During the first scrimmage of Arizona’s spring practices, it was the offense that found a rhythm and made highlight plays, including Tetairoa McMillan’s one-handed acrobatic catch down the sideline, before replicating the catch on the subsequent play for a touchdown.
On Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium, it was the defense that stood out during the Wildcats’ 121-play scrimmage that featured 111 plays on offense and defense, with 10 special teams plays, including a 40-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Loop to end the session.
Edge rushers Russell Davis II and Cal transfer Orin Patu recorded sacks on the first drive. Davis had two more sacks on the following possession, one of them wiping out a 30-yard touchdown from quarterback Jayden de Laura to receiver Jacob Cowing. Davis unofficially had 3.5 sacks on Saturday.
The Wildcats defense stopped running back Jonah Coleman twice at the goal line, then forced two incompletions for a goal-line stand against Arizona’s starting offense. Safety DJ Warnell intercepted a pass that was tipped off the hands of freshman receiver Malachi Riley. Warnell also had a fumble recovery on the goal line.
“Our defense is getting better,” Arizona coach Jedd Fisch said. “Our defense is flying around, our defense is making it harder on the offense.”
As the Wildcats prepare for their final week of spring ball, here are some other pertinent items Fisch addressed Saturday:
What have you seen from the defense this spring, especially in the scrimmage?
A: “I think you can see the difference when you bring in a Tyler Manoa, 325 pounds; Bill Norton, 325 pounds; Tia (Savea), 325 pounds. You’ve got that much girth up front, and they’re blowing guys off the ball. And then you’ve got (Jacob) Kongaika, one year bigger, and the rest of these guys keep getting bigger and bigger, and then you’ve got the guys coming in; all of a sudden the defensive line looks a lot different. We felt it certainly down there on the goal line.”
Jacob Manu (5) is all smiles as players line up during spring practice in March.
How do you measure the program’s progress in spring?
A: “We measure everything analytically in terms of catches, drops, completion percentage, sacks, turnovers, interceptions and all that. We’re getting better, but I don’t need objective data to tell me that subjectively. I can say that being on a field for 25 years coaching, our team is better ... than it was last spring at this time, and that’s really what is important to us.
“ ‘Can we be better than we were last year?’ We are. ‘Can we grow?’ We have. ‘Can we continue to get better?’ Exponentially, and that’s what I’m most excited about is, how hard do they want to work this summer on their own to see how good they can be.”
How do you evaluate the red-zone offense in spring?
A: “That’s the toughest one to evaluate, because the fact of the matter is a lot of times we’re not in live periods, so is the tackle made? Is it not? ... You want to run the ball well in the red zone. In practice, you have to throw it about 70% of the time, if you’re going to be in competitive periods, because unless you’re tackling to the ground, you don’t really know what’s going to happen.
“But I think we’ve been pretty good. We’re getting better at it, we’re understanding our weapons better, and then we just have to continue to build off of some route combinations and scramble plays and be able to run the ball better.”
Quarterback Jayden de Laura cocks to throw while working with the receivers at the University of Arizona spring practice session on March 30, 2023.
Is there a certain standard Arizona looks for when recruiting specific positions?
A: “Absolutely. ... Bill Parcells would say, ‘If you just tried to grab players, you can get a room full of misfits with all different sizes and the team wouldn’t look the same.’ If you have a standard, ‘This is what we want our linebackers to look like, this is what we want our (defensive line) to look like,’ and then you recruit to that standard, then all of a sudden your teams look the way they’re supposed to.
“ believe we’re finally at a place now where our team looks like it’s supposed to. ... Now we’re building depth off of that.”
How is left tackle Jordan Morgan as he continues his rehab from the season-ending knee injury?
A: “Fantastic. I don’t know if he’s ahead of schedule or on schedule, but I know he’s in that area. ... We expect him for opening day.”
Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, right, celebrates with running back Jonah Coleman after Coleman’s touchdown during the second half of the Wildcats’ win over North Dakota State in Week 3 of the 2022 season.
With senior running back Michael Wiley missing the last two practices and DJ Williams out for the remainder of spring, how much does that benefit Jonah Coleman, who had rushing and receiving touchdowns on Saturday?
A: “He’s just getting better every single day. He’s tough, he’s physical, he’s getting in better condition with the amount of reps he’s taking, so when he’s able to do that, it’s really helping him.
“Jonah is continuing to grow and build, and (like) so many of these guys I have to be reminded that they’re just completing their freshman spring. I know that he was here early, but they’re 18 and 19 (years old), so I’m just watching him get better.
“And it’s all a part of this build that we’re getting one more year closer to where we want to be. We’re still not nearly where Arizona football should be.”
What do you hope to see from your team entering the final week of spring ball?
A: “A team that wants to finish, a team that wants to win in the fourth quarter. We’re going to talk very much this whole week about, ‘This is the fourth quarter. Are you going to be able to perform the same way you have in the first three quarters?’ “
Quarterbacks, from left, Noah Fifita, Cole Tannenbaum, Brayden Dorman (throwing) and Jayden de Laura participate in drills at University of Arizona football practice on April 4, 2023.
Extra points
Fisch said roughly 14,000 spots have been secured for Arizona’s spring game next Saturday, which doesn’t include UA students and the 280 former players in town for alumni weekend. Said Fisch: “So we got a chance to have a really, really good spring game on Saturday, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Wiley and Williams were on the sidelines in shorts and T-shirts rehabbing undisclosed injuries. Wiley is expected to return this week leading up to the spring game.
Arizona safety Dalton Johnson and defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei didn’t participate in the scrimmage but should return this week.
Freshman linebacker Kamuela Ka’aihue exited the scrimmage with a lower body-injury. Ka’aihue was helped off the field and later returned to the sideline with a brace on his right leg.
Freshman quarterback Noah Fifita threaded an impressive bootleg touchdown pass to tight end Roberto Miranda in the red zone.
Third-string quarterback and early enrollee Brayden Dorman threw a 55-yard fade touchdown pass to walk-on Rex Haynes, the son of Arizona State legend Mike Haynes.
Arizona’s weekday practices have been shifted to Monday and Wednesday this upcoming week, both still beginning about 3:30 p.m.
Jedd Fisch said the Wildcats are "one more year closer to where we want to be," but "we're still not nearly where Arizona football should be."
