Bear Down Wildcats

I was hoping to start each of these with a linked article, but camp is in a week and I can't wait for paid media to keep up with the requirements of Beardown Wildcats premium.

I will divide the group by safeties and corners (as currently listed on the roster), but remember there has been movement between the groups in the spring and could be more before camp ends.

Corner

Starting Experience (4)
DaVonte' Neal (11)
Jace Whittaker (3)
Sammy Morrison (2)
Kwesi Mashack (1)

Returning (2)
Devin Holiday
Devon Brewer

Newcomers (5)
Dane Cruikshank (redshirt Junior JC xfer)
Isaiah Strong (practice squad Junior)
Malcom Holland (redshirt Freshman)
Antonio Parks
Lorenzo Burns

Honestly, Neal is the only spot where I have any confidence. Cruikshank is considered the favorite for the other corner, but that spot and the pecking order of back-ups will be a battle during camp. My guess where we stand entering camp.

RC - Neal, Morrison, Holiday
LC - Cruikshank, Whittaker, ?

Safety

Starting Experience (4)
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (1)
Tellas Jones (11)
Paul Magloire Jr. (8 primarily LB)
Jarvis McCall Jr (16 at corner)

Returning (1)
Carter Hehr

Newcomers (11)
Jarek Hilgers (Senior xfer)
Anthony Mariscal (redshirt Freshman)
Nick Fadelli (redshirt Freshman)
Samir Hinn (redshirt Freshman)
Francisco Dicochea III (redshirt Freshman)
Albert Green (redshirt Freshman)
Isaiah Hayes ( Freshman early enrolee)
Tristan Cooper
Gavin Robertson
Chacho Ulloa
Jarrius Wallace

If anyone has seen what our safety positions will be called I'd love to see a link. I am going to use our old labels for now although Coach Yates used Safety, Free Safety, and Nickel at Boise St. Yes, Magloire could end up playing linebacker, but I think they have him labeled as a safety for a reason (they need him at Spur). Also, that is a whole lot of new safeties on the roster and I expect several of them to make the depth chart. I just don't know who yet.

Free Safety - DFF, McCall
Bandit - Jones, ?
Spur - Magloire, ?

Donte Williams did a hell of a job at San Jose St.; this year at Mountain West media days, Boise State's Thomas Spurlock was asked who the most impressive defenders he faced all year were. He said it was SJSU's cornerbacks. I think that we will see this group realize much more of their potential this year - with a caveat. We simply don't know what these guys' potential really is because last year they paid the bill for the defensive line problems. If the line plays better this year, then the CBs should make some big plays. You just can't ask a secondary to cover guys for 6-10 seconds over and over and over; it doesn't matter how good they are, if they have to cover too long they're going to get burned. At the same time, we're probably going to find out if some of last year's problems are talent and not coaching. There were some pretty bad plays by the CBs last year (if a receiver just blows past you on a straight line right from the snap, that's not good, or if you blow a play like Neal did in the NM Bowl, turning an incompletion or interception into a long TD, that's a problem) so I want to see how they look one on one.

Don't sleep on Whittaker. I'm also a big fan of Robertson and Ulloa. Jones and maglorie will be the playmakers and hopefully they are used well.

I wasn't sure what to think of Whittaker. He seemed slow and out of position a lot but then as I said, I wonder about the coaching the last year or so. Whittaker didn't look like a bad pickup when they got him.

The defensive backs in a 4-2-5 are 2 corners, 1 strong safety, 1 weak safety, and 1 free safety. The safeties have different responsibilities based on cover match ups and formations. The SS can be used as a hybrid SS/OLB and will be used in the box more than in coverage. He will also have to watch the TE at times. He has to be bigger and a hitter. The WS (nickel) is used more in coverage and splits the back half of the field with the FS. The FS is the last guy and is used primarily for coverage and help. Arizona can use a lot of different looks and dbacks could play multiple positions.

Possibilities.....

SS - Magloire/Jones
WS - Jones/Flannigan-Fowles
FS - Mariscal/Ulloa

Your corners are most likely:

Cruikshank/Whittaker
Neal/Holiday

Good SBN story on Tellas Jones.

"The scheme is fun," said Jones. "It allows you to do different things and puts you in position to make plays, so that’s what I like about it. My position will be to cover more and be more in the box. It gives DBs a lot more opportunity to make plays."

What's the story on Morrison? A lot of people were pretty high on him early last year, and then he vanished. Any chance of PT this year?

Puerco wrote:What's the story on Morrison? A lot of people were pretty high on him early last year, and then he vanished. Any chance of PT this year?

He's in the mix for sure. It's gonna be tough to get reps but he is in it.

Pac-12 position unit rankings: Defensive backs

http://www.espn.com/blog/pac12/post/_/i ... sive-backs" target="_blank

1. UCLA
2. Washington
3. USC
4. Stanford
5. Utah
6. Washington State
7. Oregon
8. Colorado

9. Arizona: Redshirt seniors DaVonte' Neal and Tellas Jones both return, but it's a secondary that finished 10th in pass defense a season ago, so the jumps and advances are going to have to be major to contend in the South. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles has had a strong fall camp, but that's not enough to push this group into a higher ranking.

10. Arizona State
11. California
12. Oregon State

Strong SBN article on the secondary.

Key Losses: Will Parks, Anthony Lopez, Jamar Allah

Key Returners: Dane Cruikshank, Anthony Mariscal, Jarvis McCall Jr., DaVonte’ Neal, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Tellas Jones, Jace Whittaker, Kwesi Mashack, Devon Brewer, Devin Holiday

Key Newcomers: Antonio Parks, Gavin Robertson, Lorenzo Burns, Chacho Ulloa, Jarrius Wallace, Tristan Cooper, and Isaiah Hayes

Some good news, Jace Whittaker was named the nation's top CB last week.

http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2 ... ball-focus" target="_blank

TuiTouchdown wrote:Some good news, Jace Whittaker was named the nation's top CB last week.

http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2 ... ball-focus" target="_blank

I also thought he looked good - had to look up his number early in the game before realizing who he was. He did benefit from some poorly thrown balls, but no question he was a shining star in our secondary.