Greg Hansen's top 10 defensive seasons in Arizona Wildcats football history
- Updated
Star sports columnist Greg Hansen counts downΒ the top 10 defensive seasons in Arizona history.Β
Editor's note: Between now and Aug. 27, Star columnist Greg Hansen will count down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.Β
Today's list: The top 10 defensive seasons in Arizona Wildcats history.Β
Ordinarily, the Sports Illustrated cover photograph of August 29, 1994 would deliver the identity of the UAβs leading defensive player β the best individual season β in school history.
But thatβs almost too easy. Tedy Bruschi or Rob Waldrop? Both are in the College Football Hall of Fame. But if you investigate each season since the Wildcats began playing football more than 100 years ago, it becomes clear that choosing such a player is neither a shut nor closed endeavor.
And one last thing: Making this top-10 list was exceptionally difficult; our preliminary group included 22 players.Β
The nickname βRoyal Wreckersββ didnβt catch on nationally, but UA defensive coordinator "Royal" Sharkey Priceβs put together a defensive unit that was a royal pain in the backside to opposing defenses.
The Wildcats opened the year 8-1 and limited the opposition to 9.4 points per game. The publicity machine of the old Western Athletic Conference didnβt create headlines outside the Mountain West, but now, in retrospect, Nelson appears to have turned in the top individual defensive season in UA history.
Nelson, a senior from Tempe, registered 29 tackles for loss/sacks; statisticians of the time didnβt separate the two. No one in school history has topped Nelsonβs 1968 season totals. He was a third team Associated Press All-American at a time All-American voters rarely looked at WAC players.
After Nelson made 28 tackles in a 16-13 victory over Indiana, and had 11 unassisted tackles in a 14-10 win over Air Force, Star sports columnist Abe Chanin wrote: "there can be no lingering doubt that Tom Nelson is the greatest defensive tackle to play for Arizona."Β
A consensus All-American cornerback and first-round NFL draft pick truly shut down one side of the field for opposing quarterbacks. He was the key player on Arizonaβs 12-1 team with 18 career interceptions.Β
His 27 Β½ tackles for loss included 19 sacks and an easy vote as the Pac-10βs defensive player of the year and consensus All-American.Β
Some might argue Cecil was better in 1986, the season of his epic 106-yard interception return against ASU, but as a senior in β87 he intercepted nine passes, including four in one game against Stanford as a first-team All-American.Β
In his farewell season at Arizona, as a two-time first-team All-American, Hunley made 176 tackles and was Pac-10 defensive player of the year, a singular player in Arizonaβs football maturation in the new league.Β
An undersized linebacker from Flowing Wells High School, Jacobs rarely came off the field. He made exactly 200 total tackles for a rising national power under Jim Young that finished 9-2, then the greatest season in school history.Β
His unforgettable sophomore season, which included 163 tackles and 14 sacks, was keyed by a game-saving sack and stolen ball from future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota of the Oregon Ducks.Β
They called the Pac-10βs defensive player of the year the βB&E,ββ as in locomotive. He made 196 tackles, sideline to sideline, on an 8-3-1 Sun Bowl team.Β
The 34th overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft intercepted 11 passes, which remains a school record. It was no fluke, a year later he had eight more.Β
The Palo Verde High grad had 110 unassisted tackles, the first UA player ever to crack the century mark. He went on to start 110 games for the NFLβs St. Louis Cardinals.Β
Whereβs future NFL pro bowler Lance Briggs, you ask? He is 16th in career tackles at Arizona (308), which trails Spencer Larsen, Sean Harris and Marcus Bell, all strongly considered for this list.
Editor's note: Between now and Aug. 27, Star columnist Greg Hansen will count down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.Β
Today's list: The top 10 defensive seasons in Arizona Wildcats history.Β
Ordinarily, the Sports Illustrated cover photograph of August 29, 1994 would deliver the identity of the UAβs leading defensive player β the best individual season β in school history.
But thatβs almost too easy. Tedy Bruschi or Rob Waldrop? Both are in the College Football Hall of Fame. But if you investigate each season since the Wildcats began playing football more than 100 years ago, it becomes clear that choosing such a player is neither a shut nor closed endeavor.
And one last thing: Making this top-10 list was exceptionally difficult; our preliminary group included 22 players.Β
The nickname βRoyal Wreckersββ didnβt catch on nationally, but UA defensive coordinator "Royal" Sharkey Priceβs put together a defensive unit that was a royal pain in the backside to opposing defenses.
The Wildcats opened the year 8-1 and limited the opposition to 9.4 points per game. The publicity machine of the old Western Athletic Conference didnβt create headlines outside the Mountain West, but now, in retrospect, Nelson appears to have turned in the top individual defensive season in UA history.
Nelson, a senior from Tempe, registered 29 tackles for loss/sacks; statisticians of the time didnβt separate the two. No one in school history has topped Nelsonβs 1968 season totals. He was a third team Associated Press All-American at a time All-American voters rarely looked at WAC players.
After Nelson made 28 tackles in a 16-13 victory over Indiana, and had 11 unassisted tackles in a 14-10 win over Air Force, Star sports columnist Abe Chanin wrote: "there can be no lingering doubt that Tom Nelson is the greatest defensive tackle to play for Arizona."Β
A consensus All-American cornerback and first-round NFL draft pick truly shut down one side of the field for opposing quarterbacks. He was the key player on Arizonaβs 12-1 team with 18 career interceptions.Β
His 27 Β½ tackles for loss included 19 sacks and an easy vote as the Pac-10βs defensive player of the year and consensus All-American.Β
Some might argue Cecil was better in 1986, the season of his epic 106-yard interception return against ASU, but as a senior in β87 he intercepted nine passes, including four in one game against Stanford as a first-team All-American.Β
In his farewell season at Arizona, as a two-time first-team All-American, Hunley made 176 tackles and was Pac-10 defensive player of the year, a singular player in Arizonaβs football maturation in the new league.Β
An undersized linebacker from Flowing Wells High School, Jacobs rarely came off the field. He made exactly 200 total tackles for a rising national power under Jim Young that finished 9-2, then the greatest season in school history.Β
His unforgettable sophomore season, which included 163 tackles and 14 sacks, was keyed by a game-saving sack and stolen ball from future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota of the Oregon Ducks.Β
They called the Pac-10βs defensive player of the year the βB&E,ββ as in locomotive. He made 196 tackles, sideline to sideline, on an 8-3-1 Sun Bowl team.Β
The 34th overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft intercepted 11 passes, which remains a school record. It was no fluke, a year later he had eight more.Β
The Palo Verde High grad had 110 unassisted tackles, the first UA player ever to crack the century mark. He went on to start 110 games for the NFLβs St. Louis Cardinals.Β
Whereβs future NFL pro bowler Lance Briggs, you ask? He is 16th in career tackles at Arizona (308), which trails Spencer Larsen, Sean Harris and Marcus Bell, all strongly considered for this list.
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