Arizona football notebook: Dueling turnover swords, defensive rotations and Big Red’s debut

More than a quarter of Arizona’s 2024 roster is from the Grand Canyon State, but the vast majority of those are from the Phoenix area. Only six played high school football in and around Tucson, though, which makes getting to play for the hometown team in Arizona Stadium extra special.

Even more so when half the plays you’re on the field for result in a touchdown being scored.

True freshman walk-on Kayden Luke, a product of Oro Valley’s Canyon del Oro, logged six snaps at fullback in the season-opening win over New Mexico. Five of those were rushing plays, including all three of Quali Conley’s TD runs that saw the 5-foot-11, 239-pound Luke serve as his lead blocker.

“He’s a true freshman, and he’s already finding a way to contribute in a meaningful,” UA coach Brent Brennan said of Luke, who has garnered the nickname “Big Red” from teammates. “He’s been here a month. Kid grew up local, just loving the U of A and to see him run on the field and playing his first game as a true freshman. That’s that’s a story, right there. Dream come true.”

Luke ran for more than 2,300 yards and 29 TDs as a senior at CDO, leading the Dorados to the Class 4A state title, and he also won multiple state wrestling championships. At Arizona there are no shortage of capable ball carriers, though, which meant Luke’s best opportunity to play was fullback.

He’s embraced that role through a hard-working approach that has already labeled Luke as a throwback-type player. For Brennan, it’s Luke’s love for the game that has stood out the most.

“I think there’s lots of players out there that might really love getting recruited, but they don’t necessarily love football,” Brennan said. “Kayden Luke loves football, and it shows up every time he steps on the field.”

Turnover sword twins

Arizona joined the long list of schools with sideline props last season with the introduction of the Turnover Sword, one shaped like a cactus that defensive players would impale footballs on after intercepting a pass or recovering a fumble.

“I love that, I think that’s a heck of a thing,” UA defensive coordinator Duane Akina said. “I like it more than my good buddies at other places started, with a chain or sitting on a throne.”

The Turnover Sword is back for another year, with defensive backs Genesis Smith and Treydan Stukes feeding it fresh pigskin with picks against New Mexico last Saturday. But earlier that day another sword was unveiled at Texas, which just happens to be where former UA defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and a pair of ex-Wildcat defensive linemen are this season.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

“Coach Nansen has got all the leeway he wants with that,” Stukes said. “I’m glad he showed it to us.”

Defensive line rotation should continue

Arizona used 13 different players on its 4-man defensive line against New Mexico, with starters Tre Smith (59) and Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei (56) playing the most snaps followed by Chubba Ma’ae (38). Another five saw between 21-27 snaps, with four more in double figures.

That kind of constant turnover up front should continue against NAU as Arizona tries to figure out which of its many options up front are the best ones to use come Big 12 play.

“It’s early in the season, so some of this is evaluation also,” Akina said. “We’re encouraged with our defensive front. We want to develop some depth in that position, because in this conference, unless it’s changed from years gone by when I was last there, there will be times where we’re playing 80, 90 snaps in the game. We played 87 snaps this last week, that’s a lot of football.”

Akina said he wished he’d subbed starting linebackers Taye Brown and Jacob Manu more, as that duo played 83 and 78 snaps, respectively. There was a little more subbing in the secondary, with four of the five starters playing between 70 and 78 snaps while sophomore Genesis Smith actually logged more time (56) than starter Gunner Maldonado (45).