What to look out for as Arizona football starts spring training.

Arizona football’s first of 15 spring workouts begins this Tuesday afternoon. Furthermore, a great deal has changed from the previous year, even if many of the players are still there.

Jedd Fisch is no longer with us, along with 90% of his coaching staff. In his stead, Brent Brennan has brought in a mix of assistants from San Jose State, former players and coaches from the University of Arizona, and a handful with head coaching experience.

There are 91 players on the online spring roster, and a few prep signees and transfers are scheduled to join in the summer.

The annual Spring Game will take place in Arizona Stadium on April 27. Here are some things to look out for during spring ball:

The freshmen

More than a dozen players on the spring roster did not participate for the 2023 squad that defeated Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl and won ten games. That comprises most of the transfers the Wildcats brought in over the offseason, including a few that were anticipated to have an immediate impact.

Brennan was followed to Tucson by defensive lineman Tre Smith and running back Quali Conley, who led the Spartans with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Conley ran for 842 yards and six touchdowns while also adding 27 receptions for 269 yards.

Former Tennessee safety Jack Luttrell, who signed with the UA prior to Fisch’s departure, projects to start immediately on the interior, while former UC Davis defensive lineman Chubba Ma’ae figures to be in the mix for the rotation on the back line.

Defensive back Marquis Groves-Killebrew, a 4-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class who has played for both Texas A&M and Louisville, was another late addition made by Arizona.

The plans

During his tenure, Fisch was responsible for calling plays and implemented a pro-style offensive system that propelled Arizona into the top 30 on offense for the past two seasons. As Dino Babers steps into his role as offensive coordinator for his second stint at UA, what changes can we expect in the team’s offensive approach?

Babers has remained tight-lipped about his specific offensive scheme when questioned multiple times last week. He emphasized the importance of tailoring the system to the strengths and capabilities of the players. Babers stated, “The most important thing is that you need to do what they’re capable of doing. Anything they have expertise in, a skill in, we will definitely exploit that to the best of our ability.”

In essence, while there may be adjustments, we shouldn’t anticipate drastic changes, especially considering the successful connection between quarterbacks Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan under the previous system. Their established rapport could facilitate their adaptability to any scheme, but it’s likely that many concepts will remain consistent.

On the defensive side, Duane Akina has expressed his intent to maintain the core of Johnny Nansen’s 4-2-5 alignment, which demonstrated significant improvements from 2022 to 2023. With Akina’s expertise in the secondary, defensive line coach Joe Seumalo and linebackers coach Danny Gonzales will have opportunities to contribute to the defensive scheme.

Battles for positions

Arizona currently has several open starting positions across various positions on both offense and defense. Final decisions on these positions are not expected until preseason training camp, especially with the possibility of utilizing over 10 open scholarships for post-spring transfers and incoming additions like Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Kevon Darton, who won’t arrive until June.

However, observing who runs with the first team during spring practices will be significant, as the new coaching staff might opt for a fresh start in many starting roles despite the number of returning starters.

At running back, Conley and Rayshon ‘Speedy’ Luke are the only players with college experience, but redshirt freshman Brandon Johnson and true freshman Jordan Washington will receive ample opportunities during spring practices. Similarly, true freshmen Brandon Phelps at wide receiver and Dylan Tapley at tight end will compete for playing time, alongside returning receivers and tight ends eager to impress the new coaching staff.

Although four starters return on the offensive line, the new O-line coach Josh Oglesby may experiment with players at multiple positions. Likewise, the defensive line, under the guidance of Joe Seumalo, could witness numerous players, both new and returning, rotating through during spring practices.

While linebacker Jacob Manu and most of the secondary are solidified, there remains a need to fill the second linebacker position and the ‘Star’ position, which functions as a hybrid linebacker/nickel corner in the defense. Stars coach Brett Arce has mentioned at least six players, including DJ Warnell Jr., who could compete for the ‘Star’ position during spring practices.

The vibe

In an attempt to rekindle interest among an uninterested fan base, Fisch made all spring and the majority of preseason workouts public during his three years as manager. It was successful.

For the time being, Brennan is keeping things open, and it will be interesting to see how different the mood is under his direction from Fisch’s. The latter approached practices with a considerable deal of celebration mixed with a businesslike demeanor, demonstrating his NFL mindset.

This spring, expect a little more of a “getting to know you” atmosphere as there hasn’t been any on-field communication between the coaches and players (except from holdover Akina and a few commentators) outside of lifting and conditioning.