Is it the cleats?
That was Jamarye Joiner’s suspicion last year. The Arizona Wildcats receiver felt pain in his left foot. He thought it was a byproduct of breaking in new shoes. Cleats are often uncomfortable when you first start wearing them. He didn’t think much of it. And yet …
“I pretty much had that feeling all season,” Joiner said.
It didn’t stop Joiner from appearing in all 12 games. Or from catching 34 passes for a team-high 552 yards and five touchdowns in his first season as a wide receiver. And yet …
Joiner still didn’t feel right after the season. In February, he visited the training room. He reported discomfort. Lanny Bradford, Arizona’s associate athletic trainer for football, pushed on Joiner’s foot. He grimaced.
“That’s not good,” Bradford told him.
Joiner got the foot X-rayed. It turned out he had a Jones fracture – a small break at the base of the fifth metatarsal, which is the bone on the outer side of one’s foot.
The injury can be treated with rest, and Joiner spent Arizona’s four spring practices in early March in a walking boot. But his foot wasn’t getting better. So Joiner had surgery in May. By his estimation, he wasn’t able to run routes for about six months.
“I couldn’t move my toes for three months,” Joiner said. “It was super-bad. I’m just blessed to be here, blessed to be playing.”
Joiner is good to go now. The Cienega High School product is running with the ones on offense, returning kicks and even dabbling at his old position, quarterback. (“We’re most definitely gonna see some packages,” Joiner said.)
If the Wildcats were playing tomorrow, Joiner said Monday night, he’d be ready. Arizona opens the 2020 season at Utah on Nov. 7. He might be the Wildcat who benefited most from the delay. The Wildcats originally were scheduled to start on Aug. 29.
“I would not have been available,” Joiner said. “I would have held myself back, as bad as I wanted to play. I was probably like 60% ready. And that’s not where I want to be when I’m playing, because that’s how you get hurt. So it’s just a blessing in disguise.”
Joiner displayed breakout potential last season despite being less than 100% healthy. He capped the campaign with a career game against Arizona State — seven catches, 140 yards, two touchdowns — despite the foot issue and a sore hamstring.
“What a great game for him to build off,” outside receiver coach Taylor Mazzone said. “Now we know what he can do. … Game-planning-wise, he’s put it on tape for us.”
Jamarye Joiner had seven catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns last year against Arizona State. The game “set me up for this year,” he said.
Joiner called it the game that “set me up for this year” and the performance that allowed him to “showcase my talent, showcase what I can do, the role I play for the University of Arizona. It’s just being a ballplayer and playing for my team.”
The offseason brought challenges for everyone. Since he couldn’t run for much of it, Joiner had to find ways to work on his game.
He delved into film study, paying particularly close attention to receivers with physical attributes similar to his.
“I tell young athletes all the time: You don’t have to be the most athletic, but you have to be the smartest,” Joiner said. “I try to get everything down. I watch Deebo Samuel all the time, Julio Jones all the time, to try to really look at what they do in their routes, see how they get open and how they break down, where their hips are, their arms are, their eyes are.”
Most important for Joiner: where his foot is. Less than three weeks from the opener, he reported no lingering concerns.
“I’m ready to go,” Joiner said. “I put myself in the best position during the offseason to get my body 100%.”
Gunnell bringing ‘heat’
Sophomore quarterback Grant Gunnell spent a large chunk of the offseason working on his strength and mechanics, and the changes have been noticeable. Gunnell has more zip on his fastball.
“I’m not saying he had a weak arm last year,” said Mazzone, a former quarterback. “I’m saying the velocity on the ball, we as receivers know, coming out of breaks, there’s a different spin on it, and that’s the most impressive thing.
“You can tell in his lower half … he’s driving the ball more with his legs. And that’s the big key in his throwing motion. He’s done a great job getting the ball to us at the right time.”
Gunnell lifted weights at home in Houston in lieu of spring practices and on-campus workouts that were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. He also spent time working with Tom House, who helps quarterbacks with biomechanics and other elements of the throwing motion.
During a drill last week without any defenders, Gunnell overthrew running back Michael Wiley on a sideline route. They both laughed about it.
“It’s big time,” Joiner said. “Freshmen, when they come in, they’re not as strong as a college athlete yet. So he really took it upon himself this offseason to get his strength down and spin the ball.
“I’ve noticed that as a receiver. As soon as I get out of my break, the ball’s there. It’s coming with some heat.”
Extra points
- Mazzone on the development of receiver Drew Dixon (Sabino High School): “The one thing you’re going to get from Drew Dixon is competitiveness. He loves the game. … Last year (was) an up-and-down year. He knew he wanted to be more consistent. The way he handled the offseason, from the end of spring ball and throughout till now, he worked his butt off, day in and day out, in the weight room, in the film room. So I’m excited for him.”
- Joiner on his daily matchups with safety Christian Young: “Me and him go at it every day verbally. We’re talking trash. Physically we’re going at it. … CY, he’s an NFL-caliber guy. And I see myself as an NFL-caliber receiver. So I feel like every day, when we work against each other … we’re getting each other ready for the next level.”
- Young, tailback Gary Brightwell and receiver Brian Casteel were among players not spotted with their position groups during the open practice period Tuesday. Center Josh McCauley (knee) remained out.
