Defense

[jollything]

I know we have question marks at QB and RB, but I think in the long run we will be fine on Offense. What I want to know, from those more versed in football, is what to expect from our Defense this year?

The Defense has improved each of the last two seasons. Not by leaps and bounds but enough that the defense won't cost us games.

One area I see as an immediate need is rushing the passer, Casteel's past defenses have proven that the 3-3-5 can accomplish that. We seem to not be stable on the DL at the moment, which I'm sure will affect this. Did we recruit well enough the past 2 years to fill in the gaps?

I am just not sure how far off we are from having the defense improve enough to where the staff wants it to be, and I am curious to hear what you guys think.

[TuiTouchdown]

I definitely don't think we are where the coaches want to be yet. But we do have some reasons to be optimistic about the DL this year:

First, we have the two big guys coming back from their missions, Fanene and Fuimaono.
We have some JC transfers who are likely going to compete in Worthy (who played at Boise State) and Cody.
Jordan Allen, transfer from LSU, should also bring up the play.
And in the younger guys, I heard some positive buzz about Calvin Allen when he committed.

Something I just saw was a list of teams with the percentage of last year's tackles returning. (http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/JU ... une13.html). It surprised me to see that we're returning about 60% of our tackles. That puts us in the middle of the Pac12. Plus we are getting those additions I mentioned above. The sun devils, they return 30%.

[AuntieW]

I think we will see some exciting stuff from the defense this year. From what Ive read the coaches seem please with the direction the D is going. I'm sure there is still some work to do but I think there will be some good improvement there. Looking forward to the start of the season.


By the way Ive been reading the other site for over a year but it would never let me post. Signed up many times but it always told me I was waiting for approval. So while I am new to all of you, You are all friends I have spent time with over my morning coffee

[ANGCatFan]

AuntieW, Welcome. Sorry you were not given access at goazcats. The split has opened my eyes to a lot of abuses by the old admin, but none worse than keeping new posters off supposedly free boards.

[EastCoastCat]

You know, I never realized that was going on over there (blocking new users from joining).

Talk about cutting off the hand that could possibly feed.

Jesus, what idiots.

[Sage&Silver]

I don't expect a big improvement this year. The coaches upgraded the talent in the off season, but there isn't much experience there.

But hey, 7th scoring defense (P12 games only) in the PAC-12 last season. Improve just a little, with an RR offense, this will be a good team. ...and a good foundation of young talent going forward

[JAX83]

AuntieW, Welcome. Sorry you were not given access at goazcats. The split has opened my eyes to a lot of abuses by the old admin, but none worse than keeping new posters off supposedly free boards.

Not to derail this thread, but I've had so many issues with RIvals its not even funny. They were the first premium board I joined and when my year was over, I didn't realize they auto-charged my card for another year. I called and asked for my money back and the customer service rep basically said there was nothing they could do. I demanded talking to a manager and he was even worse! He said too bad, We are not returning your money. I told him I'll dispute the charge and hung up. I ended up getting a free year out of the deal! Bunch of crooks over there. Glad to see everyone abandon the site.

[ANGCatFan]

PAC 12 blog with the LB breakdown.

GREAT SHAPE

Oregon
Oregon State
USC
Washington

GOOD SHAPE

Colorado
Stanford
UCLA
Utah
Washington State

WE'LL SEE

Arizona: The Wildcats need to replace three-year starter Marquis Flowers and two-year starter Jake Fischer. Scooby Wright started 12 games as a true freshman last season and gives the Wildcats a good piece to start with, but we’ll take a wait-and-see approach once the other pieces are in place. The good news is that Arizona has recruited well at linebacker.

Arizona State
Cal

[ANGCatFan]

PAC 12 blog with the cornerback review.

GREAT SHAPE

Oregon
Stanford
UCLA

GOOD SHAPE

Oregon State
Washington
Colorado

WE’LL SEE

USC

Arizona: Earlier this spring, head coach Rich Rodriguez said he wasn’t as excited about his secondary’s depth as he wanted to be. Considering the Wildcats play with a five defensive back system, that is not great. But, they have Jonathan McKnight to anchor one side. He started all 13 games for the Wildcats last season and led the team with eight pass breakups. The other side is still a question mark as the team tries to replace Shaquille Richardson.

Utah
Arizona State
Washington State
Cal

[EastCoastCat]

Is it me or does it seem our program is always in the "We'll See" column?

[ANGCatFan]

PAC 12 Blog with the safety review.

GREAT

Arizona: Jourdon Grandon, Tra'Mayne Bondurant and Jared Tevis return with a combined 78 starts. On Thursday, Tevis, a former walk-on, was named to the Bronko Nagurski watch list for the nation's best defensive player. Safety is a clear strength for the Wildcats.

Oregon State
UCLA
USC

GOOD

Arizona State
Stanford:

WE'LL SEE

California
Colorado
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Washington State

[ANGCatFan]

Gimino at azcentral with a defensive line overview.

2014 breakdown: Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez finally has the numbers he wants on the defensive line.

Whether he has the players he needs is another matter.

Arizona has a couple of veterans in seniors Reggie Gilbert, who has 21 starts in the past two seasons, and Dan Pettinato, who has played in 33 games. But no playing time will be even remotely guaranteed. The team's mix of newcomers, rising youngsters and returned missionaries means this position will be one of the most competitive and unpredictable of fall camp.

"It has been razor thin," Rodriguez said of the depth on the defensive line in his first two seasons in Tucson. "It's still a little bit thin on experience, but as far as the numbers of bodies who will get reps in camp in terms of having a chance to play, it's a lot more than it was before."

Gilbert and Pettinato could end up flanking a new nose tackle, but immediately eligible LSU graduate transfer Jordan Allen should have a lot to say about that. He had 16 tackles and two sacks in 13 games for the Tigers last season, and he should have opportunity for greater playing time with the Wildcats

"He's a guy who has played a lot of football at a high level," Rodriguez said. "We're expecting him to contribute right away."

Arizona hasn't had much of a pass rush since defensive ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore graduated after the 2010 season. The Wildcats' total of 50 sacks in the past three seasons ranks last in the Pac-12.

Rodriguez doesn't necessarily need a massive pass rush from the three-man front in coordinator Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 scheme. The line needs to occupy blockers so the rangy athletes behind it can get into the opponent's backfield.

To that end, Rodriguez has upgraded the team's overall beef up front, including bringing back a pair of players -- Aiulua Fanene and Sani Fuimaono -- who check in at about 300 pounds. The sophomores returned to school this summer after completing two-year Mormon missions.

"Sometimes, you worry, 'Did they gain too much weight, or have they lost a lot of weight?'" Rodriguez said in June. "They look pretty good."

Fuimaono had seven tackles and two starts as a freshman in 2011 before Rodriguez arrived. Fanene, the brother of former NFL defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene, had eight tackles in that season.

"I can't really tell you how good they are. Other than watching some old film, you can't tell where they're at," Rodriguez said. "But they look pretty similar to what they did two years ago when they left. They're going to be thrown into the mix right away. They're two big guys who we needed on defense."

They should compete at nose tackle, along with redshirt sophomore Dwight Melvin, junior college transfer Jeff Worthy (who began his career at Boise State), Glendale Community College transfer Jerod Cody and walk-on Parker Zellers, a redshirt freshman from Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep who had an eye-opening spring.

Melvin, who, like Gilbert is from Laveen Fairfax High, saw first-time reps this spring.

"It's time for him to grow into the position," Rodriguez said. "He had a good spring."

Arizona did lose senior Kirifi Taula, who had to give up football this spring because of concussion issues, Rodriguez said. And former Parade All-American Kyle Kelley, a redshirt sophomore end who hadn't made a move up the depth chart, left the team before spring ball.

Those could have been more significant departures, if not for the improved depth and multiple mix-and-match pieces.

"The competition is going to be so much better than it's been," Rodriguez said.

[RazorsEdgeAZ]

Arizona hasn't had much of a pass rush since defensive ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore graduated after the 2010 season. The Wildcats' total of 50 sacks in the past three seasons ranks last in the Pac-12.

Sacks past three seasons. Realized that in 2011 (B4 Casteel), Arizona had 10 sacks. Just realized that LY's 24 more than double that. I went and looked up the sack totals Casteel's 3-3-5 had at WVU. Going back to 2004, his D averaged 31 sacks per year. Actually ranked 2nd in country 2010 with 45. During same time period WVU had/averaged more sacks per year than Arizona EXCEPT in 2009 when UA recorded 34 sacks and WVU 3-3-5 had 29.

I guess we can hope.

[Merkin]

Don't have any facts to back it up (Winger where are you?), but it seemed last year the Cats blitzed a lot more from the 3-3-5 than they did the year before. Hopefully even more so this year.

[jollything]

Don't have any facts to back it up (Winger where are you?), but it seemed last year the Cats blitzed a lot more from the 3-3-5 than they did the year before. Hopefully even more so this year.

I think it was just a matter of having the personnel to make the rush possible without getting burned over the top. I think we are closer now to where they want to be and will be blitzing even more this year.

[azthrillhouse]

Don't have any facts to back it up (Winger where are you?), but it seemed last year the Cats blitzed a lot more from the 3-3-5 than they did the year before. Hopefully even more so this year.

I think it was just a matter of having the personnel to make the rush possible without getting burned over the top. I think we are closer now to where they want to be and will be blitzing even more this year.

Hope you're right - my biggest concern on D is corner. McKnight was shaky last year and everybody else is unproven. Not a good look in a league with so many good QB's and WR's. I think DL will be improved, LB is solid enough, and safeties are strong - but will all that be enough to compensate for poor CB's? Probably not, at least not consistently, but will be interesting.

[ANGCatFan]

Anthony Gimino at azcentral with a LB breakdown. Key paragraphs:

"We have more bodies, but we're still not as experienced or as explosive as we need to be," Rodriguez said. "There are going to be some battles in camp to see who is in the starting jobs."

Rodriguez, who last season said his linebacker position was as thin as he'd ever had in his coaching career, will reasonably audition more than 10 players for playing-time roles in fall camp, building around the one sure thing at linebacker -- sophomore Scooby Wright.

Wright, who arrived as a two-star recruit from Windsor, Calif., impressed the same way his football idol, Tedy Bruschi, initially did at UA more than two decades ago -- with hustle and a non-stop motor. Any mistake Wright made last season, he made at full speed. He said his biggest improvements this spring came in understanding the scheme and making the right reads.

Wright played an outside position last season but spent most of the spring in the middle in coordinator Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 defense, taking over that spot from departed leader Jake Fischer. Rodriguez suggested that Wright will play inside and outside this fall; much will depend on who emerges elsewhere at linebacker.

Derrick Turituri played as a freshman as a pass rusher in the team's third-down S.W.A.T team defense. DeAndre' Miller and Jake Matthews, a walk-on from Tucson Ironwood Ridge High, got their feet wet, mostly on special teams.

"Jake Matthews is a guy who has a really good future," Rodriguez said.

Hank Hobson is the only senior linebacker and the only player among the group who was given a scholarship by former coach Mike Stoops. Hobson, who has 29 tackles in the past three seasons, is an option at middle linebacker.

Junior Keoni Bush-Loo has seen some time as a backup in the past two seasons at an outside position. Junior Antonio Smothers, a transfer from Scottsdale Community College, arrived in the spring amid high expectations but still needs to show more seasoning.

This will be an important camp for all those players to establish a spot on the depth chart before four-star recruits Jamardre Cobb and Marquis Ware beat them to it. In particular, watch for Cobb to make an immediate impact.

Before signing day in February, several of the nation's top recruiters spoke to SI.com anonymously about various high school prospects. Cobb was identified as being potentially underrated.

Said one opposing coach: "He's a freaking beast. There's not a lot of fans there for him out there, but I'm just going to tell you that sucker is cold-blooded killa. He's as physical a downhill guy as I saw on tape. I love the physicality the kid plays with. He plays angry, and I love it."

The future of the position is promising. UA is bigger and deeper than it has been, but the overall playmaking ability of the linebackers is still a question. The task for 2014 will be to sort out the depth chart and minimize the growing pains.

[ASUHATER!]

i'm excited for the secondary to do big things. the right cornerback position is up for grabs, but outside of that we have 3 redshirt seniors and a true senior at the other 4 spots who have a combined 100 career starts, 649 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 55 pass breakups, 4.5 sacks, 19 int's and 16 fumble recoveries.

[OSUCat]

I think this defense will cause issues this year for the opposing teams. I'm looking forward to taking another step forward with this defense.

[ASUHATER!]

they gotta make noise now because the secondary has to be completely rebuilt in 2015.

[azcat49]

Be aggressive, pressure, pressure, pressure. Be physical, let the opponenet know you are playing Arizona. I remember reading that MIami didn't want any part of AZ in the Fiesta Bow because we beat them to a pulp in the Orange bowl the year before.

Of course that will happen when you disrespect your opponent by not shaking their hands and not looking at them during the coin toss. They got what they deserved.

RR likes to say no team in america plays hader each play then his guys. I hope we see that on defense this year

[Merkin]

I'd like to see more pressure on 3rd and long. Casteel likes to have 8 back in that situation, but rushing only 3 doesn't put any pressure on the QB. 8 back is hard for an average QB, but Cats are going to see some pretty good QBs this year who will abuse the secondary with all that time.

[jollything]

I'd like to see more pressure on 3rd and long. Casteel likes to have 8 back in that situation, but rushing only 3 doesn't put any pressure on the QB. 8 back is hard for an average QB, but Cats are going to see some pretty good QBs this year who will abuse the secondary with all that time.

Didn't the "Swat" team come in during these situations. I remember early in the season the "swat" team was doing quite well.

[catinfl]

I'd like to see more pressure on 3rd and long. Casteel likes to have 8 back in that situation, but rushing only 3 doesn't put any pressure on the QB. 8 back is hard for an average QB, but Cats are going to see some pretty good QBs this year who will abuse the secondary with all that time.

Didn't the "Swat" team come in during these situations. I remember early in the season the "swat" team was doing quite well.

It's easy to do well against the likes of NAU,UTSA, and UNLV

[qwertyus]

I'm hoping that our better D-Line depth leads to a little more run-stopping. We've still got Bondurant, and assuming that Scooby starts also, we've only got one more LB spot up for grabs, which I'm hoping will be filled with some of those big Freshman that we've got coming in.

[ANGCatFan]

Latest breakdown from Berk at the Star. Here are the projected starters (according to Berk) and significant quotes.

Defensive line

Projected two-deep:

Ends: Starters: Jordan Allen and Reggie Gilbert or Dan Pettinato; backups: Luca Bruno and Calvin Allen

Nose tackle: Starter: Dwight Melvin or Aiulua Fanene or Sani Fuimaono; \backup: Jeff Worthy

Quotable: “Sometimes you can bring pass rush pressure, but you’d rather have it where you can rush three or four and still get there. I think we’re better there. We have a couple guys that can bring some pressure, but we still don’t have that one scary, pass-rusher guy yet. We’re still looking for that. But we have more there than we used to.” — Rodriguez

Linebackers

Projected two deep:

Middle linebacker: Starter: Scooby Wright; backup: Hank Hobson

Outside linebackers: Starters: DeAndre’ Miller and Derrick Turituri; backups: Jamardre Cobb and Jake Matthews

Miller, Turituri and Matthews were all strong in the spring and improved their stock. Matthews, the former Ironwood Ridge High School star, is still a walk-on, but Rodriguez said last week “he’s right on track” to earn a scholarship and playing time.

Quotable: “I’m excited about some of those linebackers that redshirted last year. Obviously Scooby Wright had a big season. He was overlooked coming out of high school, but now just about every program would go after him. DeAndre’ Miller, Jake Matthews, Derrick Turituri, they all made strides last season, and I think can be really good players for us. We’ll see how it goes.” — Rodriguez

[ANGCatFan]

Last article in Berk's AZ Star series on Wildcat position groups:

Cornerbacks

Projected two-deep:

Starters: Jonathan

McKnight and Cam Denson

Backups: Devin Holiday and Jarvis McCall

Denson will get the first crack at the position opposite McKnight. Though he was lauded as a receiver coming out of Salpointe Catholic, Arizona coaches believe Denson is ready to help them in the secondary right away. At 5-11, 168, he needs to add some muscle to his frame, and has plenty of time to do it.

Quotable: “The quarterback group in the Pac-12 is the best group in the country. You’ll see that in May at the NFL draft. All those guys can play. So it’s going to be a test for our corners every week against these quarterbacks. We have to be able to shut them down and hold our own back there.” — Coach Rich Rodriguez

Safety

Projected two-deep:

Starters: Jared Tevis, Tra’Mayne Bondurant and Jourdon Grandon

Backups: Will Parks, Anthony Lopez and Jamar Allah

Breakdown: The safety spot is by far Arizona’s deepest and most experienced position on defense. All three starters return from last season, plus Parks, who could see time at all three positions.

Quotable: “We take a lot of pride in the depth and talent we’ve developed the last few years. I think it revolves around us older guys the most. We’ve all played a lot of games together and started a lot of games together.

“We’ve been helping out the young guys since they got here, so we continue to try to build them. But we do take pride in what we do as a defense and as a defensive backfield.” — Tevis

[Dkenner]

Tra'Maybe Bondurant has left the program per coach Rodriguez

[ASUHATER!]

blow to the defense for sure.

[splitsecond]

Maybe if the staff could figure out how to recruit above the three star level we would be closer to where we want to be. This is turning into a snail of a build,

[CalStateTempe]

Why is he gone?

did he miss the bus?

[HaCats]

Pound sand splitsecond.....what an absurd post, on a couple different levels.

[Dkenner]

Maybe if the staff could figure out how to recruit above the three star level we would be closer to where we want to be. This is turning into a snail of a build,

its going to be a slow and steady climb unless RR does things like they do in the SEC. A fellow I know is a former SEC and NFL player and he says in the SEC when its comes to recruiting it's all about Ass and Cash!

[ANGCatFan]

Official site with a story on our safeties. The most interesting part is the absence of Bondurant's name from the article. Favorite parts:

“(Tevis has) done a great job as a leader,” assistant coach Matt Caponi said. “Being a veteran guy and a returning starter, he takes control. He’s not always going to be the vocal guy you want him to be but his actions speak. He leads by what he does on the field. I know he had a great summer, he and Will were the leaders and they took control. Not only among the safeties but the whole defense, getting guys to the workouts and everything that went along with training. He’s the prototypical guy you’re looking for in a leader. He’s a great kid and a great football player.”

“I’ve been trying to establish a leadership role the last couple years now,” Tevis said. “I feel like it’s easier having a lot of the younger guys growing up with me and playing with me these last couple years. As a defensive backfield, we’re so experienced that we can have the rest of the defense rally around us.”

“(Parks) was a good football player last year and my job is to make him a great football player,” Caponi said. “He’s playing a different position now in camp but he studies the game and the sky is the limit for Will. He’s going to be a true junior, he’s got great physical ability and great mental ability. He needs to stay healthy but the sky is the limit for him.”

“Will studies film well and understands how offenses are trying to attack our style of defense,” Caponi said. “He’s playing a different position but it’s not really a big change for him. I try to teach those guys both positions; they do some of the same stuff depending on the offensive formation. The only real difference is that you’re obviously playing closer to the line of scrimmage, so you have to be able to read your keys quicker and things happen faster rather than when you are playing 10 yards off the ball."

“Last year, we improved as a defense from the year before,” Parks said. “But, who wouldn’t want to be No. 1 in the country as a defense? A lot of people aren’t talking about us right now so that just gave me more motivation to get guys out there when they had free time, to go over film and to do extra work on the field. I think that’s helping us out at practice so far. Obviously, we have a long ways to go, but I think that this was our best summer as a team overall and definitely as a defense.”

Parks believes he can become a great player, like Caponi said, and he plans on doing whatever it takes to get there.

“To become a great player, I need to do everything I did last year as far as hard work, but double it,” Parks said. “If it’s only sleeping for four hours, then so be it. Whatever it takes to get to that next level, to be an elite player and an elite athlete, that’s what I’m going to do, whatever it takes. You could have me walk on hot rocks; I’ll do it if it’ll help me become a better player. That’s my type of mentality; my life is based off of hard work.”

Parks and Tevis are not the only safeties that will compete for the Wildcats against some of the top offenses in the country during the 2014 season. Caponi feels very confident in seniors like Blake Brady and Anthony Lopez, as well as redshirt sophomores Tellas Jones and Yamen Sanders.

“Tellas Jones has come a long way from last fall, understanding the defense more,” Caponi said. “Spring practice helped him a lot. Tellas has all the physical tools, you can see a burst out of him when he’s running. He’s a difference-maker. We have another senior in Blake Brady, he’s a very good technician, he understands the defense. He won’t kill you with his speed but he gets the job done. We have Yamen and Anthony, too, to help us out.”

[OSUCat]

It leaves out Grandon completely. I understand hat Parks is working in Bondo's spot but if Bondo is back does he start? Sounds like the coaches like Tevis leadership, so I don't see Parks taking the job from him this year.

[HaCats]

Anybody heard anything out of the first few practices of camp regarding Antonio Smothers? I know he didn't impress in Spring ball......and haven't heard his name even mentioned in all of my reading in regards to the first 4 days of Fall. Crazy how a kid can be so highly thought of, get offers from Miami, Kansas State etc.....and then show up on campus and not make any sort of impact.

[ANGCatFan]

Berk with a good story on McCall at azcentral.

Once McCall started feeling more comfortable with Arizona's scheme and speed, he re-dedicated himself to the weight room. He worked with the UA's strength and conditioning coaches, and got stronger and faster. He reported to camp this year, looking like a different player.

"You look at him now, it's like, 'Is that the same guy? Did we get a different guy?'" Lockwood said. "In my 26 years of coaching, I'm not sure I've seen a guy make that much improvement in less than a year."

Because of that, McCall has gone from an afterthought and a potential bust, to competing for the starting spot opposite McKnight.

McCall spent the majority of the first week of training camp with the first-team defense. He'll try to hold off freshman Cam Denson, and keep that starting spot when the season begins.

"This year, I know the plays, I know the system and I'm moving around better," McCall said. "I'm not hesitant like I was last year. I'm more in shape, so I can run to the ball now and make plays.

"My confidence is much higher because I know what I'm doing now, instead of being hesitant."

"He paid the price in the offseason and summer to get in shape, and now he's having some success out here," Lockwood said. "He's so long that it's tough to get the ball over him on some of those deep balls because he's got that length. He moves a lot better than you'd think. Those longer guys don't look like they're moving, but he's covering some ground.

"He's learning how to work and how to push himself."

[UALoco]

That is a great story and I hope the message goes to the rest of the team including recruits and incoming freshman. Do the work in the off-season for playing time in the fall. I imagine the prospects of Cam coming it helped to motivate him.

[ANGCatFan]

Jason Bartel SB Nation interviews DeAndre' Miller. Some of the questions:

1. What are you improving on personally to try and earn a starting spot?

Miller: To be a better teammate. Focus on more in the film room. Listen to what coach has to say and go out on the field and try to execute. Try to work on my flexibility, my technique, all that. Everything I can to get better.

2. Where are you now compared to last year?

I can definitely say I'm more knowledgeable of what we gotta do. Freshman year, I just came in and I was trying to learn everything while trying to go out on the field and execute. But now that I've gone through a fall, a spring, and now this fall, I'm starting to get the system more so I can just go out there and not think about it so much and just execute.

3. Do you watch a lot of tape on what Marquis Flowers and Scooby Wright did last year?

Yeah, I definitely watch Marquis because he plays my position, so I definitely try to learn from what he did. And Scooby's my roommate, so we watch film at night, try to break stuff down, and try to get that connection, that bond so that when we're on the field we already know what we're thinking.

4. How much bigger has Scooby gotten this year?

He's definitely throwing up numbers in the weight room. He did get swole. I'm just trying to get on his level. He holds the record for squats, so he's definitely going in there and going hard every day. Derrick Turituri too.

5. With the sort of inexperience up front on defense, how do counteract that?

I wouldn't say their inexperienced. We all gotta work off what each other do, so if one person makes mistakes, the other person has gotta fill it in. But our defense is all about working together, and executing what we got to do. It's not about who can get the most tackles. It's about getting to your spot so you can make the next person get the tackle. It's not all about going out there and just running free.

[ANGCatFan]

Official site with a story on the corners:

“I’m trying to do everything a leader is supposed to do,” McKnight said. “I’ve been in the film room a lot and I pay attention to the mistakes I’ve made so I can show the younger players how to avoid making them.”

“He’s huge for us,” cornerbacks coach David Lockwood said. “He’s matured and he knows what he needs to be doing. He is playing with more confidence, is more vocal, and is becoming a good leader. This will be his third year starting for us, and we’re expecting production from him.”

“Jarvis McCall is playing well for us right now,” Lockwood said. “He’s very long and it will be tough to get the ball over him down the field.”

“He improved so much over the summer,” Lockwood said. “If you watched him a year ago, you wouldn’t think he was the same player because he has gotten himself in shape.”

“Last year at this time, I was on the third string, and I could barely run on the third string,” McCall said. “It was a tough transition for me with the speed of the college game but now I’m more comfortable with everything.”

Redshirt senior Brendan Murphy, sophomore Devin Holiday, junior Patrick Glover and freshman Cam Denson also figure to be in the mix for that second corner spot.

Murphy is competing for a bigger role this year after mainly being a part of the special teams throughout his career at Arizona. He is also coming off an injury from the 2013 season, so he’ll be looking for redemption his final campaign.

Holiday played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2013 at cornerback and on special teams. He totaled seven tackles, one interception and one pass breakup. The sophomore figures to have a good chance of seeing the field because of the experience he has.

Glover, a junior college transfer, earned second-team all-conference honors at Scottsdale Community College. He had success playing at the JUCO level, and he will be looking to have that same success.

Denson, a Tucson native, was a star high school player for 2013 Arizona State Champions Salpointe Catholic High School where he played wide receiver and defensive back. Head coach Rich Rodriguez felt that he would have the most success playing cornerback, so he has been focusing on becoming the best he can at that position.

[ANGCatFan]

Steve Rivera FSA on the defense.. Key points:

"Compared to where we were two years ago, we've come a long way," said junior safety Will Parks. "We have our motivation. But we improved last year and we're going to do the same this year ... it's all about progress."

"The transition from the first year to now has helped everyone," said Parks, who admitted to being lost in the system in 2012 but was more comfortable last season.

"You have to know everything. I think that's where people were getting stuck at, knowing what the front was doing. It's about fitting the assignments and knowing where to be. In the 3-3-5, if you know what everyone is doing, it makes your job a whole lot easier. Everyone is on the same page."

"It's not really about getting the stars, but guys who are hungry to play football," said sophomore DeAndre' Miller.

"It's almost like someone willing to give up their life to play football and die for the guy next to them. I do feel we are getting more bonded. It's not really about us being more athletic but more together and we know more."

Casteel did admit "we're probably ahead of where we were last year and absolutely ahead of the first year" but whether that "equates to winning 12 games we have to wait and see."

"I don't know what's going on with (Bondurant's) situation, but I'm coming in and staying humble because you never know what's going to happen," Parks said. "You just have to be ready and be thankful for the opportunity."

[BearDown89]

Steve Rivera FSA on the defense.. Key points:

Casteel did admit "we're probably ahead of where we were last year and absolutely ahead of the first year" but whether that "equates to winning 12 games we have to wait and see."

I like where Casteel's head is at!

[ANGCatFan]

The Daily Wildcat and U of A TV present the Defensive Back Show.
[youtube]xInkYValdJ4[/youtube]

[ANGCatFan]

Part 2

[youtube]XhndyNrsh1Y[/youtube]

[ANGCatFan]

Part 3

[youtube]92bhKMKX5Go[/youtube]

[azgreg]

A running quarterback will set a record against us this year.

[OSUCat]

A running quarterback will set a record against us this year.

Ya, I'm not sure if our LBs have the speed to cover side to side.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah, we're not looking too locked in here.

Edit: containing the QB isn't happening. At all.

[ANGCatFan]

If you are not following Berk and the other beat writers on twitter you are getting your Wildcat news late.

At least on my timeline Cody James Martin from Wildcat Authority was first to post this info.

[ANGCatFan]