The Arizona Wildcats football program kicked off its third week of spring practice on Tuesday. Here are notes and takeaways from the most pertinent moments that happened:ย
* Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen continues to mix and match defensive lineups. Normally the safety tandems have been Isaiah Taylor with Dalton Johnson and Gunner Maldonado with DJ Warnell, but the first set of safeties for the opening team drill were Taylor and Maldonado. Junior-college transfer Charles Yates Jr. and Ephesians Prysock started at cornerback, while Treydan Stukes was the nickel back. The starting front six included linebackers Justin Flowe and Jacob Manu, edge rusher Jeremy Mercier, defensive tackle and Georgia transfer Bill Norton, defensive tackle and UCLA transfer Tyler Manoa and edge rusher Sterling Lane II.ย
* In the same team segment, Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura launched a pass into the end zone on 4th-and-10 from the 30-yard line, which was nearly intercepted by Prysock before sophomore star receiver Tetairoa McMillan muscled the ball away from Prysock for a touchdown.ย
* Offensive lineman Wendell Moe exited practice but stood on the sidelines. Redshirt sophomore and Saskatchewan, Canada, native Leif Magnuson took reps at left guard with Arizona's starting group in place of Moe. The Wildcats also continued their experiment with star right guard Jonah Savaiinaea at right tackle, with Magnusson, center Josh Baker, left guard Sam Langi and left tackle Joe Borjon. Langi also took reps at right guard alongside Savaiinaea at right tackle.ย
* Taylor intercepted another pass during a team segment later in practice โ his second against de Laura this spring. Taylor also has one against backup quarterback Noah Fifita.ย
* Fifita threaded an impressive pass over the middle through defenders to tight end Roberto Miranda for a 27-yard touchdown.ย
* Media aren't allowed to watch the indoor segments, but in a video posted by the team's Twitter account, the 5-11 Yates had a nifty, acrobatic interception covering the 6-5 McMillan. Yates, a junior-college transfer, has consistently been a part of the starting lineup at cornerback opposite of Prysock.
* Running backย DJ Williamsย and tight endย Tanner McLachlanย remain out with undisclosed injuries. Both suited up for practice but didn't wear shoulder pads and didn't participate in team segments.
