Arizona Wildcats 'really pleased' with transfer cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew

Learning from defensive backs guru and Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina is considered a privilege for an up-and-coming ballhawk or defensive coach.

The 67-year-old Akina’s résumé speaks for itself: He’s coached three Jim Thorpe Award winners, six Thorpe Award finalists and over 20 NFL defensive backs from his time at Arizona, Texas and Stanford.

“It is awesome to be around someone who has coached as long as he has coached. The amount of time he’s been tenured at specific places, like Arizona, Texas, Stanford. ... He’s really big on the IQ part of the game,” said Arizona cornerbacks coach Chip Viney. “It’s been awesome to learn from him and work alongside him. I realize, as a young coach, how fortunate I am to be around someone who has coached the position I played, the position I teach, and just learn from him.”

New Arizona cornerback and Louisville transfer Marquis Groves-Killebrew said, “I’ve never had a coach like him.”

“Coach Akina is definitely going to teach you ball and the ins and outs of football, what the offense is thinking, what the receivers and quarterbacks are thinking,” Groves-Killebrew said. “He’s really helped me out in that aspect.”

Groves-Killebrew — nicknamed MGK by teammates and coaches — is in line to start at cornerback this season, replacing Ephesians Prysock, who transferred to Washington, and play alongside four returning starters in cornerback Tacario Davis, strong safety Dalton Johnson, free safety Gunner Maldonado and nickel back Treydan Stukes.

Groves-Killebrew has also been in Arizona’s “dollar” package that uses seven defensive backs; sophomore Genesis Smith and Colgate transfer Owen Goss, among others, have been in the dollar package as well.

“He’s talented, he’s long, he can run, he wants to be a great player, all of the things you look for,” Akina said of Groves-Killebrew. “Now it’s my job to get him to his potential, keep working with his positives and help him break some old habits.”

Groves-Killebrew is hopeful Akina and Viney’s mentorship will keep him in Tucson for the long haul and not the transfer portal.

The 6-0-185-pound Groves-Killebrew signed with Texas A&M as a four-star recruit after starring at Atlanta-area North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Groves-Killebrew played in the 2022 All-American Bowl, which also featured UA star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and running back Rayshon “Speedy” Luke, who was the game’s MVP after scoring two touchdowns.

Groves-Killebrew appeared in three games at Texas A&M before transferring to Louisville, where he spent the first roughly dozen years of his life before moving to Atlanta. Groves-Killebrew “was homesick and wanted to go home,” so he transferred to Louisville for one season. Plus, he dealt with a “nagging groin injury,” which spoiled the start to his college career.

Since transferring to Arizona, “I feel like I’m 100% and ready to go. ... The best I’ve felt since I got to college,” Groves-Killebrew said.

Once Groves-Killebrew entered the transfer portal and there was mutual interest between him and the UA, Akina and Viney used their Rolodex to vet a former highly-touted recruit who didn’t pan out at his previous two stops.

“We were able to ask all of our questions and he checked out,” Viney said. “He’s a young guy that’s looking for a new opportunity, so we laid (out the plan) before him. As we sat down and had those conversations, he realized this was something he wanted to move forward with, and we got him.”

Since arriving to Arizona in the spring, Groves-Killebrew is “just a guy who’s eager to learn, get it done,” Viney said.

“A guy who shows up early, stays late to really perfect his craft,” Viney said. “I’m really pleased with what we’ve seen thus far from him, but obviously still a lot that we can work on and get better at. ... The biggest strides (he’s made) is the overall knowledge of defense and scheme, and understanding how coverages are built and how we run them. His playmaking ability, showing up, day in and day out, knowing he has to work. I’m really pleased with what he’s done this camp.”

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said the UA coaches “are all really excited for him.”

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“The acceleration in his development, that’s been really exciting,” Brennan said.

Arizona has “definitely been the best place for me since I got to college,” Groves-Killebrew said.

“Everything is different,” he said. “Life outside of football (is different) and even the coaches, like Coach Akina.”

Arizona ‘still pressing (Davis) for more’

Groves-Killebrew’s counterpart at cornerback, Davis, has generated the most preseason hype for an Arizona defensive back since Antoine Cason, the last Jim Thorpe Award winner from the UA.

Davis is on preseason watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronk Nagurski Trophy, and was named a preseason All-Big 12 player and third-team All-American by Phil Steele. Davis is also Arizona’s second-highest rated (92) player in the EA Sports College Football 25 video game — and one of three Wildcats to make the Top 100 players list in the game. Davis was also one of four Wildcats mentioned as an ESPN Top 100 player entering this season.

Furthermore, Davis’ decision to return to Arizona instead of transferring in the spring is highlighted in a UA football documentary on “Game Network” mobile app, and has been discussed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Compared to last season, there’s more “hoopla” for Davis, said Viney.

“From my perspective, he’s handling (the offseason hype) well,” Viney said. “I think he’s doing an awesome job. It’s part of our role, especially with our youth these days. Social media and all of these different platforms these days that tell you whether or not you’re good,” Viney said. “He’s really focused on the things that we’ve asked him to do right here in the building. I think he’s handled it really, really well. I’m really pleased with that part of it.”

During Davis’ breakout sophomore season last year, he led the Pac-12 in passes defended (16). “Catching the ball” and turning pass breakups into interceptions has been a challenge Viney set out for Davis.

“I didn’t realize it was that many,” Viney said of Davis’ pass breakups. “Just finishing the play. Being there is not enough. If you get a chance to talk to him, he would tell you the same thing. I would say, from an overall standpoint, we’ve challenged him to be a complete corner.”

Davis has attempted to improve his catching abilities by working with the “JUGS” machine, “just learning how to finish on the ball,” he said.

“There’s always room for improvement, but I’ve been doing pretty good,” Davis said. “Just keep stacking days and taking it day by day, getting one day better. That’s my goal. I can’t do it all in one day.”

Even though Davis is the headliner in Arizona’s defensive backs room and the one who generates the most attention, “in our offices, we’re still pressing him for more, because there’s more that he can do,” Viney said.

“Everything is in front of Tacario,” Viney said. “Depending on how this season goes for him will determine that.”

Extra points

• Viney said the Wildcats have “plenty enough (cornerbacks) to go out and play a full game.” Said Viney: “We have some guys that can play multiple positions and that makes you really, really comfortable moving forward.”
• Viney noted redshirt freshman Emmanuel Karnley, redshirt sophomore Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine and Miami transfer Demetrius Freeney as cornerbacks “progressing well and responding to the coaching and the soft pressure we’re applying.” Added Viney: “There’s a standard here that we play with and that we have. They’re not turning their cheek and are trying to meet that standard.”