The defense saw great improvement under Jeff Casteel this past year. But the departures of Tra'Mayne Bondurant, Jared Tevis, Dan Pettinato and Jonathan McKnight will allow a few guys to make a strong impression this spring. In RichRod's latest interview, he said that he would like to have 22-23 guys in on the defensive rotation.
Defensive Line
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The defensive line will certainly miss the services of Pettinato. But having Reggie Gilbert back for his 5th year will help ease the transition. JUCO transfer Anthony Fotu has the best chance to fill in on the other side. The emergence of Parker Zellers certainly helped and if Jeff Worthy can remain healthy, the defensive line will have plenty of solid depth. Freshman Sharif Williams and redshirt freshman Marcus Griffin will also be competing to enter the rotation.
Linebackers
The weight of the defense will be on Scooby Wright III's shoulders. Juniors Jake Matthews and Derrick Turituri emerged as key players, meanwhile redshirt junior Cody Ippolito bounced back from a knee injury in 2013 to finish second behind Scooby in tackles among linebackers. DeAndre' Miller was plagued all year by injuries, appearing in just three games, but could see a lot more action in 2015. It's likely he'll receive a redshirt for last season.
Arizona can look to redshirt freshmen Marquis Ware and Jamardre Cobb, who were both nursing injuries sustained prior to arriving last summer. Given their health, they can provide much needed depth to the linebacking corps. Two more guys who could also step up from their special team roles are Antonio Smothers Jr. and Sir Thomas Jackson.
Defensive Backs
Jarvis McCall is the lone corner with full game experience. Cam Denson made a few appearances last season and looks to be next in line to start opposite of McCall. Devin Holiday has also been a key role player for Arizona the past few years as he returns for his junior campaign. The addition of DaVonte' Neal at corner also adds a layer of intrigue, as he's impressed quite a few coaches with his transition. Another guy turning heads is freshman Devon Brewer, who's been working with some of the leaders on defense, eager to get a jump start on the game. Kwesi Mashack has also made significant strides in cracking the rotation of corners as well. Coaches spoke volumes of his potential as a true freshman last season.
The safety position will have a lot of new faces this season with the departure of Jourdan Grandon, Tra'Mayne Bondurant and Jared Tevis. Will Parks looks to be the senior defensive leader this year, working with Tellas Jones, Anthony Lopez and Jamar Allah. Arizona Western College transfer Paul Magloire has also received high praise from Parks, who said Magloire's transition has been seamless, allowing him to become a key contributor in the secondary this year.
The defense will be looking for their role players from last year to step into bigger roles this upcoming season. With William Parks, Scooby Wright and Reggie Gilbert leading the way on all three levels, this defense is set to make big strides this season.