Divide and conquer: How split-squad practices could make every Wildcat better

Inspired by his days in the NFL, the first-year Arizona Wildcats coach has decided to split up his team at times during training camp. The players practice the same amount of time as usual, but they get more reps and individual attention. The coaches, for the most part, pull double duty.

The benefits far outweigh that cost in Fisch’s view.

“We’ve got these guys for four or five years,” Fisch said after Wednesday’s second practice, which mainly featured younger players. “We’ve got to find a way to get them better every day and also get the veterans better.”

Arizona opened camp with 118 players on the roster. It’s challenging to get all of them a sufficient number of snaps. By splitting the squad – something he plans to do one or two more times – Fisch has altered the equation.

“There’s less guys out here,” senior receiver BJ Casteel said. “So there’s obviously more reps.”

Casteel and fellow senior Thomas Reid III worked with the younger group Wednesday, as did quarterback Will Plummer. The entire team was scheduled to work in full pads Thursday evening.

The advantages go beyond instruction. The receivers were spent at the end of each practice Wednesday. Their coach, Kevin Cummings, told them to get used to it.

“I’m like, ‘That’s how it’s gonna be in the game,’ ” Cummings said. “There’s gonna be five of you guys, maybe six, and you’re not gonna be able to have somebody else come in for you. If you’re tired, that’s when you miss assignments and dropped balls show up. So I think these type of scenarios really get them used to that game-like mentality.”

Fisch also sees the setup as an opportunity for young coaches to get more reps. Arizona’s graduate assistants – Darren Andrews, Luke McNitt and Ty Nichols – were heavily involved in the evening practice Wednesday.

Two-a-days have all but vanished from the upper levels of football. They were still in vogue when Fisch was an NFL assistant in the 2000s, including four seasons (2004-07) with the Baltimore Ravens.

“Sometimes it was a lighter load for the Ray Lewises, Ed Reeds and Haloti Ngatas of the world while the younger guys were developing,” Fisch said. “The way the college model works, you can’t really do that. But what you can do is ... have two practices.”

QB deployment

If you’re trying to read something into the quarterback assignments for the split practices, don’t bother. They had nothing to do with the depth chart.

Jordan McCloud worked with the younger group Monday because, as Fisch explained, he was considered “the youngest quarterback in the room” — i.e., the newest.

Plummer was next up because he’s the youngest in actual age. Gunner Cruz is expected to serve in that role for the next split-squad workout.

The quarterback who works with the younger group on a given day gets about 75% of the snaps, Fisch said. When they’re all together, each gets about 33%.

On the right track

Senior receiver Tayvian Cunningham has been one of the most improved players on the team since spring. Known mainly for his straight-line speed, Cunningham, who doubles as a sprinter for the track team, has made plays in tight quarters as well as down the field during camp.

“I’m so proud of Tay,” Cummings said. “The work that he put in in the offseason shows that he’s serious about this. He’s always been track and football. In the spring he was (still) going to track. I wouldn’t say he wasn’t fully into football, but he had other things that he was doing. This whole summer he was focused on ball.”

Cunningham gained strength and a greater knowledge of the playbook. The latter has enabled him to PLAY fast.

“Now he knows exactly what he’s doing, so you see that speed show up,” Cummings said. “People think that Tayvian is just a speed guy. What he’s really done is show that he could be a pure route runner.”

Cunningham, a transfer from Sacramento City College, has 44 catches for 522 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games at the UA. He also has averaged 19.4 yards on 18 kickoff returns.

Gray matter

During Sunday’s practice, freshman cornerback Jakelyn Morgan wore a gray jersey. On Monday, it was defensive end Eddie Siaumau-Sanitoa. On Wednesday, it was linebacker Treshaun Hayward.

What’s this all about, Coach?

In typical Fisch form, he turned the tables on the assembled media and tasked the press corps with figuring it out. It took a moment before the pattern became clear.

Morgan wears No. 27, Siaumau-Sanitoa No. 26 and Hayward No. 24. The gray jerseys are Fisch’s way of counting down the days until the Sept. 4 season opener against BYU.

“We always have to remember what that goal is,” Fisch said. “And then recognize that every day we have to build towards that.”

Tailback Stevie Rocker Jr., No. 23, was next in line for the gray jersey Thursday. Friday could be problematic, though: Arizona doesn’t have a No. 22.

“I might have to wear 22,” Fisch said.

Extra points

Plummer threw the ball accurately Wednesday, but several of his passes weren’t caught. Freshman receiver Anthony Simpson, who got open regularly, had particular trouble hanging onto the ball.

Receiver Jaden Mitchell, who’s trying to come back from a second ACL surgery, also had difficulty completing catches and missed the end of practice after getting banged up.

Freshman JT Hand got a ton of reps at center and seemed to have no trouble whatsoever with snaps.

Fisch singled out freshman linebacker Kolbe Cage, who was exceptional in one-on-ones with the running backs and had a tackle-for-loss during 11-on-11. Fisch gave Cage the honor of breaking down the squad at the end of practice.

Freshman linebacker Matt Weerts struggled early in one-on-ones. Defensive coordinator Don Brown urged him to use a counter move, and Weerts was able to win his last rep.

Freshman tailback James Bohls had a tough go during one-on-ones, getting overpowered at times. He has a strong build but needs work on using leverage.

Freshman “Viper” Ammon Allen had a pair of pass breakups, one during 7-on-7, the other in 11-on-11 work.

The defense had trouble covering tailback Bam Smith out of the backfield. Smith twice caught passes in the flat and was able to turn upfield.

Weerts, Regen Terry and Jason Harris registered QB pressures during the final 11-on-11 period.

Four Wildcats have been named to the watchlist for the 2022 Senior Bowl: Hayward, offensive lineman Donovan Laie, defensive end Jalen Harris and defensive tackle Trevon Mason.

Fisch was looking forward to Arizona’s first full-pads workout Thursday. “We’ll be tackling,” he said. “Seeing some real football.”