Arizona is loaded at RB; will competition bring out the best in all backs?

Drake Anderson and Stevie Rocker Jr. have increased their workloads this week. Jalen John is getting close.

When they’re all back, Arizona will have five scholarship tailbacks. Unless someone transfers — always a possibility these days — that number will grow to six when four-star freshman Rayshon “Speedy” Luke joins the team this summer.

Given that there’s only one football, no more than two backs can play at a time and the Wildcats have added talent at receiver and tight end, is it possible to keep them all happy?

“That’s a good question,” running backs coach Scottie Graham said. “My freshman year when I was at Ohio State, Bobby Turner, who is the best running back coach in the world, told us, ‘I got eight of you guys, and I have one ball. Whoever controls their ego is gonna get the ball.’ So I tell my six guys, ‘I got six of y’all and one ball. Whoever controls their ego is gonna get the ball.’”

Having too many good players is never a bad thing. Competition is one of the core tenets of Jedd Fisch’s program. He and his staff found playing time for four backs last year. Michael Wiley (336), Anderson (310), John (157) and Rocker (123) each played at least 123 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Freshman Jonah Coleman has joined that group, and he’s been one of the standouts of spring camp. He might be too good to keep off the field.

Graham expects the veterans to serve as mentors to the young players. The older players consistently have said they embrace that responsibility.

Asked if he’d be happy if he weren’t getting 20 touches a game, Wiley said: “For me, it’s not really about that. ... We’re trying to just win.”

Wiley played an integral role in the Wildcats’ lone victory last season; he scored the only touchdown in Arizona’s 10-3 triumph over Cal. Wiley, who has gotten starter reps during spring practice, carved out a role as a third-down back last season. He led the team with six touchdowns, scoring all of them over the final seven games.

Wiley doesn’t cower from the competition created by Coleman’s breakout or Luke’s pending arrival.

“That’s what we need to get where we want to be,” Wiley said.

The idea is that the more competitive the position room is, the better everyone will perform. Tight ends coach Jordan Paopao was talking about that concept this week. He was referring to his own room, but it applies to all positions.

“What you start to see is the guys that came in that are better at a couple different facets of play start to push the other guys,” Paopao said. “It just starts to create a little bit of that internal competition of, ‘I don’t want to be shown up. ... Hey, I can do that too.’ ”

UA offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll is the son of a coach who built the greatest Pac-12 dynasty of the 21st century on a platform of competition. He saw first-hand at USC how Pete Carroll got the best out of his players – including running backs who had to fight for every rep.

“Competition is going to show. It’s gonna shine through,” Brennan Carroll said. “The best guys are going to play, and it’s going to bring the guys who maybe are not going with the ones right now ... it’s going to get those guys to raise their game, raise their level.

“Those guys on the way back (from injuries), they’re going to come out raring to go because they know that competition is on. It’s happened across positions. It’s happened in the receiver group, it’s happened in the O-line group, tight ends, quarterbacks. Competition is a beautiful thing.”

Burnett’s blocking

Freshman tight end Keyan Burnett has the first step down when it comes to mastering a task he didn’t perform all that often in high school — blocking.

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“He’s very willing,” Carroll said. “He’s done a great job for a freshman, being barely 18 years old, fighting his tail off in there ... which is all you can ask for a young guy.”

Burnett earned a four-star rating at Servite High School in Anaheim, California, primarily for his pass-catching skills. He estimated that he was asked to block about 30% of the time.

Asked what his biggest adjustment has been since arriving on campus, Burnett said: “That, and just the game is faster.”

Burnett is receiving what Paopao described as a “trial by fire.” Burnett is being given every opportunity to succeed Bryce Wolma as Alex Lines’ running mate at tight end. Lines played 651 offensive snaps last season, per PFF, sixth most on that side of the ball. Wolma played 410 snaps.

“We’re trying to find a variety of different ways that we can match them up,” Paopao said.

Burnett already has flashed his receiving skills. Blocking remains a work in progress. He said Paopao is “really detail oriented” in terms of footwork, angles and techniques. Burnett also can learn from Lines, who played for Paopao at UNLV and followed him to Arizona.

“The dude’s a beast,” Burnett said of Lines. “I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but he’s strong as an ox.”

Extra points

Burnett and Lines both said they enjoy the challenge of facing UA veteran safety Christian Young. “He’s a competitor,” Burnett said. “I feel like that’s what I am too. It’s fun. Every time it’s a battle. Said Lines: “Anytime you can go up against a guy like that, it just makes you better. It just breeds competition. And that’s what we’re all about.”

Paopao, who’s now in charge of special teams, on improving Arizona’s punt protection after the Wildcats allowed four blocks last season: “We’re gonna protect first. ... We just have to get back to fundamentals. You go to a lot of press conferences, and that’s coach-speak, right? ‘We gotta get better at technique and fundamentals.’ But I think that’s the honest-to-goodness truth.”

Paopao said Arizona will be adding walk-ons to compete with kicker Tyler Loop and punter Kyle Ostendorp. They’re the only specialists in spring camp. “We are definitely in the process of recruiting a couple guys to be able to do exactly (that), build a little bit of depth,” Paopao said. “That’ll make Loop better, that’ll make ‘Dorp’ better. They had fantastic seasons, especially to finish it. But there’s no reason that we can’t push the envelope.”

If you’re wondering who could be the successor to Clay Markoff as Arizona’s fullback, it might be Issaiah Johnson, who moved from linebacker to tight end this spring. “I see being able to potentially build a role out for him in that manner,” Paopao said.

After throwing four interceptions Monday, UA quarterbacks avoided turnovers Wednesday during what Carroll called a run-oriented practice. But Carroll looks at turnovers with a head coach’s perspective. “We need the defense to make plays too,” he said. “I celebrate when the defense picks a ball off. It’s blasphemous. But ... we all need to make good plays.”

Defensive tackle Dion Wilson Jr. returned to practice Wednesday after missing Monday. Defensive end Hunter Echols also participated after being forced out of Monday’s practice because of a minor injury.

Offensive lineman Davis DiVall, who made his first appearance of spring Monday, got some reps with the third team at left guard. Carroll said DiVall will be in the mix at guard and tackle.

Players who did not participate or were absent included receiver Ma’jon Wright, defensive lineman JB Brown and defensive back Gunner Maldonado. Linebacker Anthony Solomon was limited. Linebacker Jerry Roberts got banged up during 11-on-11 work and exited early.

Zac Taylor, head coach of the Super Bowl runner-up Cincinnati Bengals, spoke to the team via videoconference Wednesday. Taylor and Fisch worked together with the L.A. Rams.

The Wildcats will practice again Friday afternoon before holding a scrimmage at 7 p.m. Saturday at Arizona Stadium.