When it comes to takeaways, Arizona Wildcats defense is in the zone this spring

The Arizona defense intercepted four passes last season. Only six teams in FBS had fewer picks.

The UA defense intercepted four passes during one practice Monday. Is that a sign of much-needed change?

It might be. Under new defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen, the Wildcats again are emphasizing takeaways in their ongoing quest to accumulate more of them.

Coaches and players are confident they’re coming for two main reasons: (1) The defense will play more zone coverage this season; and (2) the UA secondary might be one of the best in the Pac-12.

Arizona primarily played man-to-man coverage a year ago under Don Brown, who helped the Wildcats climb from 116th to 57th nationally in total defense. Arizona ranked 15th in passing yards allowed per game.

Despite those improvements — and an uptick to 5.8 tackles-for-loss per contest — the Wildcats continued to lag in the turnover department. Their six takeaways tied for last in the nation. The previous year, they had only three in five games.

Brown left to become the head coach at UMass. Nansen’s system features a more balanced blend of man and zone. The latter is more conducive to interceptions because pass defenders are more apt to face the backfield than trail receivers.

“Our eyes will be on the quarterback,” cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace said. “That will allow us to have a bead on the ball.”

“You can see everything, see stuff develop,” fellow cornerback Treydan Stukes said.

The defense has picked off passes regularly throughout spring practice, though never quite as often as Monday. The interceptors were linebacker Anthony Solomon and safeties Christian Young, Jaxen Turner and Isaiah Taylor. Jayden de Laura and Jordan McCloud each threw two picks. De Laura had four touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game against Arizona last season while at Washington State.

“The proof is in the pudding,” Young said, acknowledging what the defense has done so far in practice – but also that it’s not the same as doing it in games.

As much as it pains Jedd Fisch for his offense to turn the ball over — asked about losing his voice Monday, Fisch quipped: “I think it’s allergies — or interceptions” — the head coach knows the defense must generate more turnovers to win more games. If the foundation must be laid against the UA offense, so be it.

“Some of the zone principles that we’re playing have ended up making it harder for us to throw it into the end zone; we have to throw it in front of the sticks or in front of the goal line,” Fisch said. “They’re continuing to improve. We have a ways to go.”

One of the reasons Fisch hired Nansen is that Nansen views the turnover table the same way Fisch does.

“Our program is the football,” Nansen said. “Every call, every drill is designed for us to get the football out.

“Our guys are buying into it. I know Coach has been preaching it every meeting we have. And it’s starting to show up.”

Nansen likes what he has seen so far from Arizona’s defensive backfield. The likely starters are Roland-Wallace, Stukes, Turner and Young, with either Gunner Maldonado or DJ Warnell at nickel. Those six players have combined for 132 collegiate appearances, including 71 starts. No. 3 corner Isaiah Rutherford started seven games last season.

“Those are the guys who stand out the most to me,” Nansen said. “Especially the experienced (players), guys who have played a lot of football. Usually that shows.”

Whether Arizona’s pass rush can provide adequate pressure remains to be seen. The edge rushers have praised new position coach Jason Kaufusi. Returnee Jalen Harris looks bigger and stronger than ever. His younger brother, Jason, has been one of the defense’s most improved players. Newcomer Hunter Echols has penetrated the backfield regularly.

The linebacking corps remains in flux as players work their way back from injuries and Nansen seeks the right combination.

Whoever it is and however they do it, the Wildcats know what has to happen. They have to find a way to take the ball away.

“We don’t want to have the outcome we had last year,” middle linebacker Jerry Roberts said. “We’re gonna completely flip that around.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Roberts rehab report

When Roberts says he’s taking his recovery from a broken leg “day by day,” he really means it.

Roberts said he felt about 95% during this past Saturday’s scrimmage at Arizona Stadium. He didn’t hold anything back.

“I did basically the whole scrimmage,” Roberts said. “I wasn’t supposed to do that. But I was feeling good.”

Roberts felt the effects two days later. Nansen noticed that Roberts wasn’t quite right and pulled him out of team drills.

But it wasn’t a setback. It was just, as Roberts put it, being “mindful” of how his body is feeling.

Roberts suffered the injury on the first play from scrimmage in Arizona’s next-to-last game of the season at Washington State. He knew immediately that his season was over.

“It was frustrating, because I felt as if I was finally starting to put together a couple of good games,” said Roberts, who had a season-high 10 tackles the previous week vs. Utah. “But I’m a firm believer in God, and I believe that everything happens for a reason.”

Roberts said he feels faster than he did before the injury. The transfer from Bowling Green — who recorded 32 tackles in his first season as a Wildcat in nine games, including six starts — is the favorite to start at middle linebacker. He has the most experience, and he’s getting healthier.

There’s no rush, though.

“We’re not going to play for a while,” Nansen said, “so I’d rather have those guys full-go in the fall than now.”

Extra points

Solomon on adding speed to the linebacking corps: “Speed is one of my strong suits for sure. Jerry and Malik (Reed), they got the thunder. I bring the lightning.”

Nansen on freshman cornerback Ephesians Prysock: “He’s special. His football IQ is unbelievable. He’s always studying the game. Coach (DeWayne) Walker has done an unbelievable job with those guys.”

Three players who had been working on the side progressed to individual drills Monday: tailbacks Drake Anderson and Stevie Rocker Jr., and tight end Tanner McLachlan.

Offensive lineman Davis DiVall returned to the team after being absent because of what UA coach Jedd Fisch called “personal issues.” DiVall did not work in full pads, but he spent time with the OL group during drills.

Echols pulled up early in practice and grabbed his left hamstring. He did not return. Echols had recorded two sacks at that point.

Defensive lineman JB Brown was a limited participant. Fellow defensive lineman Dion Wilson Jr. worked on the side. Maldonado was out.

With Brown and Wilson banged up, Tiaoalii Savea worked with the first unit. Jeremy Mercier subbed for Echols at the “Cat” DE spot. Warnell started at nickel, with Isaiah Mays behind him.

The Wildcats return to practice Wednesday afternoon. They will scrimmage at 7 p.m. Saturday at Arizona Stadium. The spring game is the following Saturday, April 9.