes a difference and I thought that showed up early with how much success the first unit had running the ball to open the scrimmage. Offensive line coach Brennan Carroll seemed quite pleased with the group during the portion of practice I was able to observe.
• The defense is going to be pesky from the looks of it
The Arizona defense isn't likely to make a huge jump in the first season under new coordinator Don Brown, but it is going to be disruptive and I have a good amount of faith in that. The defense ins't making every play and still needs plenty of work, but I continue to be impressed by just how much commotion that group makes even things aren't going exactly right. I get a bit tired just watching them with how aggressive and amped up the group is on every play. Brown's personality is starting to rub off a bit on the group and I could see that being an issue for opposing teams. I will say that it's not going to be all that fun playing against Arizona's defense this season. Maybe there won't be a ton of difference when all is said and done in terms of the number of points given up or the outright production, but they just keep coming in waves. It's going to be an unrelenting attack from Brown and I could see that wearing some teams down. I thought the scrimmage allowed the defense to be a little more like itself with more freedom to make tackles and big hits. There were a couple really strong plays by the defense during the first part of the scrimmage with linebackers DJ Mourning and Anthony Pandy having two of the bigger hits. Mourning's stop on the first drive ended up going for a loss while Jalen Harris followed that up with a big stop on a running play. The cornerbacks wrapped up that first drive with nice plays down the field including a pass breakup from Christian Roland-Wallace on Jamarye Joiner down the field.
• Boobie Curry finally puts together a standout performance
Receiver Boobie Curry is now getting ready for his third season with the program, but he has not quite lived up to the high ranking he held as a high school player. Saturday he looked like someone ready to be a big part of the offense. He had the biggest play of the first half of the scrimmage on a 68-yard connection with Will Plummer on a pass that was made over the middle of the field that Curry then took to the house for a touchdown. There was a burst of speed on the play that Curry has rarely shown during practice or games. He cut right through the defense and found daylight. It was as impressive of a play as I have seen him make during his time with the Wildcats and would have easily been his most memorable play had it happened in a game. It was big time and he added a second touchdown on a sweep in the red zone that took some physicality to get in the end zone. Whether it was Jedd Fisch simply trying to get him more involved or Curry just making the most of his opportunities, or both, Curry looked like a playmaker on Saturday and that is a good thing for the Wildcats.
• The running game is what will make the offense go
I know there is a lot of attention being paid to the quarterbacks, rightfully so, but the running back group will be the true key to offensive success this season in my opinion. Even shorthanded for most of the spring, that group has shown flashes of being special. Saturday that group had some big plays as Drake Anderson, Jalen John and Stevie Rocker Jr. all made some impressive plays. The first drive of the scrimmage featured a heavy dose of Anderson both as a runner and pass catcher. His shiftiness is definitely going to be an advantage since it gives him the ability to squeeze out of tough spots on the field and break away for big plays. Rocker might be the most consistent player of the group so far this spring and he made some more strong plays early in the scrimmage including a nice run up the middle that he used his size on to get a first down. Even walk-on converted receiver Jashon Butler was making plays on Saturday as he was able to break a big run just before I had to head out from practice. He has been another impressive player in the group and doesn't look out of place despite being a walk-on player. He fits right in and if someone told you he was a scholarship-level guy you wouldn't think it by the plays he made Saturday.
• The quarterback group continues to go through ebbs and flows
For most of the spring Gunner Cruz has been the most consistent player at the quarterback position, but it didn't start that way. Plummer looked sharp through the first couple days of practice before really struggling at the first Saturday practice, UA's first in full pads. Since then he has turned the ball over a little too much and had issues making the right plays and reads. Saturday he looked much more like the guy I saw early in spring ball with more accuracy and confidence than he has displayed in a long time. Cruz made some decent plays on the day including a nice pass to Stanley Berryhill III on a screen that ended with a touchdown. I think my favorite play of his came on a throw to Brian Casteel that moved the chains. Cruz sat in the pocket for a bit and gave the play time to develop before finding Casteel by putting the ball right on the money. He looked poised in the pocket on that play. His issue Saturday was accuracy, which is a bit surprising considering he has been pretty good about that so far. One thing that was positive to see was that all the quarterbacks were being given an opportunity to take some reps which has not happened much this spring. Nick Moore continues be the third guy behind Cruz and Plummer but it was nice to finally be able to see what Kevin Doyle can do in a live setting. He didn't get to work with the top group when I was there but he still did a decent job of running the offense and moving the team down the field.
• The offensive line looks better at full strength
Arizona's offense line group has had plenty of issues this spring, but the group has also not been healthy really at all since the first day or two of practice. The unit was finally all together again on Saturday and I thought it showed. There were a lot of positive yardage plays and not too many times when the team was getting pushed back at the line of scrimmage. The times when defenders got through and into the backfield I thought was more about the play the defender made more than an issue with the offense. Having Donovan Laie back on the field makes a difference and I thought that showed up early with how much success the first unit had running the ball to open the scrimmage. Offensive line coach Brennan Carroll seemed quite pleased with the group during the portion of practice I was able to observe.
• The defense is going to be pesky from the looks of it
The Arizona defense isn't likely to make a huge jump in the first season under new coordinator Don Brown, but it is going to be disruptive and I have a good amount of faith in that. The defense ins't making every play and still needs plenty of work, but I continue to be impressed by just how much commotion that group makes even things aren't going exactly right. I get a bit tired just watching them with how aggressive and amped up the group is on every play. Brown's personality is starting to rub off a bit on the group and I could see that being an issue for opposing teams. I will say that it's not going to be all that fun playing against Arizona's defense this season. Maybe there won't be a ton of difference when all is said and done in terms of the number of points given up or the outright production, but they just keep coming in waves. It's going to be an unrelenting attack from Brown and I could see that wearing some teams down. I thought the scrimmage allowed the defense to be a little more like itself with more freedom to make tackles and big hits. There were a couple really strong plays by the defense during the first part of the scrimmage with linebackers DJ Mourning and Anthony Pandy having two of the bigger hits. Mourning's stop on the first drive ended up going for a loss while Jalen Harris followed that up with a big stop on a running play. The cornerbacks wrapped up that first drive with nice plays down the field including a pass breakup from Christian Roland-Wallace on Jamarye Joiner down the field.
