Much of the intrigue surrounding this new look Arizona defense surrounds new defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and the play of a somewhat experienced secondary.
Nansen said from day one he will run an aggressive defense and it certainly helps if the secondary can become a strength.
Viper Christian Young certainly took his lumps last season but he has been one of the standouts so far through Spring, capable of covering tight ends and making big hits. Young’s versatility is certainly a plus but it will help him even more if he has a bit more of a defined role.
Opposite Roland-Wallace, sophomore Treydan Stukes garners similar expectations. Lightly recruited out of high school, Stukes wasted no time last season making his impact felt, highlighted by his four starts and team leading 7 pass break ups.
Fisch hasn’t shied away from lavishing praise on Stukes and the coaching staff clearly has big expectations fro him
Far from the fastest player, cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace possesses a physical flair that helps him at the line of scrimmage but leaves him susceptible on the back end.
Will the pass rush and improved secondary be able to help out in that area?
Early enrollee cornerback Ephesians Prysock should still be in high school and it remains to be seen how much he’ll be able to play as a true freshman but he has the build and the quick twitch muscle Arizona fans aren’t used to seeing at that position. Regardless of his readiness it’s easy to see why recruiting services viewed him as one of the best defensive backs in the country.
If there is one player who has stood out above the rest this Spring it would USC transfer Hunter Echols.
Every practice Echols has made his presence felt either in or around the quarterback.
It’s notoriously hard to judge what to make of Spring Football headliners but this is certainly a player with high expectations on him coming out of Camp.
This the last go of it for pass rusher Jalen Harris and it’s time to make the move to become an all conference pass rusher, as he is more than capable of being.
Jalen’s brother Jason Harris is another lineman to keep an eye on.
Checking in at 6-8, Harris has slowly put on good muscle on and it will be interesting to see if this is the year he breaks out on the field.
Defensive lineman Paris Shand figures to be difficult to keep off the field as he has shown a quickness and burst not many others on the defensive line possess.
It was assumed by many that UCLA transfer and former 4 star defensive lineman Tianoalii Savea would walk into a starting position but that hasn’t been the case. It’s not that Savea has been bad, just more that some other players on the line have stepped up.
The defense certainly looks more talented than it did at this point last year but many of the questions still remain. And it starts on the defensive line and who will emerge as that pass rusher. Will there be an under the radar player who will emerge Scooby Wright-style?
It says here that the secondary will be much better than last season and the strength of the defense.
As always, remember this was a one win team last season so take most standouts with a grain of salt. But there is no doubt this team will be significantly better.
