Resuming our countdown of the 10 most valuable Arizona Wildcats of 2018 … other than quarterback, Heisman Trophy candidate and obvious No. 1 choice Khalil Tate.
The junior’s top-dog status is so secure that it’s pointless to include him in this list. A more instructive exercise would be to rank the next 10 most valuable Wildcats, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do over the next several weeks.
First, a couple of quick notes:
- “Most valuable” does not necessarily mean “best.” Rather, we’re defining it as the contributions and traits that most influence winning football. They include talent, leadership and projected role and production.
- Newcomers were not eligible. Even though freshmen played a huge role on last year’s team, it’s just too hard to predict who will have an immediate impact before training camp gets underway.
NO. 8: S DEMETRIUS FLANNIGAN-FOWLES
Ht/Wt/Yr: 6-2, 205, senior
Comment: The numbers Flannigan-Fowles has compiled over the past two seasons suggest he should rank higher.
Flannigan-Fowles has 159 tackles, including four for losses; 14 pass breakups; five interceptions; and two fumble recoveries. He has been one of Arizona’s most productive defensive players, and he enters this season as one of the Wildcats’ most experienced returning starters.
So why isn’t Flannigan-Fowles higher?
As the Tucsonan readily would concede, he did not finish last season as strongly as he started it. Flannigan-Fowles had all three of his interceptions in the first two weeks and wasn’t involved in a takeaway over the final seven games.
In December, Flannigan-Fowles described his performance as “hot and cold.” Defensive coordinator Marcel Yates use the same phrase.
Given additional time for self-assessment, Flannigan-Fowles reached this conclusion in April:
“I feel like I just need to be more to be more relaxed. I feel like got a little too tense. I don’t need to chase or rush. Just let it come to me. Just relax a little more and make the plays I know I’m capable of making.”
The thoughtfulness of that analysis should tell you a lot about Flannigan-Fowles: He’s one of the most conscientious players on the team – one who will put in the work to better himself.
Flannigan-Fowles knows he’s capable of more after plateauing last season, and he seems determined to finish his UA career with a flourish. In an interview toward the end of spring practice in April, John Rushing dubbed Flannigan-Fowles “the lead guy back there” and an invaluable liaison between the safeties and Rushing, their new coach.
Flannigan-Fowles is the lone senior in the group and the only returning starter among the safeties – unless the suspended Scottie Young Jr. is reinstated.
If he is, that could create a logjam at free safety, where Jarrius Wallace stated his case to start in the spring game and former starter Isaiah Hayes is coming back from injury. One of those players conceivably could be shifted to “Bandit” to join Chacho Ulloa in pushing Flannigan-Fowles.
The expectation here is that Flannigan-Fowles will hold off all challengers and make his final season at Arizona his best. He has the physical traits and mental makeup to excel, and he’s entering his third year in Yates’ scheme.
Flannigan-Fowles needs to become a more consistent tackler in space, and he needs to do a better job of locating the ball when he’s chasing a receiver (as opposed to when he’s in a center-field position and the play is in front of him).
If he can do those things – and you know he’s working on them this offseason – Flannigan-Fowles can deliver more impact plays and boost his value even further.
10 MOST VALUABLE CATS (BESIDES KHALIL TATE)
