Their time is now: Confident, talented freshmen expected to play big roles for 2022 Wildcats

The kids can play. And they can talk!

The Arizona Wildcats held a pre-camp media day for the local press corps Tuesday. Four of the nine offensive players on hand were true freshmen.

The previous regime forbade freshman from speaking to the media, leading to awkward situations such as quarterback Grant Gunnell starting against UCLA in September 2019 — but not being allowed to talk about it until March 2020.

Jedd Fisch has no such reservations. Freshmen who are expected to have big roles are treated like veterans. The ’22 Wildcats have many players who fit that description.

In spring, Arizona got a glimpse of what’s to come from the program’s highest-rated recruiting class in nearly two decades. More talent arrived in June, led by four-star all-purpose back Rayshon “Speedy” Luke.

Arizona’s first official practice is Wednesday morning, but Fisch already has referred to Luke as “special.” He’s expected to be utilized in multiple ways — running back, slot receiver and kickoff returner.

Luke quickly dismissed the notion that he’d be overwhelmed by that workload.

“Nah. I’m doing it all. It’s no pressure,” Luke said. “Because I want to win. I’m gonna do what it takes to win.”

That mindset is commonplace among this uncommon group of newcomers.

The youth movement will be especially prominent on offense, where Luke will share backfield snaps with Jonah Coleman; Noah Fifita could rise to No. 2 on the QB depth chart; Jonah Savaiinaea is slated to start at right guard; Keyan Burnett will split time at tight end; and nearly half the scholarship wide receivers — Tetairoa McMillan, Kevin Green Jr. and AJ Jones — are true freshmen.

McMillan, the highest-rated recruit of the modern era for UA football, will have every opportunity to start and thrive at ‘X’ receiver spot. Position coach Kevin Cummings’ expectations are just as great for Green and Jones.

“We don’t have time in this room for anybody to wait their turn,” Cummings said. “Usually you have some veteran guys and guys know, although they’re talented, they’re gonna wait a year or so. These guys know they don’t have time to wait.”

Veteran transfer Jacob Cowing and sophomore Dorian Singer are expected to start alongside McMillan. Green and Jones are next in line.

Fifita easily could ascend to that tier. He’s battling veteran Jordan McCloud for the backup spot behind Jayden de Laura, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Fifita won it after an impressive spring.

“I’m never gonna slow Noah down,” Fisch said. “Noah is everything you want your quarterback to be — grinder, (has) confidence, locker room loves him, can sling it, studies his tail off.

“Go be the best you can be — that’s what I tell him. If you’re the best, great, then you’re the best and you’ll play. If you’re second best, you’ll be No. 2. If you’re third best, you’ll be No. 3.

“And you are a true freshman. So we have the opportunity and privilege to redshirt you if we need to. But man, is he a competitor. He is going to be really hard to not play at some point in time in the future. But that’s one of those problems that you want to have.”

Fifita performed confidently in spring, displaying what QB coach Jimmie Dougherty termed a “workmanlike attitude” and an unrelenting desire to learn and improve.

“Sometimes you forget that he just got here,” Dougherty said of Fifita, who enrolled in January.

“I’m just gonna take advantage of everything I got,” Fifita said. “I’m gonna do everything I can to get better. Whenever my time comes, I’ll be ready.”

Savaiinaea’s time appears to be now. After arriving in January as a relatively under-recruited three-star prospect from Hawaii, Savaiinaea worked with the first team throughout spring practice. He said his goals were to “work hard, compete for that one spot and learn from the veterans.” He’s done all three, putting himself in rare company as a true-freshman starter on the offensive line.

“He has the physical capabilities to do it,” Fifita said. “He’s strong, he’s athletic, he can move; he doesn’t move like a 6-4, 300-pound lineman.

“But even more so just the way he carries himself — very humble, very mellow, but still has that swagger and confidence to him.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

“He’s a guy that’s probably gonna be outta here in three years. He’s real special. We have a special class, but he’s the cream of the crop.”

Savaiinaea could be opening holes for Coleman and Luke for the next three seasons. Coleman dazzled at times during spring ball, displaying not only talent but what running backs coach Scottie Graham called “football savvy.”

Luke sees himself as the ideal complement to Coleman, who’s short (listed at 5-8) but powerful. Luke described himself as a “scatback.” He notched a personal best of 10.32 seconds in the 100-meter dash this spring.

When a player is that fast, “you get the ball to him,” Graham said. “Because it’s over. There’s no angle he can’t outrun.”

Graham is just as impressed with Luke’s character. When the coach went to visit him at Southern California’s St. John Bosco High School, Luke had to cut the conversation short. The bell rang, and he had to go to class.

Recalling that interaction, Graham smiled and pumped his fist.

“He’s a leader, man,” Graham said. “He’s a young guy that’s going to be a captain eventually around here if things work out the way they’re supposed to.”

Injury updates

At least three players — defensive tackle Kyon Barrs, offensive lineman Josh Baker and receiver Jamayre Joiner — will have a limited snap count to start training camp.

All three players have been fully cleared to return after missing spring practice – Barrs and Joiner from foot surgeries, Baker from a torn pectoral muscle. But the plan is to bring them along slowly with the intention of having them ready for the Sept. 3 opener against San Diego State.

Barrs and Baker are slated to start if healthy. Joiner should be a factor as a receiver and/or as a quarterback in certain packages if he can overcome the foot issues that have plagued him for the past two seasons.

Quarterback Will Plummer, who started seven games last season, isn’t able to throw yet after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder following spring ball. But Plummer has been an active participant in the QB room.

“Will has taken on an incredible coaching role as he’s coming off of his injury,” Fisch said, “teaching these quarterbacks the offense, the ins and outs.”

Freshman offensive lineman Jacob Reece has been fully cleared after having to sit out spring practice. Reece was diagnosed with the heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in spring but was able to participate in summer activities.

Extra points

Defensive tackle Jacob Kongaika is another freshman who could have an instant impact. Kongaika came to Arizona as a preferred walk-on but already has earned scholarship status. “He may end up being the surprise of the camp,” defensive line coach Ricky Hunley said. “He’s a young kid, but he’s a grown man when it comes to playing football.”

Arizona recently opened its refurbished locker room, to the delight of the players. The project was funded by former UA player and longtime supporter Douglas Allred, who contributed $4.8 million to the football and men’s basketball programs earlier this year.

The Wildcats have done some shuffling in their secondary. UCLA transfer DJ Warnell is moving from nickel corner to boundary safety, where depth was lacking. Isaiah Mays will provide Gunner Maldonado‘s primary competition at nickel. Second-year player Isaiah Taylor is working at both safety spots.

Defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen, a former assistant coach at USC and UCLA, on those schools leaving for the Big Ten: “I don’t care. Good for them. Good for us. Now we can go to Los Angeles and get more players — stay here, stay on the West Coast.”

Wednesday’s 10 a.m. practice is the first of 11 that are open to the public. The last open practice is a mock game on Saturday, Aug. 20, at 6:30 p.m.