Arizona football held it's Media Day event on Sunday, and it was the first time incoming freshmen and newcomers were made available to the media.Β
Throughout the week, Star reporters Michael Lev and Zack Rosenblatt will bring you a Q&A with a different newcomer.
First up: offensive lineman Michael Eletise, the freshman from Hawaii who's competing to start at center.Β
Bio
Michael Eletise
- 6-foot-3, 318 pounds
- Position: Center/offensive guard
- From: Honolulu, Hawaii
- Rating (Scout.com): 4-star, No. 12 guard in the nation, No. 1 in the West
On the biggest adjustment to college so far: "Well Iβm not the biggest guy on campus anymore, I can tell you that. Really quickly, you figure that out. It was really hard because the speed is so much faster in college. They tell you that, but you donβt actually see it until youβre on the field, playing. Within the first couple of days, I was a deer in the headlights trying to make calls and it was really hard. As fall camp goes on youβre able to see things faster, think faster because youβre getting used to it.Β
On the offensive line group: "It helps that the o-line is such a tight knit group. Theyβll help you out, even though weβre all competing for the same spot, you want to get better and they want you to get better.
Β "That didnβt surprise me because as an o-line group weβre supposed to work together. No matter who youβre with, you gotta have the cohesion and the ability to work together."
On practicing at center at Arizona without any prior experience: "It was basically, who has the best snap of the day, and I had the best snap the day we did it. The very first day, I just had a better snap out of the three freshmen so they put me there. Iβve worked at it, worked at it, worked at it and got better at snapping. The harder thing was calling the different fronts but even then the centers and the upperclassmen have helped me. Even the other two freshmen (Harper Sherman and Bryson Cain), they got better at their positions as well.Β
On the toughest part about switching to center: "Snapping the ball. Because you gotta hear the count then you gotta look at the fronts, youβre trying to keep it as simple as possible so you can move fast."
On whether he enjoys playing center: "Yeah, I really enjoy it. Itβs a fnny feeling because when youβre the center youβre basically controlling the whole o-line, you tell them where to go, what theyβre doing, youβre the center. Youβre the middle man, and the supervisor."
On if he was familiar with Arizona at all before his recruitment: "No, actually. I didnβt even know this school was here. Growing up I only knew a couple schools, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Hawaii. But I didnβt hear much about Arizona until they started recruiting me."
On his first impressions of Arizona when he visited: "My first unofficial visit I walked around and thought this place is nice. Itβs not so huge that I can get lost from a day-to-day. Itβs not so small that you see everybody all the time, itβs just the right size."
On offensive line coach Jim Michalczik's honesty during recruitment: "Coach M told me 'Iβm not gonna say youβre gonna start, but if you work hard, you can probably play'. He said 'Iβm nice now, off the field Iβm nice, but on the field Iβll yell at you and Iβm gonna coach you up.' And I understand that. Some coaches will say stuff like 'Iβm the same on and off the field', but Coach M tells you how he is on the field."
On playing Hawaii at home this season, then at Hawaii in 2019: "Yeah, itβs pretty cool. I have a lot of friends that go to Hawaii. I get to see them again, and my familyβs coming down. And I canβt wait to go back to Hawaii for a game. Iβm gonna need a lot of tickets for that game."
