Five questions: The Arizona Daily Star’s Michael Lev on Arizona

UCLA is searching for a bounce-back performance against Arizona after a heartbreaking loss to Stanford. The Wildcats are just two years removed from their Pac-12 South championship, but fell quickly from the divisional perch. They finished fifth in the Pac-12 South last year and revamped their entire defensive staff this year. They have a dangerous mobile quarterback who nearly led them to an upset victory over Washington last week. The Arizona Daily Star’s Michael Lev answered some questions about quarterback Brandon Dawkins, the team’s struggling defense and its running back situation. 

1. Brandon Dawkins took over the starting role for an injured Anu Solomon and had some success. Even if Solomon is healthy, will Dawkins keep the starting job and if so, what necessary component does he bring to the offense?

I believe he will keep the starting job. He isn’t as polished a passer as Solomon, but Dawkins is a superior athlete. He can be a real difference-maker with his legs. We weren’t sure he could run effectively against Washington’s vaunted defense, but he did and then some (176 yards, two touchdowns). He has a big frame and a strong arm and has shown promise as a passer. But he still needs a lot of work (reading defenses, remaining patient in the pocket) to become a proficient all-around quarterback.

2. How does the team expect to fill the void at running back in light of J.J. Taylor’s broken ankle. Will Nick Wilson be back this week?

As far as Wilson is concerned, we won’t know until the official injury report comes out Thursday afternoon – and even then we might not know for sure. My best guess is that he’ll be questionable, will make the trip and will test out his ankle during warmups. If he can go, the Wildcats will be OK at running back. If he can’t, it’ll be a hodgepodge of converted slot receiver Tyrell Johnson, dependable but limited veteran Zach Green, walk-on Branden Leon and receiver Samajie Grant, who played tailback in high school and has been taking reps there this week.

3. Arizona’s passing game is ranked 10th in the conference now, how much of that is a concern for the team and what needs to improve?

A lot of that has to do with Dawkins’ skill set. With him in the lineup, Rich Rodriguez is more apt to call quarterback runs. Dawkins himself is more apt to pull the ball out and take off on read-option plays. It’s a different-looking offense with Dawkins as the quarterback. I don’t expect the Wildcats to throw 40-50 times a game if he’s starting unless they fall behind by multiple touchdowns and have no choice. Dawkins’ timing has been off at times with veteran receivers Grant, Nate Phillips and Trey Griffey, but I expect that to improve the more Dawkins plays.

4. The defensive staff went through a major overhaul during the offseason. The defense’s bend-but-don’t-break method was almost enough to earn a win against Washington. How does the defense compare to that of a year ago when the Wildcats were one of the worst in the conference?

I wasn’t on the beat until the final game of last season, but I’ve heard and read a lot about the previous defense, and most of the reviews weren’t very favorable. It hurt last year not having star linebacker Scooby Wright for most of the season. But the defense seemed to be on the decline anyway. The feeling is that former defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel’s scheme started to get stale. Enter Marcel Yates, who excelled at getting the most out of two- and three-star recruits at Boise State. Yates uses a lot of different looks and blitzes to keep offenses guessing. He preaches aggression and physicality. If nothing else, the Wildcats fly to the football.

5. The defensive line lacks size, but won’t be getting any bigger this season. How can the Wildcats get better against the run?

This is by far the biggest concern with this year’s team. Arizona doesn’t have much size or depth in its defensive front. The Wildcats are vulnerable against power-running teams such as Washington and Stanford (and UCLA, at least in theory). They have to overcome their shortcomings by playing with superior leverage and technique. They do a lot of “stemming,” or pre-snap movement, to try to confuse the opposing offensive line. It had worked OK until the Washington game, when the Huskies rushed for 352 yards.