Brennan Carroll let Donovan Laie go first. It was the least Carroll could do.
Carroll had just put Laie and his fellow Arizona offensive linemen through their paces for two-plus hours Saturday morning. It was the Wildcats’ fourth practice in as many days — five if you count the split-squad workout Wednesday.
Carroll knew Laie was tired and eager to get on with his day, so he ceded the microphone for post-practice interviews to the fourth-year junior. Like UA coach Jedd Fisch, Carroll never seems to run low on juice.
“Every time Coach is out there,” Laie said, “he just brings good energy.”
Carroll has been bouncing around the practice field during training camp. At one point Saturday, he tried to get fans at Arizona Stadium to start the wave.
Carroll’s No. 1 job is to get Arizona’s offensive line in order. The unit did not play well last season. With almost every starter back, a new scheme, a new staff and an uninterrupted offseason, hope abounds that the group will rebound.
Carroll, who also has the title of offensive coordinator, discussed how the line is coming along, the status of the quarterback competition and other topics when he met with the media. The conversation has been lightly edited.
Defensive coordinator Don Brown did not seem super happy with the defense after practice. Were you happy with the offense?
A: “Well, I can't tell if Don's happy or mad; I don’t know if you guys can tell that. We did some really good things, and we did some things we’ve got to clean up. We made some very basic mistakes, and then we did some really cool second- and third-level learning, corrections midgame in kind of a play-it-out mode.
“We had to make changes mid-practice because the defense was doing something a little bit different. We just made our adjustments. I'm happy with that.”
What were some examples of the things that need to be cleaned up?
A: “Communicating. ‘I'm going to this guy, you're going to that guy.’ Sometimes when the young guys get in there, even when the older guys get in there, they go silent. When they talk, they do really well.”
Coach Brown has talked about trying to create chaos for his guys so that they're ready for what comes in the game. How does that help the offensive line?
A: “Back to the communication piece. With all the different looks, we’ve gotta talk. We've gotta talk (within) the offensive line, we've gotta communicate to the running backs, sometimes to the quarterback.
“It makes you work. Getting a glimpse of the (NFL) preseason games, you're gonna get a lot of basic defenses. The calls are pretty simple. We're getting a lot of work right now. I love every bit about going against Coach Brown. We're lucky to have him.”
On a percentage basis, do you think that in any game you'll see as many pressures as you're seeing in practice?
A: “Probably not. I've done some preliminary studies on the opponents we're facing, and they bring some good stuff too. So we're excited about what Don's getting us ready for. I should say ‘Coach Brown.’ I should be more professional about it.”
What's your assessment of the quarterback race so far?
A: “We’re through the installation phase where we're teaching (and) coaching. Now we're in the competition phase where we're going to push these guys to see what they can do. That's why you see more play-it-out situations, not just where it's first down every rep.
“We're in the huddle, it's first down, second down, we're going to third down. Did you get the first down, or are you third-and-long? We want to see how those guys handle those situations and how they compete.”
Are you seeing any separation yet, or is it still pretty much a flatfooted tie?
A: “I would say it's a full-sprinted tie. These guys are pushing forward well. Are we there yet? Each one of them has a little bit different here-and-theres that they do well and that they've grasped and that they can fall back on. We still need to push them to be complete, all-around (players).
“But they're getting there. They're getting better, which is the great part. As long as we're still improving, we're doing good. If we’re flatfooted, we got troubles.”
Everything counts, but do you put a little bit more stock into the scrimmages like the one scheduled for Sunday night?
A: “Whenever we raise the degree of difficulty on the quarterbacks, it means a little bit more, as opposed to when you're throwing routes on air. There's no doubt there's a difference. So we're gonna have more of those situations coming up, and we'll see who sticks out.”
Extra points
- Asked which offensive linemen have improved the most since spring, Carroll cited freshman JT Hand and veteran Edgar Burrola. Hand, a center-guard, enrolled in January after missing his senior season of high school because of the pandemic. Burrola, a swing tackle, was suspended last season.
- Laie is on track to graduate in spring with a degree in literacy, learning and leadership. He’s planning to become a counselor when his playing days are over. “I think it matches my personality very well,” he said. “I like to help others.”
- Laie on Fisch’s system vs. previous UA offenses: “Our scheme is more physical. ... It gives me an opportunity to just knock people sideways. It’s more fun.”
- The quarterback play continued to be uneven Saturday. More shots were taken downfield, but not many were completed. The best connection came on a corner route from Gunner Cruz to BJ Casteel, who adjusted to the slightly underthrown ball to make an acrobatic grab near the right pylon.
- Although far from perfect, Cruz probably had the best day among the three combatants. His best work came in the final 11-on-11 segment. Three of Cruz’s passes were dropped during that period.
- Teachable moment when the offense was backed up at its 2-yard line: Will Plummer held the ball too long, prompting a reminder from Fisch that that could lead to holding in the end zone — which is a safety.
- Jordan McCloud appears to be running third in the QB competition. He had some ball-security issues, including a bobbled exchange and a fumble that he ended up recovering.
- Young defensive end Jason Harris had a nice rep in 11-on-11, shoving tackle Woody Jean into the backfield to disrupt a running play. The challenge for Harris, who’s listed at 6-7, is to consistently play with leverage.
- Several players registered sacks in 11-on-11 play, including Rashie Hodge Jr. and Alex Navarro-Silva. Jalen Harris shared shacks with Nahe Sulunga and Christian Young.
- Linebacker Treshaun Hayward got more time with the ones than in any previous practice. He’ll likely rotate with fellow transfer Jerry Roberts at middle ’backer.
- Injuries continue to pile up at defensive tackle, with Dion Wilson Jr. the latest to join the infirmary. Wilson got banged up Saturday. Kyon Barrs, Trevon Mason and Paris Shand already were out. On the bright side, Shontrail Key returned after missing Friday and Leevel Tatum III, who’s been out most of camp, participated in drills.
- Other players who did not participate or worked on the side included defensive ends JB Brown and Eddie Siaumau-Sanitoa and cornerback McKenzie Barnes.
- Practice was moved to Arizona Stadium because of overnight rain. The Wildcats will scrimmage there at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
