Three Defensive Stars to Watch for Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes
Defense will be a key part of the puzzle as the Arizona Wildcats travel to Salt Lake City to face the No. 10 Utah Utes on Saturday night in their Big 12 opener.
The Wildcats (2-1) are giving up 26.7 points so far, and they’re still stinging from that 31-7 loss to Kansas State two weeks ago. The run defense will have to get better, as Arizona is allowing 178 yards per game on the ground and that means teams don’t have to pass as much.
The Utes (4-0, 1-0 in Big 12) have been brilliant defensively, as they’ve allowed just 52 points, which comes to 13 points per game. The defense gives up just 93.8 yards on the ground and 167 yards per game in the air. Utah is a formidable opponent for any team, much less an Arizona outfit that is hoping to bounce back from a loss.
Here are three defensive players to watch for each team.
Arizona
LB Jacob Manu
It’s time to start conference play and that means the Wildcats have to turn to their best defenders. Right now, that’s Manu, who leads the team with 26 tackles in three games, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass break-up.
Of course, last year’s All-Pac-12 first-team selection isn’t sneaking up on anyone after he led the Wildcats with 116 tackles. Win or lose, Manu will make an impact.
DL Tre Smith
No one is getting to the quarterback quite like the junior is right now. He has 13 tackles, but he also has 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a team-high seven quarterback hurries. He doesn’t have a lot of sacks, but he’s getting around the quarterback.
The big numbers are bound to come. With San Jose State last year, he had career-highs with 66 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He then transferred to Arizona, following his head coach, Brent Brennan.
DB Treydan Stukes
Right now Stukes is the best defensive back on the team. After three games he has 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception and two pass breakups.
He’s coming off a breakthrough season for the Wildcats in 2023, during which he had 55 tackles (31 solo, 24 assists) including four tackles for a loss of 17 yards with one interception (which just happened to be against Utah) and nine pass breakups. If there’s a big play to be made downfield, he’ll probably make it.
Utah
DE Van Fillinger
He’s already having a huge season and the Utes are only four games into the season. He has 5.5 sacks, along with seven tackles for loss and 20 total tackles. He’s also broken up three passes and has one quarterback hurry.
He’s building off a solid 2023, during which he played in 11 games, with eight starts, and finished with 31 tackles, with five tackles for loss and three sacks, along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
CB Elijah Davis
He’s only a sophomore, but he’s the one making the big plays in the secondary. He leads the Utes with two interceptions and has nine tackles.
It’s a big jump for the Winter Haven, Fla., native, who was primarily a special teams contributor for his first two years of college football.
CB Smith Snowden
Also a sophomore, he doesn’t have the interceptions that Davis has right now. But he’s been around the football, as he has four pass break-ups, which leads the team. He also has 15 tackles and three tackles for loss.
And, like Davis, he was a special teams contributor a season ago after he was rated the No. 4 recruit in the state of Utah as part of the Class of 2023.
MATT POSTINS